What’s the story?
LetinAR has secured USD $18.5 million to scale its optical module technology for smart glasses.
Why it matters
The funding supports LetinAR’s scale-up plans as its optical modules are already shipping to customers.
The bigger picture
LetinAR’s funding comes as AI glasses move from early adopter products toward larger-scale production, with its optics designed to support thinner lens structures, lower power use and clearer image delivery for smart glasses.
May 20, 2026 – LetinAR, a South Korean optical technology startup, has secured USD $18.5 million in funding from Korea Development Bank (KDB), Lotte Ventures and others. According to TechCrunch, which first reported on the announcement, the funding comes ahead of the company’s planned 2027 IPO in South Korea and brings LetinAR’s total funding to USD $41.7 million.
LetinAR develops optical modules for smart glasses, with its PinTILT technology designed to support thinner lens structures, lower power consumption, clearer image delivery and wider field-of-view options, and its PinMR technology designed to support sharper and more precise visual output. The company was founded in 2016 by CEO Jaehyeok Kim and CTO Jeonghun Ha.
“We see AI glasses as that next platform,” said Kim. “And the optical module is the hardest part to get right as AI glasses makers will need a lens that is thinner, lighter, and more power-efficient than what exists today.”
LetinAR describes PinTILT as a hybrid optical structure that combines elements of waveguide and birdbath AR optics to improve form factor, power consumption and image quality. According to the company, modules using PinTILT can be shaped similarly to regular eyeglass lenses, with compact dimensions and minimal protrusion, while the technology’s high light efficiency lowers display power consumption and supports smaller batteries. The company also stated that its B-Type PinTILT design reduces field-of-view trade-offs by using a wider total internal reflection angle, enabling a larger field of view with conventional refractive indices.
According to TechCrunch, LetinAR’s modules are already shipping and its customers include Japan’s NTT QONOQ Devices and Dynabook, formerly known as Toshiba Client Solutions. The company is also in talks with unnamed “Big Tech companies” on R&D for next-generation AI glasses.
One current customer is Aegis Rider, a Swiss deep tech company spun out of ETH Zurich’s Computer Vision Lab. Aegis Rider is developing an AI-powered augmented reality (AR) motorcycle helmet that displays navigation, speed and safety alerts in a rider’s field of vision, anchored to the road ahead. LetinAR’s module is inside the helmet, and Aegis Rider is targeting the EU and Swiss markets in 2026.
The round reportedly drew participation from 16 investors. Named participants included KDB, Lotte Ventures, Cape Investment & Securities, Daesung Private Equity, Evergreen Investment Partners, Hyundai Investment Partners, Kolon Investment, Shinhan Capital, and T3 Ventures.
Kim stated that the latest funding will go toward scale-up as the AI glasses market shifts from early adopters to mass production.
For more information on LetinAR and its optical technology for augmented reality and smart glasses, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: LetinAR
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Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix, where he has spent years immersed in the XR ecosystem, tracking its evolution from early prototypes to the technologies shaping the future of human experience. While primarily covering the latest AR and VR news, his interests extend to the wider world of human augmentation, from AI and robotics to haptics, wearables, and brain–computer interfaces.