Eyeo, a company developing advanced image sensor technology, has raised €15 million in seed funding. The round was co-led by imec.xpand and Invest-NL, with participation from QBIC Fund, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), and Brabant Development Agency (BOM). The funds will support the development of evaluation kits, preparation for large-scale manufacturing of a new sensor product, and the expansion of commercial partnerships.
Pic: 3D rendering of eyeo’s waveguide structure
Eyeo’s technology replaces traditional color filters, which block 70% of incoming light, with a vertical waveguide-based color-splitting approach. Originating from imec, a nanoelectronics research hub, this innovation guides photons to individual pixels, tripling light sensitivity and doubling resolution compared to conventional sensors. It enables sub-0.5-micron pixels, supporting compact, high-resolution imaging for applications in smartphones, XR, industrial, security, and robotics. The technology is compatible with existing CMOS sensor platforms and performs effectively in low-light conditions, delivering enhanced color accuracy and image sharpness.
Traditional color filters, used in the 10 billion image sensors sold annually, limit sensitivity and pixel scaling, resulting in larger camera modules to compensate for light loss. Eyeo’s solution addresses these constraints, offering a pathway to slimmer devices and improved performance in emerging technologies like AR/VR and machine vision.
The company, headquartered in Eindhoven with an R&D office in Leuven, Belgium, is led by CEO Jeroen Hoet, CTO Alden Carracillo, CPO Gerd van den Branden, and Scientific Fellow Prof. Dr. Jan Genoe. Eyeo has partnered with leading sensor manufacturers and foundries to commercialize its technology. The first evaluation kits are expected to be available to select customers within two years.
Eyeo’s founding team combines extensive industry knowledge with imec's cutting-edge expertise (l to r: Alden Carracillo, CTO; Jeroen Hoet, CEO; Gerd van den Branden, CPO; Prof Dr. Jan Genoe, Scientific Fellow)
The funding round is supported by the European Union under the InvestEU Fund. More information is available at www.eyeo-imaging.com.
