Brilliance, a photonics startup, has raised €6 million to advance its RGB laser chip technology for augmented reality.
The funding round was led by Cottonwood Technology Fund, with participation from PhotonVentures, Oost NL, PhotiX, and additional co-investors. The capital will support product development, customer-specific solutions, and preparation for initial production.
What The Company Does
Founded in 2023 by Tim Tiek and CTO Douwe Geuzebroek, Brilliance develops photonic laser chips designed for use in augmented reality devices. Its technology focuses on integrating compact, energy-efficient RGB laser sources into a single chip to enable high-performance projection systems.
The company’s solution addresses key limitations in AR hardware, where traditional light engines often require trade-offs between brightness, energy consumption, and device size. By using a silicon nitride-based photonic platform with integrated lasers, Brilliance reduces power consumption while improving brightness and field of view.
These chips are designed to replace more complex optical systems, enabling simpler and more scalable manufacturing processes. The technology can be applied across use cases including AR glasses, automotive head-up displays, and industrial laser systems.
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Market Context / Industry Background
Augmented reality is expected to play an increasing role in consumer electronics, automotive interfaces, and industrial applications. However, hardware constraints (particularly related to display systems), remain a major barrier to widespread adoption. Limitations in brightness, energy efficiency, and compactness continue to affect user experience, especially in outdoor environments or prolonged usage scenarios.
Current AR devices often struggle to balance performance with form factor, limiting their practicality for everyday use. Bulky components, heat generation, and battery consumption remain key technical challenges that manufacturers must address to achieve mass-market viability. Advances in photonics are seen as a key enabler for overcoming these challenges, allowing for smaller, more efficient, and more powerful display components. In particular, innovations in laser-based display technologies are contributing to improved image quality, color accuracy, and system miniaturization.
The Netherlands has positioned itself as a hub for photonics innovation, with growing investment in deep technology companies that can translate research into scalable industrial applications. This ecosystem is supported by strong collaboration between academic institutions, research centers, and private sector players, fostering a pipeline of innovation from early-stage research to commercialization. Additionally, government-backed initiatives and funding programs have played a role in strengthening the country’s position within the European photonics landscape.
As the AR market continues to evolve, progress in core hardware components will be critical to unlocking broader adoption across industries. The ability to integrate high-performance display systems into lightweight and energy-efficient devices will likely determine the pace at which augmented reality moves from niche use cases to mainstream applications.
Founder / Investor Commentary
Jordy Schaufeli, senior investment manager at Oost NL, highlighted the company’s role within the Dutch photonics ecosystem, noting that the combination of technical expertise and entrepreneurial execution has enabled rapid development.
Tim Tiek, CEO of Brilliance, stated that the company has established a strong technological foundation and is now focused on scaling its solutions and preparing for production. He emphasised the goal of delivering laser chip technology suited for applications where size, efficiency, and integration are critical.
Growth Plans / Use Of Funds
The €6 million investment will be used to further develop Brilliance’s technology, design customised solutions for customers, and prepare for its first production launch, expected by the end of the year.
The company also plans to expand its commercial activities and strengthen its position within key markets, including consumer AR, automotive displays, and industrial applications.
About Brilliance
Brilliance is a photonics company developing RGB laser chips for augmented reality and related applications. Founded in 2023. Headquartered in Enschede, Netherlands. The company focuses on enabling compact, energy-efficient projection systems that support the next generation of AR devices.
