Vienna, Cambridge, 23/01/2020 – TriLite Technologies, the developer of the world´s smallest display technologies for augmented reality (AR) devices, announced today that it has raised an undisclosed million dollar venture capital round led by UK Tech Icon Hermann Hauser via Hermann Hauser Investment GmbH and APEX Ventures. Also on board: i5invest and QC·VENTURES. International tech giants already teamed up with the Austrian based supplier for near future key technologies. Why? AR glasses are a 766 billion bet till 2025 that Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Samsung & Co. already took without fear. Within the next century AR glasses will not only make mobile phones mostly disappear but are also about to change everybody´s daily lives as the next Big Thing. TriLite’s next crucial step is a massive expansion in 2020 on all levels – from prototype to mass manufacturing.
From ARM to AR „Trixel®“ – history repeats itself every few decades. Exactly 30 years ago UK-Tech-Icon and famous Cambridge Silicon Alley initiator Hermann Hauser was the Co-founder of ARM (joint venture of his company Acorn and Apple). Until today the UK tech giant ARM, which was snapped up by Softbank in 2016 for a record breaking 32 billion dollars, produces the famous „ARM chip“. An elementary processor chip which can be found in each and every mobile phone, tablet or laptop since 1990.
Once again Hermann Hauser wants to be part of a technological revolution
Now, 30 years later in still early 2020 the Austrian born Hermann Hauser and the Tech Startup TriLite Technologies today announced an undisclosed million Dollar investment. But what is TriLite and where is the connection apart from Mr Hauser being involved in both companies?
TriLite Technologies is a Vienna based Tech company that just finished prototyping the world´s smallest Augmented Reality Laser Projector for AR glasses. The so called „Trixel®“ combines laser beam scanning (LBS) technology and proprietary software for full-colour, high resolution displays for tech glasses. The IP-rich company already owns a dozen patents and more in preparation. Other investors in this round apart from Lead APEX Ventures and Hermann Hauser are Silicon Valley specialist i5invest and QC·VENTURES.
Augmented Reality grows to a 766 billion business until 2025
Someone could say that is just another startup investment. As you read further you will see it is much more than that. First some numbers regarding AR to put all into perspective: By 2025, i.e. within the next five years, the AR sector will be grown into a 766 billion business, a forecasted growth rate of almost 75 percent since 2018. Gaming, Entertainment, Automotive or Health and in fact each and every part of our daily life will look pretty different due to Augmented Reality within the next century.
Apple & Samsung: the end of the mobile phone era within the 2020s as AR glasses will take over
Apples CEO Tim Cook stated short ago: “After desktop computers in the 90s, web in the 2000s and mobile phones in the 2010s, AR glasses will be without question the next dominant technology platform.
I do think that within a decade or less almost everyone in developed countries will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day. It will become that much a part of you.” For him the key for a breakthrough is to downsize the technology: “AR glasses will be less clunky more stylish.”
Samsung-CEO Ki Nam Kim went even further recently: „If the current development speed continues, there are realistic chances that AR glasses start to replace mobile phones within the next five years.“ What do all these predictions mean for the future of TriLite? The setting could not be better: right market, right moment and right technology.
Apples CEO Tim Cook stated short ago: “After desktop computers in the 90s, web in the 2000s and mobile phones in the 2010s, AR glasses will be without question the next dominant technology platform.
I do think that within a decade or less almost everyone in developed countries will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day. It will become that much a part of you.” For him the key for a breakthrough is to downsize the technology: “AR glasses will be less clunky more stylish.”
Samsung-CEO Ki Nam Kim went even further recently: „If the current development speed continues, there are realistic chances that AR glasses start to replace mobile phones within the next five years.“ What do all these predictions mean for the future of TriLite? The setting could not be better: right market, right moment and right technology.
Rare setting including disruption potential and already proven USP convinced Hermann Hauser
Something similar came into the mind of Hermann Hauser when closing this deal: „This combination of market and disruption potential, timing and technology advantage is rare. The USP due to size is obvious and team expertise on the commercial level as well as a substantial partnership setup are assets on top. For me it is very likely that TriLite-projectors, the Trixel®, will be a game changer and an industry standard for the Augmented Reality sector – one crucial puzzle piece for the next technology revolution. Similar to some other investments I did in the past years like UK-Unicorn and chipmaker Graphscore, called by media an Intel for AI or XMOS, a big player in speech recognition and smart microphone technology. With Trilite it’s once again time for a new technology age, this time in the AR sector, and I am very excited to join the company as an investor and to support this so far hidden champion in its expansion plans.“
Closed contracts with international tech giants, Series A round planned for end 2020
This current financing round builds on an exceptional year for TriLite Technologies, which doubled its engineering staff and won major R&D contracts with international tech giants. The new funding will allow TriLite to continue to focus on R&D and expand its product offering and mass manufacturing capabilities, while simultaneously scaling up its team of engineers (open job positions) to meet existing customer demand.
TriLite´s founder and CEO Ferdinand Saint Julien has envisioned a clear roadmap. “We have to keep the pace and momentum going, proper and fast execution is key. We are going to aggressively accelerate our product development and mass manufacturing capabilities and also expand our customer base. Not just in the AR sector, but we are also seeing strong interest from the automotive sector and smart home applications.” Additionally, preparations for a Series A round at the end of 2020 already started.
About TriLite Technologies
TriLite Technologies is an image display company based in Vienna, Austria, and Palo Alto, California, developing patented ultra-small RGB laser beam scanners to be used in AR/MR/VR Head-Mounted-Devices, Head-Up-Displays, and other projections such as Pico or Smart Home applications. In doing so, the Trixel® product portfolio sets new benchmarks for laser-based display technologies, also allowing for specific customizations
About Hermann Hauser Investment
Hermann Hauser Investment GmbH bundles the business angel activities of Hermann Hauser in Central Europe. He is co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners and invests since more than 20 years in scaling deep technology companies. Hermann’s successes at Amadeus include CSR, Entropic Research Laboratory, Solexa and Icera. He is also Vice-Chair of the EIC Pilot Advisory Board. In 2012 he was elected to be a member of the Royal Society and in 2015 he was awarded a KBE.
About APEX Ventures
APEX Ventures is a Europe based company builder backing technology ventures with a focus on unique and defendable intellectual property and above average market potential. APEX funds have completed investments in Europe and in the U.S., among others in the fields of A.I. for medical applications, mobile forensics and insurance for autonomous vehicles. APEX Ventures closely supports the founding teams in their go-to-market approaches to help accelerate international growth. To identify talented teams and support their ideas at an early stage, APEX Ventures closely works with academic institutions, entrepreneurship programs and other international VC partners.
About i5invest
i5invest is a tech investor, as well as a business development and corporate development consultancy, with offices in Vienna, Berlin and the Silicon Valley. Their performance record includes more than 40 successful startups and over 150 investment rounds and exits. The consultancy focuses on certain vertical branches within the European tech ecosystem, encompassing all company sizes. Respective core areas are regularly aligned with current market trends in the USA and Europe. “i5” stands for innovate, inspire, incubate and internationalize.
About QC·VENTURES
QC·VENTURES is the high-profile “deal-by-deal” investment platform of the corporate finance boutique Q·ADVISERS, which was founded by Fritz Schweiger in Vienna in 2015. In the meantime, investments have been made in more than 20 companies, in a wide range of sectors, with focus on exceptional technology companies and innovative consumer goods. QC·VENTURES makes long-term investments and supports the founders with an experienced team and network in developing their companies.