NIL Technology (NILT), a Copenhagen-based flat optics company, has secured €29 million in funding from investors such as the Export & Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), Jolt Capital, NGP Capital, and Swisscanto Private Equity. Established in 2006, NILT specializes in advanced nanostructures, particularly in nanostructured flat optics (meta-optics). The funding will support NILT’s efforts to scale its manufacturing capabilities and organization to meet the growing demand for its technology. This technology is crucial for developing ultra-compact, lightweight optical solutions with minimal power consumption and new functionalities for applications in consumer electronics, automotive, robotics, and more.
NIL Technology (NILT) is an optical solutions company specializing in advanced high-precision nanoscale features for meta-optics. Founded in 2006, NILT focuses on designing, developing, and manufacturing optical elements and components for various applications, including sensors, 3D imaging, and displays. The company’s technology enables compact and lightweight optical solutions with minimal power consumption, catering to industries such as consumer electronics, automotive, and robotics. NILT has received recognition for its innovative approach, being named one of the top 25 European IoT and hardware startups to watch in 2019 and selected as one of the top 50 EIC Scaling Up companies in 2022.
With demand for its technology increasing, NILT has matured its meta-optics technology across the value chain from design to prototyping and is now scaling its manufacturing organization and manufacturing capabilities to meet higher-volume customer requests. NILT’s manufacturing strategy by nanoimprint lithography (NIL) allows for more precise and versatile nanostructures that enables unmatched meta-optics performance.
Highperformance meta-optics in high-volume are the key to building winning optical solutions to be used in consumer electronics (smartphones, AR/VR headsets), automotive and robotics applications, where there is a demand for ultra compact light weight optical solutions with minimum power consumption and allow for new functionalities required for novel sensing and imaging applications.
According to Jean-Christophe Eloy, the Founder and CEO of the Yole Group, the market for meta-optics shows great growth potential as the ultimate evolution of optics. Metaoptics can take optical functionalities to the next level, be it for compact imaging modules for the consumer market, advanced imaging for industrial, medical, and automotive applications, and, of course, for AR optical systems. For perspective, the optics lens set for compact camera modules market alone represented $5.25B in 2022 according to Optical Metasurfaces 2024 report by Yole Intelligence.
“I am happy to see the strong support from our long-term investors, as well as new ones. We are dedicated to manufacture best performing meta-optics, essential for optical modules, which is possible due to our long-term commitment of making advanced nanostructures combined with proprietary technologies and capabilities within meta-optics,” says Theodor Nielsen, CEO, Founder, NIL Technology.
“NILT is an excellent example of how research, in the right hands, can be transformed to innovative products the world has not seen before. At EIFO we work strategically with the commercialization of research and deep tech, and NILT is a very strong example of a company who puts Denmark on the global map within its field. Therefore, we are happy to be the Danish anchor in a bigger round with international investors,” says Jesper Lilledal, partner, direct investments, Tech & Industry, EIFO.
“It’s been an excellent year for NILT so far, with a major publication in Nature Communications Physics, and now this new round of funding. The research paper demonstrated that the gap between theoretical promises and experimental performances of their metalenses is closing, while the additional capital injection will allow mass production ramp up. The company is firmly on its way to becoming one of the indisputable leaders of optics in Europe,” says Jean Schmitt, Managing Partner, Jolt Capital.
“As a long-term investor and a believer in the team’s vision, I’ve seen how NILT has built next generation optical components that take sensing and 3D imaging to a new level. They are pioneering meta-optics for smartphones, AR/VR, robotics, automotive and other industries, proving the impact of their technology,” says Bo Ilsøe, Managing Partner, NGP Capital.
“Thanks to the impressive efforts of NILT’s global and diverse team of world-class flat optics experts the company has consistently reported the highest transmission efficiencies for metalenses. The sophisticated design tools and vertically integrated manufacturing of NILT means its customers get the highest metalens performance possible, allowing for new groundbreaking designs,” says Nils Granath, Senior Investment Director, Swisscanto Private Equity.
Woodside Capital Partners acted as financial advisor to NILT in the investment process.
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Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/nil-technology-raises-e29-million/
