Dubai-based smart contact lenses startup XPANCEO announced it’s expanding a partnership with China’s JBD to co-develop a new micro-display designed specifically for smart contact lenses.
Previously, the companies co-developed a printed circuit board with integrated micro-display, as well as a unique optical system capable of forming a near-eye image for easy focus.
Now XPANCEO is deepening ties with JBD, the Shanghai-based micro display company, to co-develop the tiny displays that could one day be in consumer smart contacts of the future.
Notably, JBD is behind some positively miniscule XR displays; one such display we saw back at CES 2020 was smaller than a penny, but capable of a blinding 3,000,000 nits.
The companies say the partnership will focus on scalability and manufacturability, which could lead to their first mass-market production run of specialized contact lens microdisplays. That said, the pieces are still coming together.
Packing everything into a contact lens form factor is a major feat, with XPANCEO noting it should be around the thickness of a human hair to ensure optimal comfort and wearability.
Another critical challenge is brightness management, since light levels must be carefully balanced to ensure ocular safety while remaining strong enough to see clearly and comfortably. Since images are projected directly onto the user’s retina, prospective smart lenses can make use of lower brightness than smart of AR glasses, the companies say.
In May, XPANCEO revealed it struck a similar partnership with France-based solid-state battery startup ITEN, which aims to solve another big challenge in ocular wearables; conventional batteries are thick, not durable enough, and aren’t suitable to be used in in devices worn directly on the human eye.
And while XPANCEO has its work cut out for it, the company seems to be in the best possible position, as the company secured its Series A financing round in July 2025 to the tune of $250 million, garnering it a $1.35 billion valuation.
