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Avegant

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Avegant
Information
Industry Augmented reality display technology
Founded 2012, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Founder Edward Tang, Allan Evans
Headquarters San Francisco Bay Area, California
Notable Personnel Edward Tang (co-founder and CEO)
Products Avegant Glyph, light field display development kit, AG-series light engines (AG-20L, AG-30L2, AG-30L3, AG-50L)
Website https://avegant.com


Avegant (Avegant Corp.) is an American company that develops display technology for augmented reality glasses. It was founded in 2012 by Edward Tang and Allan Evans, who met at the University of Michigan, and began in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area.[1][2][3] Its first product was the Avegant Glyph, a head-mounted personal media player funded on Kickstarter in 2014 that projected video from a micromirror array directly toward the wearer's eyes instead of showing it on a conventional screen.[4]

In 2017 the company showed a light field display prototype for mixed reality, and it later moved from consumer hardware to supplying display components to other manufacturers.[5][3] Since 2021 its main products have been small light engines for waveguide-based smart glasses; its current engines use liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) microdisplays. These engines have appeared in reference designs built with Vuzix, DigiLens, Applied Materials and North Ocean Photonics, and in June 2026 Avegant was named as an LCoS display partner in Qualcomm's Snapdragon START program for AI wearables such as smart glasses.[6][7]

Reviewed 27 September 2026. Checked founding, Glyph Kickstarter and funding figures, 2017 light field claims, 2018 restructuring, AG-series light engine specs and partner announcements against the cited sources. About review dates.

History

Founding and the Glyph

Tang and Evans met as graduate students at the University of Michigan, where they worked on night-vision applications for vehicles. According to Tang, the displays available to them did not have the resolution and latency they needed, which led them to build a display that "shined the image right on the retina."[3] The company started in downtown Ann Arbor. In August 2013 it received a seed round of 1.9 million US dollars led by the Michigan Angel Fund, and by April 2014 it had 11 employees.[2]

Avegant revealed the Glyph in December 2013 and opened its Kickstarter campaign on 22 January 2014, with backer units starting at 499 US dollars.[4] The Glyph's optical system, which Avegant called a virtual retinal display, used a micromirror array with a resolution of 1280x800 and a 45-degree field of view.[4] The campaign had a goal of 250,000 US dollars. It closed at 1,509,506 US dollars from 3,331 backers, of whom 2,784 pre-ordered a Glyph.[8]

By November 2014 Avegant was based in Redwood City, California, with Joerg Tewes as chief executive. That month it closed an extended Series A round of 9.37 million US dollars led by Intel Capital and NHN Investment.[9] A 24 million US dollar Series B followed in August 2015. It was led by the Chinese mobile internet company Lian Luo (Hangzhou Liaison Interactive Information Technology), with Intel Capital and NHN Investment participating again.[10][1]

Engadget reviewed the Glyph in March 2016, when it cost 699 US dollars. Its reviewer found the picture sharp and the audio good, but noted battery life of just over 3.5 hours and few uses beyond watching media.[11]

Light field display

On 15 March 2017 Avegant, then based in Belmont, California, announced a patent-pending light field technology for mixed reality head-mounted displays. The company said it let virtual objects appear sharp both near and far, including within one meter of the viewer, and that it could be used with Unity.[12] The aim was to address the vergence-accommodation conflict of fixed-focus headsets. Road to VR reported that the prototype could show objects at several focal planes at once, and co-founder and CTO Edward Tang said the display interpolated between these planes to give the impression of continuous focus. The company did not say how many focal planes it used.[5] Engadget, which tried the prototype in May 2017, reported that it used the micromirror retinal imaging approach from the Glyph.[13] On 4 October 2017 Avegant announced that it was shipping a Light Field Display Development Kit for augmented and mixed reality, which included hardware, software and sample code.[14]

Restructuring and the move to components

In a January 2018 interview with Intel Capital, Tang said Avegant had grown from a two-person startup to about 50 people, raised more than 50 million US dollars and filed or received more than 35 patents. He described a shift away from the Glyph consumer product toward licensing its light field display and optics technology to other companies.[3] In March 2018 The Verge reported that Avegant had cut its staff from between 40 and 50 people to fewer than 20, and that Tang had replaced Tewes as chief executive in February 2018.[15]

Since then Avegant has sold compact light engines, the projector modules that sit in the temple of a pair of AR glasses and feed an image into a waveguide. It announced its first two, the AG-30L and AG-50L, in September 2021 from San Mateo, California.[6] In 2024 it introduced Spotlight, an illumination method for LCoS microdisplays that lights only the active parts of the image. Avegant said the method could save up to 90 percent of illumination power and raise local contrast more than tenfold compared with conventional LCoS.[16]

