Dispelix

Dispelix, based in Finland, designs and manufactures single-layer, full-color waveguide displays, a thin (about 1mm) transparent element that takes in a projected image and relays it to the eye, using a nanophotonics-based approach catering to AR applications (e.g., smart glasses). It uses laser beam scanning technology to render laser-sharp images with a gamut of color palettes, which are displayed using beam-combiner technology. Its patented and proprietary approach includes diffractive surface relief gratings, which are elements used for high-power laser applications, fabricated on high refractive index glass wafers that enhance field-of-view and image quality.

The company had a total of more than 40 granted or pending patent families as of November 2021. Its product line, Dispelix DPX, includes Dispelix DPX - Ohut, Dispelix DPX - Selva, and Dispelix DPX - Sade with a varying degree of field of view, form factor, and weight. According to Co-Founder and CTO Juuso Olkkonen, its displays are the lightest and thinnest in the market.

Key customers and partnerships

1) Foxconn and Pegatron: to create reference designs for AR glasses based on its Selvä waveguide display (October 2023) 

2) VividQ: created a “waveguide combiner” which accurately displays variable-depth 3D content in a user’s environment (January 2023)

3) ColorChip and Maradin: To further Light Beam Scanning (LBS) solutions for AR glasses (October 2022)

4) Jade Bird Displays: To develop multiple reference designs for AR devices (June 2022)

5) AAC Technologies: To improve waveguide displays for the AR and MR industry (March 2022)

6) OQmented: for the development and commercialization of MEMS-based LBS technology (November 2021)

7) Coretronic: To develop a range of AR optical module solutions (December 2020)

8) Hoya Corporation: To improve quality of waveguide displays (November 2020)

Funding and financials

In its most recent funding round (November 2021), Dispelix raised USD 33 million in a Series B funding round co-led by Atlantic Bridge, CCB Trust, and Flashpoint with participation from Lifeline Ventures, VTT Ventures, and 3M Ventures. The funds were allocated to product development. It revealed that several OEM customers were slated to integrate its technology into their consumer offerings by 2023.