Swave Photonics, a forerunner in the implementation of true holography for augmented reality, today announced the successful closure of its Seed round expansion. This additional investment of €3 million catapults Swave’s total funds raised to €10 million.
Reinvestment from present investors imec.xpand, a venture capital fund centered around nanotechnology innovation, Flanders Future Techfund (FFTF), a Belgian/Flemish public investment fund, and QBIC, a Belgian inter-university venture capital fund, underscores investor trust in Swave’s technology.
Joining these investors are new US-based investors Acequia Capital, a leading venture investment firm based in Seattle, WA, and Luminate NY, the world’s only optics, photonics, and imaging accelerator, which is based in Rochester, NY. Their participation, even amidst a challenging fundraising landscape, amplifies the significance and potential of Swave’s groundbreaking holographic and photonics solutions. This Seed round positions Swave well to execute on its augmented reality roadmap and engage future customers, partners and investors interested in driving true holography for spatial computing.
“We are deeply gratified by the bolstered commitment of our current investors and are excited to welcome Acequia Capital and Luminate NY to the Swave family,” says Mike Noonen, CEO of Swave Photonics. “This collective vote of confidence in our groundbreaking technology and dedicated team underlines our commitment to revolutionize augmented reality through true holography.”
Luminate NY’s investment stems from Swave’s recent selection as a finalist in Luminate NY’s accelerator program and competition. This accolade complements Swave’s first-place win at the 2023 SPIE Photonics West Startup Challenge and recognition as a finalist in the 2023 AWE USA Startup to Watch competition.
“We are exceptionally proud of the progress the team at Swave Photonics has made to date,” says Pieter Vorenkamp, Chairman of Swave Photonics and a distinguished leader in emerging technology operations.“The innovative holographic technology developed by Swave is the result of their technical leadership and shared dedication to driving forward the boundaries of what’s possible. I am confident this technical prowess will soon translate into operational excellence as we transition the technology into products, enabling mass-volume augmented reality applications. The future of holography lies in the hands of this outstanding team, and we’re excited to be a part of this journey.”
Founded in 2022, Swave’s Holographic eXtended Reality (HXR) technology is the pinnacle of display technology, providing high-resolution 3D images that blur the lines between reality and illusion. Its technology is capable of powering holographic glasses and headsets, offering immersive spatial AR experiences with remarkable resolution, perfect depth of focus, and 180-degree to 360-degree viewing angles, devoid of the conventional discomforts associated with traditional headsets.
