Karlsruhe-based start-up Gixel receives significant investment from Flix Bus founders, focusing on augmented reality glasses.
In a significant development for the augmented reality (AR) industry, German deeptech startup Gixel has successfully closed a €5 million seed funding round. The round was led by industry veterans Brendan Iribe, co-founder of Oculus VR, Ted Schilowitz, former Chief Futurist at 20th Century Fox and Paramount, and the founders of Flix, Jochen Engert, Daniel Kraus, and André Schwämmlein.
Based in Karlsruhe, Gixel was founded in 2019 by Miro Taphanel, Ding Luo, and Felix Nienstaedt. The team, which includes experts in optics, has been working on technology for optical displays since 2021. Miro Taphanel and Ding Luo previously worked at the Fraunhofer Institute.
Gixel's product aims to address the challenges of optical displays for AR glasses, including being small, light, high-resolution, energy-efficient, and non-overheating. The displays developed by Gixel are indeed energy-efficient, lightweight, and offer high-quality transparency. The design of these displays allows them to be placed anywhere on the lens, from small areas to the entire lens.
As of now, Gixel does not have a market-ready product. However, the startup is preparing developer kits for pilot partnerships and is developing a fully functional prototype of their optical display. The AR glasses equipped with Gixel's displays allow wearers to see through them while also displaying information.
The participation of industry veterans like Brendan Iribe, Ted Schilowitz, Jochen Engert, Daniel Kraus, and André Schwämmlein, as well as established venture capital firms, underscores the potential of Gixel's technology. Also participating in the round are the German Federal Agency for Sprunginnovationen (SPRIND) and early-stage VC Lea Partners.
This funding round marks a significant step for Gixel in its mission to revolutionize the AR industry with its innovative optical display technology. The startup plans a Series A funding round in 2026 to start production.
Felix Nienstaedt brings entrepreneurial business experience to Gixel, ensuring a solid foundation for the company's growth. The information provided does not specify who the new investors in the Series A funding round will be.
[1] [2] [3] - Sources for the key investors in Gixel.
What technology will Gixel's upcoming AR glasses utilize? - Artificial-intelligence
In the Series A funding round planned for 2026, who are some potential new investors for Gixel? - Brendan Iribe, Ted Schilowitz, Jochen Engert, Daniel Kraus, and André Schwämmlein.
