MICROOLED raises €21M to develop AR know-how

July 13, 2023 – MICROOLED, a producer of excessive decision, low energy consumption natural LED (OLED) microdisplays, has this week introduced a EUR €21 million fundraising spherical, led by Jolt Capital, a specialist in non-public fairness for accountable deeptech firms, with inclusion from the French sovereign wealth fund Bpifrance through its Innovation Protection car, alongside historic traders, Cipio Companions and Ventech.

MICROOLED said that this newest spherical of funding will allow the corporate to finance the event of its subsequent vary of full coloration, excessive luminance OLED options, to broaden its manufacturing capabilities in Grenoble, France, and to develop its worldwide gross sales groups within the safety section and the B2B ActiveLook platform mannequin.

“We’re more than happy with Jolt Capital and Bpifrance becoming a member of our cap desk, and to see that our historic shareholders Cipio Companions and Ventech proceed their assist. All of them perceive deeptech and the stakes of sovereignty,” stated Eric Marcellin-Dibon, CEO of MICROOLED. “Innovation is on the coronary heart of our technique, and this new funding will enable us to double down on our efforts to deliver to market probably the most disruptive applied sciences within the discipline of AR.” 

In response to MICROOLED, OLED microdisplays show a wonderful total efficiency in comparison with basic LED shows, with OLED more and more used for see-through Close to-Eye Shows (NED) in viewfinder eyepieces for cameras. OLEDs have purposes for the augmented actuality (AR) good glasses market, as these gadgets require the usage of embedded microdisplays that may supply excessive luminance and distinction, but additionally very low energy consumption from tremendous light-weight batteries.

MICROOLED said that it’s amongst solely a handful of worldwide gamers who’re capable of design and manufacture these low vitality consumption OLED microdisplays, and is supplied to handle the wants of a spread of markets. 

One instance of the corporate’s providing for the buyer leisure markets is its ‘ActiveLook’ head up show (HUD) module, which might be embedded in a pair of glasses for actual time visible info throughout fingers free exercise use circumstances resembling sports activities. The module additionally has purposes for the economic or safety sectors.

The corporate’s ActiveLook know-how is used for good sports activities glasses.

Since 2007, the Grenoble-based firm has developed a variety of core applied sciences derived from the semiconductor business, protected by over 170 granted patents, by a detailed collaboration with neighbor CEA/Leti analysis facilities. MICROOLED said that it’s completely positioned to turn into a pacesetter within the discipline of wearable ultra-lightweight HUDs. To cater to the varied wants for “gentle AR” purposes, the corporate affords a line-up of compact merchandise starting from 0.2″ to 0.6″ in measurement, with excessive decision and energy as little as 1mW.

Commenting on the financing, Pierre Garnier, Managing Companion at Jolt Capital, stated: “MICROOLED is the archetypal progress deeptech firm that we’re searching for at Jolt. Patented core applied sciences within the discipline of semicon, a real potential to construct manufacturing capability in Europe, a sequence of quick rising B2B markets, and highly effective however vitality frugal merchandise. We’re delighted to have them be part of our portfolio and are wanting ahead to serving to them scale to world management in gentle AR.” 

For extra info on MICROOLED and its show know-how for the augmented actuality sector, together with its ActiveLook module, please go to the corporate’s website.

Picture / video credit score: MICROOLED / ActiveLook / YouTube