LetinAR raises $18.5 million to scale AI glasses optics ahead of 2027 IPO
The LG Electronics-backed firm utilises proprietary PinTILT technology to address critical weight and power challenges in optical modules, with components already integrated into products for NTT QONOQ Devices and Aegis Rider.
South Korean optical technology firm LetinAR has secured $18.5 million in new funding from the Korea Development Bank and Lotte Ventures, bringing its total capital raised to $41.7 million. The investment positions the LG Electronics-backed company for a planned initial public offering in South Korea in 2027, as it prepares to scale manufacturing in response to rapid growth in the AI-powered smart glasses sector.
Global shipments of AI glasses reached 8.7 million units in 2025, representing a rise of more than 300% from the previous year, according to data from Omdia. Analysts project that global shipments will exceed 15 million units in the current year. This surge has attracted significant attention from major technology firms, including Meta, Google, Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Alibaba, and Xiaomi, all of whom are actively investing in or launching AI-enabled eyewear.
LetinAR specialises in manufacturing the optical modules that project images into the user’s field of vision, rather than assembling complete glasses. The company utilises its proprietary PinTILT technology to create lenses that are thinner, lighter, and more power-efficient than existing waveguide or birdbath approaches. CEO Jaehyeok Kim and CTO Jeonghun Ha, who founded the company in 2016, describe the optical module as the hardest engineering challenge in the industry, determining whether smart glasses are wearable or resemble bulky headsets.
The PinTILT system directs light precisely into the user’s eye by arranging tiny optical elements at specific angles, avoiding the inefficiencies of waveguide technology, which scatters light and drains batteries, or birdbath systems, which result in bulky hardware. LetinAR claims this approach delivers brighter images in a lighter form factor, addressing the critical need for battery life and comfort in consumer devices.
The company’s components are already in use by customers including Japan’s NTT QONOQ Devices and Dynabook, formerly known as Toshiba Client Solutions. LetinAR is also supplying modules to Aegis Rider, a Swiss deeptech company spun out of ETH Zurich’s Computer Vision Lab, which is developing an AI-powered AR helmet for the EU and Swiss markets in 2026.
The new funding will be directed towards scaling up manufacturing as the market transitions from early adoption to mass production. LetinAR is reportedly in talks with major technology companies regarding the research and development of next-generation AI glasses, although specific partners have not been named. LG Electronics, a previous investor, has reportedly begun developing its own AI smart glasses, signalling strong interest from South Korea’s largest consumer electronics firm.
Competitors in the optical module space include WaveOptics, DigiLens, and Lumus. LetinAR’s co-founders stated that the company aims to be the primary optical supplier for glasses makers as AI becomes a central feature of everyday hardware.