Products

Product Announced Type Notes
Avegant Glyph 2013 Head-mounted personal media player Micromirror array, 1280x800, 45-degree field of view; Kickstarter units from 499 US dollars; 699 US dollars when reviewed in March 2016[4][11]
Light Field Display Development Kit 2017 AR/MR development kit Multiple focal planes; Unity support; sold from October 2017[14]
AG-30L 2021 LED-illuminated light engine 30-degree field of view; 720p; 0.66 cc and about 0.95 g (optics only); engineering samples late 2021[6][17]
AG-50L 2021 LED-illuminated light engine 50-degree field of view; engineering samples planned for early 2022[6]
AG-30L2 By 2024 LCoS light engine 30-degree field of view; 720x720; volume as low as 1.4 cc; described by Avegant in January 2024 as its smallest LCoS light engine in production[18][16][19]
AG-20L 2025 LCoS light engine 20-degree field of view; used in a reference design with Applied Materials[20]
AG-30L3 2026 LCoS light engine 0.7 cc; 1.4 g; 150 mW for 1,000 nits to the eye at 100% APL; 800x800; about 38 pixels per degree; samples from March 2026[21][22]

AG-30L3

Avegant announced the AG-30L3, a full-color LCoS light engine, on 21 January 2026. The company says it is half the size and half the weight of the AG-30L2, with higher resolution and lower power. It puts out 1,000 nits to the eye at 100% APL while drawing 150 mW, and its 800x800 resolution gives an angular resolution of nearly 40 pixels per degree.[21] In an interview with LEDinside, Tang gave the figures as a 30-degree field of view, 38 pixels per degree, a 2.1 mm x 2.1 mm pupil and a 3 µm pixel size. He said the new design had cut the module from 1.4 cc to 0.7 cc partly by removing the polarizing beam splitter used in conventional LCoS engines.[22] Customer samples were scheduled for March 2026, with mass production expected later in 2026.[21]

XR work and partnerships

Avegant supplies its light engines to other companies' glasses and to reference designs combined with partners' waveguides:

Date Partner Work
June 2024 Vuzix Partnership to combine the AG-30L2 with a customized version of Vuzix's full-color Incognito waveguide as an optical reference design for AI-enabled consumer smart glasses; first prototypes shown privately at Augmented World Expo 2024[23]
September 2024 DigiLens Insight Kit pairing DigiLens Crystal30 waveguides with the AG-30L2; DigiLens stated the combination reaches 1,000 nits at 75 mW of illumination power[19]
November 2025 Applied Materials Reference glasses with a 20-degree diagonal field of view, the AG-20L light engine and a 3.4 g etched waveguide, weighing under 45 g including prescription lenses[20]
January 2026 Vuzix, Quanta Computer Binocular smart glasses reference design using the AG-30L3 and Vuzix waveguides, manufactured by Quanta; evaluation units for selected OEMs in the first quarter of 2026[24]
June 2026 North Ocean Photonics Display module combining North Ocean Photonics' 30-degree single-layer diffractive etched waveguide with the AG-30L2[25]
June 2026 Qualcomm Named as a partner in the Snapdragon START program for personal AI devices, alongside Applied Materials, Pegatron, Thundercomm and Goertek[7]

