DigiLens secures funding to broaden development of holographic AR displays
DigiLens (Sunnyvale, CA), developer of holographic waveguide technology for augmented reality (AR) devices, closed an oversubscribed $50 million Series C preferred equity investment round. New strategic investment partners UDC Ventures (the corporate venture arm of Universal Display Corporation) and Samsung Ventures join in the round with Niantic, Continental AG, Sony Innovation Fund, Diamond Edge Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, and others. The new investments will enable DigiLens to broaden its development and innovation in high-quality, holographic waveguide displays for global automobile, enterprise, consumer, avionics and military brands.
“UDC Ventures and Samsung Ventures have recognized through this investment that DigiLens is the frontrunner in waveguide technology and the only waveguide that can get to a consumer price point through its proprietary photopolymer, design software, and innovative manufacturing process,” said Chris Pickett, DigiLens CEO. “These partnerships provide the ecosystem that enables our technology to go into a variety of different display markets in a variety of different form factors.”
DigiLens develops patented holographic waveguide displays and provides key proprietary photopolymers and core technologies for transparent, AR displays for several global industries. Through investments and strategic partnerships, the company is building a world-class ecosystem of manufacturers, OEMs, and content providers to bring its waveguide technology to multiple markets simultaneously.
Young Optics, a leading display manufacturer, was one of the first to license DigiLens technology and recently began shipping products based on the DigiLens Crystal 25 reference design for AR smart glasses.
“We are excited to partner with DigiLens as they continue to focus on enabling a number of high growth markets with their patented holographic waveguide displays,” said Steven V. Abramson, president and CEO of Universal Display Corporation. “With parallels to our own business, we look forward to working together to bring best-in-class solutions to multiple industries and to collaborate on the future of OLED technology within the augmented and virtual reality display sector.”
As part of the investment, Abramson will become a board observer and advisor to provide strategic guidance on product development and building OEM relationships.
SOURCE: DigiLens; https://www.digilens.com/press-release/digilens-secures-investment-from-udc-ventures-and-samsung-ventures-for-holographic-ar-displays
Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)
Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.