LetinAR, a South Korean optical technology startup, has secured USD $18.5 million in new funding from Korea Development Bank, Lotte Ventures, and other investors, bringing its total funding to USD $41.7 million. The round comes ahead of the company’s planned IPO in South Korea in 2027 and drew participation from 16 investors, including major names in venture capital and private equity.
Founded in 2016 by CEO Jaehyeok Kim and CTO Jeonghun Ha, LetinAR develops optical modules for smart glasses. Its PinTILT technology is designed to deliver thinner lens structures, lower power consumption, clearer image quality, and wider fields of view, while its PinMR technology supports sharper and more precise visual output. The company describes PinTILT as a hybrid optical structure that combines waveguide and birdbath AR optics, enabling compact eyeglass-like lenses with high light efficiency and reduced battery demands.
LetinAR’s modules are already shipping to customers such as Japan’s NTT QONOQ Devices and Dynabook, formerly Toshiba Client Solutions. The company is also in talks with major technology firms on R&D for next-generation AI glasses. One notable application is with Aegis Rider, a Swiss deep tech startup developing an AI-powered AR motorcycle helmet that integrates LetinAR’s module to display navigation, speed, and safety alerts directly in the rider’s field of vision.
CEO Jaehyeok Kim emphasized that optical modules are the hardest part to perfect in AI glasses, as they must be thinner, lighter, and more power-efficient than current options. The latest funding will support LetinAR’s scale-up as the AI glasses market transitions from early adopters to mass production.