The Vuzix Ultralite Pro enterprise platform, a CES 2026 Innovation Awards honoree, uses Avegant light engines with Vuzix Incognito waveguides and Qualcomm's AR1 processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1).[26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thierry Heles (2015-08-24). "Avegant deciphers $24m for series B". Global Venturing. https://globalventuring.com/blog/2015/08/24/avegant-deciphers-24m-for-series-b/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jon Zemke (2014-04-02). "Avegant raises $1.9M in investment, $1.5M in crowdfunding". Concentrate. https://concentratemedia.com/avegantannarbor0277/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Founder Q&A: Avegant Co-Founder & CTO Edward Tang on Strategy Shifts and Leveraging Partners to Drive Growth". Intel Capital. 2018-01-19. https://www.intelcapital.com/founder-qa-avegant-co-founder-cto-edward-tang-on-strategy-shifts-and-leveraging-partners-to-drive-growth/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Ben Lang (2013-12-18). "Avegant Reveals Glyph: Transforming HMD With Virtual Retinal Display, Kickstarter Starts at $499". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/avegant-glyph-hmd-virtual-retinal-display-kickstarter/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ben Lang (2017-03-21). "Avegant Claims Newly Announced Display Tech is "a new method to create light fields"". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/avegants-newly-announced-light-field-tech-claims-new-method-display-light-fields/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Avegant Introduces The World's Smallest LED Light Engines For Augmented Reality". PR Newswire. Avegant Corp.. 2021-09-07. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-introduces-the-worlds-smallest-led-light-engines-for-augmented-reality-301370226.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jeong Il Joo (2026-06-18). "Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon Start Program to Accelerate AI Device Development". The Elec. https://www.thelec.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=11450. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  8. ↑ Ben Lang (2014-02-23). "Avegant Glyph Kickstarter Ends at $1.5 Million, Snoop Dogg Goes Hands-on (yes, that Snoop Dogg)". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/avegant-glyph-kickstarter-pre-order-release-date-2015-snoop-dogg/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  9. ↑ "Avegant Closes Extended Series A Round of Funding Led by Intel Capital and NHN Investment". PR Newswire. Avegant. 2014-11-04. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-closes-extended-series-a-round-of-funding-led-by-intel-capital-and-nhn-investment-281461651.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  10. ↑ "Avegant Announces $24M in Series B Funding to Develop Next Generation of Wearable Displays". PR Newswire. Avegant. 2015-08-21. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-announces-24m-in-series-b-funding-to-develop-next-generation-of-wearable-displays-300131801.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 James Trew (2016-03-01). "Avegant Glyph review: A wearable cinema for serious movie fans". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2016-03-01-avegant-glyph-review.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  12. ↑ "Avegant Introduces Light Field Technology for Mixed Reality". PR Newswire. Avegant. 2017-03-15. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-introduces-light-field-technology-for-mixed-reality-300423855.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  13. ↑ Nicole Lee (2017-05-01). "Avegant's light-field tech gives hope to a mixed-reality future". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2017-05-01-avegant-light-field-hands-on.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Avegant Ships Light Field Display Development Kits for Augmented and Mixed Reality". PR Newswire. Avegant. 2017-10-04. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-ships-light-field-display-development-kits-for-augmented-and-mixed-reality-300530515.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  15. ↑ Alistair Charlton (2018-03-18). "Augmented reality startup and HoloLens rival Avegant halves its headcount". GearBrain. https://www.gearbrain.com/augment-reality-startup-avegant-2549246807.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Avegant announces breakthrough Spotlight display technology for Augmented Reality". PR Newswire. Avegant Corp.. 2024-01-30. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-announces-breakthrough-spotlight-display-technology-for-augmented-reality-302047905.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  17. ↑ Denrie Perez (2021-10-05). "Avegant Unveils Compact Light Engines For AR Smart Glasses". Engineering.com. https://www.engineering.com/avegant-unveils-compact-light-engines-for-ar-smart-glasses/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  18. ↑ "Avegant AG-30L2 - High-resolution AR light engine". TEGAKARI. 2024-08-29. https://www.tegakari.net/en/2024/08/avegant-ag-30l2/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "DigiLens Partners with Avegant for Next-Gen AI Smartglasses". DigiLens. 2024-09-04. https://www.digilens.com/pr-avegantc304th/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Applied Materials and Avegant: Engineering Everyday Glasses for an Extraordinary Future". LEDinside. 2025-11-21. https://www.ledinside.com/news/2025/11/2025_11_21_10. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 "Avegant Introduces 0.7 cc AG-30L3 Full Color Light Engine, Redefining Efficiency and Miniaturization for AR Glasses". PR Newswire. Avegant Corp.. 2026-01-21. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-introduces-0-7-cc-ag-30l3-full-color-light-engine-redefining-efficiency-and-miniaturization-for-ar-glasses-302666214.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Avegant's New 0.7cc Light Engine Brings High PPD to AR Glasses to Break the Visual Barrier". LEDinside. 2026-01-28. https://www.ledinside.com/interview/2026/1/2026_01_28_02. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  23. ↑ "Vuzix and Avegant Announce Strategic Partnership to Develop Full Color Optical Reference Design for AI-Enabled Consumer Smart Glasses". Vuzix Investor Relations. Vuzix Corporation. 2024-06-20. https://ir.vuzix.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/2087/vuzix-nasdaq-vuzi-and-avegant-announce-strategic. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  24. ↑ "Avegant and Vuzix Announce New Lightweight Binocular AR Reference Design". PR Newswire. Vuzix Corporation. 2026-01-06. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-and-vuzix-announce-new-lightweight-binocular-ar-reference-design-302653483.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  25. ↑ "North Ocean Photonics Collaborates with Avegant to Integrate YN-CN30 Waveguides with AG-30L2 Light Engines". LEDinside. 2026-06-08. https://m.ledinside.com/node/view/36127.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  26. ↑ "Vuzix Ultralite Pro Enterprise Platform Recognized as CES 2026 Innovation Awards Honoree". Vuzix Investor Relations. Vuzix Corporation. 2026-01-08. https://ir.vuzix.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/2161/vuzix-ultralite-pro-enterprise-platform-recognized-as-ces. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
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