Swave Photonics

TLDR

Swave Photonics is a Leuven-based deep-tech startup that raised EUR 43M to develop holographic display chips enabling high-quality augmented reality glasses.

Overview

Based in Leuven and connected to the imec photonics research ecosystem, Swave Photonics is building the semiconductor technology needed to produce true holographic displays in a form factor small enough for consumer AR glasses. Current AR headsets use waveguides and micro-LED arrays that are bulky, power-hungry, or produce limited field of view. Swave's holographic approach aims to solve these limitations at the chip level.

The EUR 43M raise reflects the capital intensity of deep-tech hardware development and investor interest in the AR display technology race as Meta, Apple, and others accelerate their mixed reality hardware programs.

Swave is part of the Belgian photonics and semiconductor cluster that benefits from imec's unique fabrication and research infrastructure in Leuven.

Connections

Part of the Leuven deep-tech cluster. Related to imec and the Belgian semiconductor ecosystem.

Key People

• Theo Marescaux - Co-founder
• Dmitri Choutov - Co-founder
• Mike Noonen - CEO