Myrias Optics, Founded by UMass’s James Watkins, Secures $3 Million Seed Investment Round to Deploy New Class of Optics
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Myrias Optics, built on research developed by the Watkins Group at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, announced today that it has secured a $3 million seed investment led by Asia Optical Inc. Myrias, an emerging developer of all-inorganic printed meta-optics, will use the funding to meet growing customer demand and interest in the company’s structure, materials and process technology platform. This investment round also includes participation from UMass Amherst, Tenon Ventures and HOSS Investment Inc.
Myrias Optics enables the next generation of meta-optics for augmented reality/virtual reality, consumer electronics, machine vision, advanced robotics, automotive light detection and ranging, defense and aerospace. The company, founded by UMass faculty member James Watkins, plans to manufacture optics in Western Massachusetts and hire a substantial workforce.
“We are very excited to already have multiple Tier 1 customers engaging in AR/VR and consumer electronics applications where Myrias IP and expertise provide unrivaled cost, performance and lifetime advantages over existing etched or printed polymer-based processes,” said Myrias CEO Patrick Tan. “Going forward, we are particularly excited to work with Asia Optical to develop and deploy a new class of optics that enables products that are compact, lighter and easier to assemble at significantly lower costs.”
“Our investment and partnership with Myrias is aimed at advancing the development of meta-optics for high-performance optical modules and products,” said Asia Optical’s Chairman Robert Lai. “By integrating multiple functions into a single meta-optic layer, we anticipate creating systems with fewer components making it much easier to make. Asia Optical looks forward to developing and extending our optical product offerings across all the industries we serve.”
Development and adoption of the optical technologies developed by the Watkins Group is poised to accelerate substantially in Massachusetts thanks to a $5 million award from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative announced in October 2023. The grant will enable UMass Amherst to establish an open-access Advanced Optics Fabrication and Characterization Facility on its campus, a unique resource available to industry partners such as Myrias and researchers across the state.
This story was originally published by the UMass News Office.