Resonado

High-Level Overview

Resonado Labs is an American audio technology company that designs and licenses a revolutionary speaker driver architecture known as Flat Core Speaker (FCS) technology. Their products are engineered for brands and manufacturers seeking to integrate high-performance, space-efficient audio solutions into modern devices. Resonado’s technology enables innovative product designs—such as soundbars, RVs, boats, and electric vehicles—by replacing traditional conical drivers with a flat, customizable, and highly efficient alternative. The company has already shipped hundreds of thousands of drivers and is projected to scale rapidly, with existing and pipeline partners targeting tens of millions of units and tens of millions in annual revenue.

Resonado serves a broad range of industries, from consumer electronics to automotive and marine, solving the longstanding challenge of balancing acoustic performance with compact, design-conscious form factors. The company has demonstrated strong growth momentum, with multiple pilot projects, significant revenue projections, and a rapidly expanding partner network.

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Origin Story

Resonado was founded in 2017 by four undergraduate students at the University of Notre Dame, led by CEO Brian Youngil Cho, an electrical engineer with a background in finance and applied mathematics. The idea emerged from a desire to rethink the limitations of traditional speaker drivers, which have remained largely unchanged for decades. The founders recognized that as products became more compact and design-driven, the bulky, conical speaker architecture was a bottleneck. Their breakthrough came with the development of the Res-Core™ motor and the Flat Core Speaker (FCS) technology, which offered a new way to deliver high-quality sound in a slim, customizable form.

Early traction included winning top hardware awards at major startup events like TechCrunch Disrupt and SXSW, as well as recognition in global student competitions. The company quickly attracted investment and industry attention, scaling from a university project to a leading audio technology innovator with a global patent portfolio.

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Core Differentiators

• Flat Core Speaker (FCS) Technology: A patented, flat, and customizable speaker driver architecture that replaces traditional conical designs, enabling thinner, lighter, and more design-flexible audio products.
• Space, Weight, and Cost Efficiency: FCS drivers are more compact, lighter, and less expensive to manufacture than conventional speakers, while maintaining or improving acoustic performance.
• Shape Versatility: The technology can be formed into virtually any shape, opening new possibilities for product designers across industries.
• Scalable Manufacturing: Designed to leverage existing supply chains, keeping production costs low and scalable.
• Proven Track Record: Over 700,000 FCS drivers shipped, with strong revenue growth and a rapidly expanding partner base.
• Award-Winning Team: Founders and team members bring deep expertise in engineering, finance, and audio, with a combined track record of startup exits and industry leadership.

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Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Resonado is riding the wave of demand for miniaturized, high-performance audio solutions in an era of increasingly compact and design-driven products. As consumer electronics, automotive, and smart home devices prioritize sleek form factors and immersive sound, traditional speaker technology is becoming a limiting factor. Resonado’s FCS technology is well-positioned to become the new standard for audio hardware, enabling manufacturers to innovate without sacrificing sound quality.

The timing is critical: with the rise of electric vehicles, smart speakers, and portable audio devices, the market is ripe for a disruptive audio architecture. Resonado’s influence extends beyond audio—it’s empowering product designers to rethink what’s possible in terms of form, function, and user experience across multiple industries.

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Quick Take & Future Outlook

Resonado is poised to become a foundational player in the next generation of audio hardware. As their technology gains adoption in high-volume markets like automotive and consumer electronics, the company is likely to see exponential growth in both revenue and industry influence. The future will likely bring further innovation in audio architecture, deeper integration with smart devices, and expansion into new verticals.

Resonado’s journey—from a university startup to a global audio technology leader—demonstrates the power of reimagining legacy technologies for modern needs. As the demand for compact, high-performance audio continues to grow, Resonado’s role in shaping the future of sound will only become more significant.