Swave Photonics, spun off from imec, promises big steps for its breakthrough holographic chip technology in 2025

At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Swave Photonics, a spin-off from imec, captivated the global tech community with its groundbreaking holographic chip technology. This innovation, based on integrated photonics, promises to revolutionize augmented reality (AR), smart displays, and the way humans interact with the digital and physical worlds. During an interview at CES, Mike Noonen, CEO of Swave Photonics, shared his insights into the company's journey, achievements, and ambitious plans for the future with PhotonDelta's Jorn Smeets.

Swave Photonics was founded in 2022 to commercialize cutting-edge holographic technology developed at imec, a global research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. "Swave is here to bring real-time dynamic holography to life," said Mike Noonen. "With our proprietary diffractive photonics technology, we aim to create immersive, ultra-high-resolution, lifelike displays that fundamentally change how people visualize and interact with information."

The potential applications for this technology are vast. According to Noonen, the chips could power everything from AR smart glasses to heads-up displays in cars and even 3D televisions that require no goggles. These innovations align with Swave's mission to "bring the metaverse to life" by enabling realistic and immersive visualization tools.

Recognition at CES 2025

Winning a CES Innovation Award is a significant milestone for any company, and for Swave Photonics, it’s a validation of their unique technology, Noonen said. "True holography is essential to creating displays that behave the way the human vision system expects them to." The company's breakthrough technology — pixels that are half the wavelength of light — could solve many challenges that have hindered the AR and smart glasses market.

Noonen highlighted that CES 2025 is just the beginning for Swave: "We'll be back next year with the world's first dynamic holographic chips and display systems designed for the new spatial and AI era."

A €27 million boost to productization

Swave recently secured an impressive €27 million in Series A funding, a critical step toward bringing holographic chips to mainstream markets. "This funding accelerates our journey from innovation to productization," Noonen noted. The company's scalable technology has already attracted interest from market leaders in various sectors, including eyeglass manufacturers, automotive companies, and consumer electronics giants.

The versatility of Swave’s technology opens doors to numerous applications. "The future of interacting with the real and virtual worlds is immersive," Noonen said. Smart glasses will offer contextual information seamlessly. Automotive heads-up displays will provide critical data in a driver’s field of view, enhancing safety. Meanwhile, 3D televisions without the need for goggles could redefine home entertainment.

This scalability and adaptability have sparked collaborations with industry pioneers planning next-generation products. "From near-eye applications like smart glasses to large-scale consumer electronics, our holographic chips are paving the way for revolutionary displays," said Noonen.

At the forefront

With its holographic chip technology poised to redefine display markets, Swave Photonics is at the forefront of the metaverse and immersive visualization revolution. By focusing on real-time dynamic holography, the company aims to enable a world where people can visualize the impossible and collaborate more effectively.

As Swave prepares to unveil the world's first dynamic holographic display systems next year, their success at CES 2025 marks a significant step forward in realizing their vision. "CES recognized the transformative potential of our technology, and this is just the beginning," Noonen concluded.