Innovation Industries invests in Luxexcel
Innovation Industries announces that it has invested 4MEUR (4.7M US$) in Luxexcel, a technology company that 3D prints ophthalmic lenses.
Recently Luxexcel announced a 8.5MEUR(10MUS$) investment for its core activities in the ophthalmic industry (including participation from SET Ventures, Munich Venture Partners, PMV and KLA-Tencor). The first industrial grade 3D printing platforms are being installed this year in the USA and Europe. The additional 4MEUR (4.7M US$) investment will be used for rapid expansion of the Luxexcel platform-functionality through dedicated (co-)development programs and partnerships in the domain of Augmented & Virtual Reality also known as AR/VR. AR/VR applications include smart glasses that provide the user with real time information for professional and personal use, gaming applications including control consoles for drones (fpv), sensors and cameras integrated in eyewear.
Hans Streng, Chief Executive Officer of Luxexcel states: “AR/VR applications have become a hot topic in the industry. We add the ability to 3D-print ophthalmic-quality prescription lenses to these applications. This enables the AR/VR headset manufacturers to offer fully personalized smart eyewear in an attractive frame design. The ability of our platform to 3D-print ophthalmic lenses in any shape or form and the possibility to embed new functionalities in the lens triggers entirely new dimensions in terms of user-experience and business opportunity.”
Nard Sintenie, Founding Partner at Innovation Industries BV says: “We believe that with the technology of Luxexcel it will be possible to combine AR/VR applications with RX eye correction, which is an essential component in bringing smart eye wear to the mainstream market. We are excited about leveraging the high tech network in the Netherlands to enable this unique breakthrough.”
Luxexcel Vision Platform: opportunities for all stakeholders
The Luxexcel Vision platform offers opportunities for both ophthalmic labs and AR/VR headset manufacturers. Ophthalmic labs use the Luxexcel VisionPlatform to 3D print custom AR/VR lenses. The Luxexcel Vision Platform is fully integrated in today’s ophthalmic lab flow. This opens up a new industry lens segment for ophthalmic labs.
AR/VR headset manufacturers have the opportunity to commercialize AR/VR headsets with personalized prescription lenses included. By making use of the Luxexcel Vision Platform lens customization becomes accessible to AR/VR headset manufacturers.The Luxexcel platform consists of industrial grade optical 3D-printer, lens-design software, ophthalmic quality print materials and workflow integration tools which enables customers to manufacture 3D printed ophthalmic quality lenses that meet all industry standards.
About Luxexcel
Luxexcel is the only company in the world with technology that can 3D print ophthalmic lenses. The company started in 2009 and has fully optimized its 3D print technology for the ophthalmic market. The unique and highly accurate technology allows lens manufacturing without the need for polishing. Key benefits of the technology are the ability to eliminate operational inefficiencies and the creation of new and perfectly customized products.Additional information may be found at www.luxexcel.com
About Innovation Industries
Innovation Industries [1] is an independent venture capital fund aiming to capitalize on technological developments, by providing investment capital to fund entrepreneurial activity. Innovation Industries is a specialist fund, targeting companies that are developing commercially promising products and technologies in attractive technology fields like: nano/microtechnologies, semiconductors & integrated photonics, ICT & (cyber) security, clean technology, Food & Agro technology and medical technology (medical devices & diagnostics). Additional information may be found at www.innovationindustries.com
Press contacts
Eva Flipse, Luxexcel
Marketing Communications Manager
eva.flipse@luxexcel.com
+32 14 49 02 96
+ 316 13 59 81 29
Harm de Vries, Innovation Industries
General Partner
hv@innovationindustries.com
+31 6 53 21 63 39
[1] The Innovation Industries Fonds is supported by InnovFin Equity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to financing.
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