Vitrealab, a Vienna-based deeptech company developing photonic integrated circuits for augmented reality displays, has raised €9.4 million ($11 million) in a Series A financing round. The capital will be used to advance and industrialise the company’s Quantum Light Chip technology designed for next-generation AR glasses.
The round was oversubscribed and led by LIFTT and LIFTT EuroInvest, with participation from Constructor Capital, aws Gründungsfonds, Gateway Ventures, PhotonVentures, xista Science Ventures, Moveon Technologies, and Hermann Hauser Investment.
From advanced prototypes to industrial deployment
Vitrealab plans to use the new funding to move its technology from advanced laboratory prototypes toward industrial-grade solutions suitable for volume manufacturing. According to CTO and co-founder Dr Jonas Zeuner, the round validates both the technical approach and the company’s long-term vision for scalable AR display systems based on photonic integrated circuits.
The investment will allow the team to further refine its core platform while expanding collaborations with customers and partners working on next-generation augmented reality hardware.
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Photonic chips for compact and efficient AR displays
Founded in 2018 by Chiara Greganti and Dr Jonas Zeuner, Vitrealab is a spin-off from the Quantum Group at the University of Vienna, with Nobel Prize laureate Anton Zeilinger among its founding members. The company focuses on photonic integrated circuits that guide and shape coherent laser light for laser LCoS based AR light engines.
At the center of Vitrealab’s platform is the Quantum Light Chip, which enables compact, high-brightness and energy-efficient display engines. By integrating multiple optical functions onto a single photonic chip, the technology reduces optical losses, system complexity and overall size, while maintaining beam quality and polarization. This approach supports brighter images, wider fields of view and lower power consumption in lightweight AR glasses.
Vertically integrated approach to scaling
Vitrealab follows a vertically integrated development model, combining chip design, fabrication and system integration in-house. Its proprietary direct laser writing processes allow the company to rapidly prototype and manufacture its own photonic devices, supporting a smoother transition from research to volume production.
With the Series A funding, Vitrealab will accelerate the industrialisation of the Quantum Light Chip, demonstrate new light engine architectures and further strengthen the technical foundation required for mass-market AR adoption.
About Vitrealab
Vitrealab develops laser-based light engines for augmented reality glasses using photonic integrated circuits and LCoS technology. The company’s solutions aim to deliver compact, energy-efficient and high-brightness displays suitable for everyday AR eyewear, addressing key challenges in size, power consumption and image quality for future smart glasses.
