LightCode Photonics
Providing ultra-compact and durable 3D imaging solutions for mobility
- AI, Female Founder, Hardware, Smart City
- Seed
Location
Tartu, Estonia
Revenue size
0 (pre-revenue)
Year founded
2020
Funding raised
EUR 2,800,000
Founders
Heli Valtna & Andreas Valdmann
Most relevant investors
Business angels, European Commission grants
Team size
10-19
Problem
Global 3D imaging markets are under pressure to provide affordable high-performance technology for various applications. This calls for new, more efficient methods of 3D imaging that are robust to vibration, resilient to sunlight and can detect fine details.
SOLUTION
LightCode Photonics is developing a software defined camera that is resolving fundamental technical problems in 3D imaging. Their direct time-of-flight (dToF) 3D-camera utilizes a novel intelligent perception approach to obtain 3D images, empowering low resolution detectors without mechanical scanning. They obtain images with lateral resolution several orders of magnitude higher than the native pixel count of the detector with LightCoded Zoom technology that captures 3D images at different resolutions at the same time.
KEY CUSTOMERS AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
LightCode Photonics aims at a market leader position in the 3D imaging and sensing market (USD 6.7 billion in 2020,14.5% CAGR). They start by demonstrating the capability of technology by launching TrueSight v1 camera for service robots, ready to implement the technology horizontally (USD 37 billion market in 2021, 20% CAGR). Their patent enables packaging the imaging system into system-on-a-chip. That is an ultra-compact and cost-effective solid-state solution that enables them to service about 12 different markets from multimedia to mapping with their technology.
Team
LightCode’s CEO has 20 years of experience in photonics and leadership. She has negotiated and launched more than USD 25 million of R&D agreements. The CCO comes with more than 20 years of international experience in Electronics and Automotive industries and has taken various roles in BD. The innovative technical team covers the competences from algorithms to sensor technologies. In 2 years they grew from 4 PhD-grade founders to a team of 18 in 3 offices on 2 continents.
Unique selling point
The competitive advantage of the LightCode technology lies in their ability to enhance the performance of existing direct time-of-flight array sensors to the levels attainable to the newest premium quality sensors with high native resolutions. The technology can also be combined with both affordable and accessible COTS (commercial off the shelf) sensors, and high-end, high-performance sensors available today.
Asia Connection
LightCode Photonics is looking to enhance international business operations and is exploring market entry to East Asia. The company has agreements with Korean suppliers, exhibited product demonstrations to companies such as Honda, Mitsubishi, and are interested in developing strategic partnerships with East Asian companies as well as finding investment partners for seed-round of EUR 7.8 million. They are further looking for distribution partners, clients and R&D strategic partnership throughout the East Asian region.
Pitch
