TOKYO, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Cellid Inc., a leading developer of AR display technology and spatial recognition engines, today announced it has raised over $7.5 million (approximately 1.1 billion yen) in a Series C Extension financing round. The funds were secured through a private placement of shares underwritten by SBI Investment Co. Ltd., (the leading financial institution in Japan) IMM Investment Japan K.K. (one of East Asia’s largest VC/growth equity funds), and IMM Investment, Corp. With this latest round, the total amount raised by Cellid Inc. now exceeds $15 million (6.4 billion yen).
Cellid’s core business is the development of displays for AR glasses and spatial recognition engines. Cellid delivers the industry’s most advanced technology in the development and design of the world’s largest, widest field of view and lightest weight waveguide. It has also succeeded in developing the world’s first technology capable of projecting full-color images made of plastic.
With this financing, Cellid will acquire top talent both in Japan and internationally to strengthen the development of key AR glass components, such as micro projectors and waveguides. Additionally, we will expand our mass production capabilities to accelerate the market launch of our products.
Comments from Satoshi Shiraga, CEO, Cellid
Cellid has been working on the development of AR glasses in various industries as a next-generation computer device that is more accessible to people and as a tool to solve social issues such as business efficiency and labor shortage. Last November, Cellid launched “Reference Design” (verification model) – well-designed and lightweight eyeglass-type of AR glasses. In April, we released Cellid Precision Fit lenses for AR glasses with diopter correction to accelerate the evolution and adoption of AR glasses. We are very honored that SBI Investment, IMM Investment Group Japan K.K. and IMM Investment Corporation have highly evaluated our efforts. We will continue to work with our partners and user companies to build an ecosystem that can grow together, while ensuring that a wide range of users can fully enjoy the AR experience.
Comment from Shotaro Iwano, Deputy General Manager of Investment Department, SBI Investment Co. Ltd.
SBI Investment is pleased to support Cellid’s fundraising, as the AR glasses market is expected to grow rapidly, and the company’s advanced waveguide technology has the potential to become an essential technology for next-generation devices. We expect that the digital transformation of society will be furthered through the commercialization of products in collaboration with global companies that take advantage of Cellid’s technological capabilities. Our group will provide full support and contribute to the company’s success.
Comment from Tosei Imaizumi, Chief Investment Officer, MM Investment Japan K.K. and IMM Investment, Corp
We invested in Cellid because we believe its product module is a groundbreaking solution, and under the leadership of Mr. Shiraga and the rest of the management team, it is expected to bring about a behavioral change in the VR/AR market even though it has been hampered by hardware-driven challenges. We will continue to actively support Cellid’s global expansion through IMM Investment’s network of partnerships with large companies, especially in East Asia.
About Cellid
Cellid specializes in the development of advanced AR glass display modules, focusing on waveguides and spatial recognition engines for next-generation devices. Leveraging unique optical simulation and proprietary production technologies, Cellid has developed display modules as thin and lightweight as standard eyeglass lenses, delivering clear images and one of the world’s largest fields of view for waveguides. Additionally, Cellid offers industry-specific solutions powered by spatial recognition technologies such as Cellid SLAM. By integrating cutting-edge AR display hardware with real-world spatial recognition software, Cellid is driving the “Blending of Physical and Digital World,” making exceptional information tools more accessible, practical, and convenient for users worldwide.
