TDK Ventures teams with VueReal to accelerate microprinting for microLED
TDK Corporation (TSE: 6762) announced today that subsidiary TDK Ventures Inc. has invested in microLED developer VueReal Inc. to accelerate and develop their microprinting manufacturing process, enabling cost savings and increased performance for the display industries – including smart phones, watches, automotive display, and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR).
- microLED innovator VueReal Inc. brings unprecedented throughput, precision, and yield to the multi-billion-dollar microLED industry with its revolutionary “microprinting” mass transfer approach
- VueReal’s methodology addresses longtime technical challenges that have plagued microLED development. Through their multi-print head approach, they can print the highest resolution displays in the industry at scalable speeds and throughput to meet economic demand – all with low capital expenditure
- TDK Ventures seeks to help develop and bring microLED to market with the low power and high-performance advantages offered over the current state of the art organic LED (OLED)
With more than 150 patents worldwide and full-stack custom display manufacturing capabilities, VueReal has brought potential robust commercial viability to the microLED market for the first time.
The current display market is valued at over $150 billion and is primarily dominated by liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic LED (OLED) technologies. MicroLED offers the same refresh rates, viewing angles, and material flexibility (for curved screens) that OLED provides, but with reduced power consumption, improved contrast, improved resolution (micron-size pixels), and a two-to-three-times longer lifespan, which improves individual user experiences with reduced waste.
VueReal’s proprietary microprinting process transfers and inspects hundreds of thousands of small-pitch microLED chips on an individual printhead. The cartridge printing process is extremely fast with high precision and yield, which can achieve several square meters of coverage per hour. This enables an over 100x increase in speed from current microLED transfer methods, allowing for true time and volume scaling with potential for industry application. VueReal’s approach to AR display boasts resolutions over 30,000 pixels per inch and their innovative cartridge design ensures greater than 99.999% yield within one micron precision. Moreover, cartridges are compatible with already existing machines, meaning reduced capex for manufacturers and lower bottom-line cost.
“Dr. Chaji and the VueReal team have created a revolutionary manufacturing method that has the potential to take microLED from the realm of exotic to mainstream,” said TDK Ventures President Nicolas Sauvage. “They epitomize the type of entrepreneur we love working with and share our vision for a digital transformation that enables a sustainable tomorrow. Their current dealings with major automotive OEMs for vehicle displays is a huge testament to the work they’ve put in and traction they already possess.”
“Our partners will benefit from the high-yield and throughput of our technology, along with our established and qualified supply chains that will grant access to production-ready processes,” stated Dr. Reza Chaji, CEO of VueReal Inc. “We are incredibly excited to work in partnership with TDK through TDK Ventures. Having access to their network and their expertise will only help to accelerate our innovations into the display market.”
Cycle Capital led this series B financing round, with Vitro Corporation, Business Development Bank of Canada, and Economic Development Canada also participating. Working together, TDK Ventures will leverage its extensive network, including many of TDK’s own business units, to bring microprinting technology to market and foster the digital transformation and sustainability missions that drive their portfolio.
“Cycle Capital is excited to invest in VueReal whose transfer technology can dramatically improve energy efficiency and enhance performance of displays in multiple consumer products and enable the creation of next-generation display platforms worldwide,” said Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Managing Partner at Cycle Capital. “Congratulations to the team on raising a successful Series B round and partnering with valuable strategic investors like TDK. We’re looking forward to supporting the management team in their next growth stage and see what’s next.”
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