3M Ventures, the European Innovation Council and European Investment Bank were among its Series B backers.

Dutch deep-tech company Morphotonics has raised more than €40m in a Series B round for scaling its technology that helps build AI glasses.

Founded in 2014, Morphotonics develops platforms for large-area nanoimprint lithography, a high-resolution fabrication technique used to create miniscule surface patterns by physically replicating the intricacies of a precision stamp into a material.

Unlike conventional photolithography, which uses light, nanoimprinting mechanically replicates patterns, allowing for accurate and repeatable fabrication with better precision.

The process allows for better replication on large areas, according to the company, and is used to manufacture advanced optical components such as augmented reality waveguides – essential for AI glasses – and semiconductor structures.

AI glasses have sharply risen in popularity in the wearable devices category, driven largely by Meta’s growing catalogue of products. In H2 last year, AI glasses alone accounted for 88pc of the total shipment of smart glasses, while Morphotonics cited expectations placing consumer spend for smart glasses at $44bn between now and 2032.

The Dutch company’s expanded Series B was supported by 3M Ventures, Innovation Industries and BOM, alongside Invest-NL, the European Innovation Council, Ernij Next and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Over the past year, Morphotonics has been developing its Cypris X700 platform, specifically designed to produce AR waveguides at high volumes. The new funding will be used to increase its production capacity, as well as advance product development and expand teams, the company said.

Morphotonics, headquartered in Veldhoven, opened an office in China last year to better collaborate with its Asian customers. Revenue at the company tripled last year, compared to 2024, and it expects “substantial” further growth.

“Everyone is talking about AI glasses right now. AI is moving off the screen and into the real world, into glasses, spatial systems and a new generation of intelligent devices,” said Hugo da Silva, the CEO of Morphotonics.

“But these and similar devices will not reach mass adoption unless the optical components inside them can be manufactured at consumer-electronics scale.

“Our role is to make that possible. By bringing nanoimprint lithography from specialist production into high-volume manufacturing, we’ll ensure the AI glasses and physical AI future can arrive. We can help reduce one of the key manufacturing barriers facing AI glasses and other advanced optical devices.”

EIB Group office head for the Netherlands Chantal Schrijver said: “If Europe wants to stay competitive, it needs to stay in front when it comes to cutting-edge technology.

“One of our main challenges is to make sure that local businesses can stay and grow in Europe, and the public and private sectors need to make sure that these companies can get the right type of financing to do so.”

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