Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the electronics sector. This time, you get to discover five hand-picked micro-LED startups impacting electronics companies.
Out of 83, the Global Startup Heat Map highlights 5 Top Micro-LED Startups Impacting Electronics Industry
The insights of this data-driven analysis are derived from the Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 2 093 000+ startups and scaleups globally. The platform gives you an exhaustive overview of emerging technologies and relevant startups within a specific field in just a few clicks.
The Global Startup Heat Map below reveals the distribution of the 83 exemplary startups and scaleups we analyzed for this research. Further, it highlights five micro-LED startups that we hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. You get to explore the solutions of these five startups and scaleups in this report. For insights on the other 78 micro LED solutions, get in touch.
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eLux provides Large Format Displays
Micro light-emitting diodes (LEDs) produce elaborate black levels comparable to organic LEDs (OLEDs), but with a lower risk of burn-in. However, due to their smaller size, it is much more difficult to produce them. To mitigate this issue, startups develop inexpensive micro-LED fabrication methods. This improves their adoption in television screens and computer monitors, improving display quality without affecting lifetime.
US-based startup eLux manufactures micro-LED-based direct emission displays. The startup’s proprietary technology synthesizes quantum dot-based color conversion layers and characterizes display performance and reliability. This enables a fluidic assembly of large-format displays for video walls and television.
Kura Technologies develops Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses
AR headsets suffer from poor viewing angles as well as dim and bulky displays. Micro-LED displays are very bright and don’t exhibit speckle artifacts seen in LEDs. This makes them an attractive candidate for AR headset displays, however, their fabrication issues limit their adoption. This is why startups develop novel LED processing technologies to integrate micro LEDs into immersive displays.
Kura Technologies is a US-based startup that produces augmented reality displays. The startup combines a compact and custom micro LED panel with a novel projection system to create a high-resolution area display. It has a wide field of view (150 degrees), high transparency (95%), and high readability. Kura Technologies’ AR glass, Gallium, also uses a structured geometric waveguide that limits colored ghosts in ambient light.
Kubos Semiconductors manufactures Green Micro LEDs
In contrast to inexpensive red and blue LEDs, green LEDs are much more complex to build. Instead, manufacturers usually apply blue LEDs with a yellow phosphorus coating to produce white light in screens. This constrains manufacturers from achieving the full potential of LEDs. To tackle the green gap, startups develop LED fabrication solutions that aim at lowering costs and enhancing display quality.
Kubos Semiconductors is a UK-based startup that solves the green gap for micro LEDs. The startup grows single-phase cubic gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon carbide (SiC) wafers. It improves the efficiency of green LEDs and reduces the cost of production. Kubos Semiconductors’ solution covers multiple applications such as street lights, visual signs, and automotive displays.
Pixel Display enables Eyesafe Micro-LED Displays
Picking and placing micro-LEDs over a backplane is a challenging task due to the high chances of structural damage during the process. This contributes to the high cost and complexity involved in producing micro LED-based displays. Even though micro-LEDs are more energy-efficient than OLEDs, they still consume more energy at high brightness levels. Startups develop novel LED fabrication technologies to mitigate these issues.
US-based startup Pixel Display offers a nano-patterning solution for micron- and sub-micron-sized photo-emissive and electron-emissive structures. The startup’s nanoparticle material, NanoBright, converts wavelengths generated at the source to minimize sleep deprivation in viewers. Moreover, it reduces the pick-and-place assembly costs of micro LEDs as well as enables displays to shine brighter and consume less power.
Inziv facilitates Micro LED Inspection
Innovations in OLEDs, micro LEDs, and quantum dot LEDs (QLED) lead towards higher screen resolutions and smaller pixels. However, this trend potentially incurs new specific nano defects in screens, detectable only at later stages of production. Nanoscale inspection of micro LEDs enables manufacturers to promptly spot fabrication errors and, in turn, reduce wastage.
Inziv is an Israeli startup that develops inspection tools to characterize sub-pixels. The startup uses high-resolution photoluminescence and 3D measurements to correlate optical and structural information at the nanometer scale. This enables display manufacturers to identify defects during the early stages of production, thereby reducing rework costs.
Discover more Electronics Startups
Startups such as the examples highlighted in this report focus on immersive display technologies, large format displays, and LED fabrication solutions. While all of these technologies play a major role in advancing the industry, they only represent the tip of the iceberg. To explore electronics solutions in more detail, let us look into your areas of interest. For a more general overview, download one of our free Industry Innovation Reports to save your time and improve strategic decision-making.
