May 25, 2021

Global Brain has invested in SiLC Technologies, Inc, a startup developing IC chip-scale LiDAR utilizing silicon photonics technology

Global Brain has invested in SiLC Technologies, Inc (SiLC Technologies), startup developing IC chip-scale LiDAR utilizing silicon photonics technology, through its EP-GB L.P. and KURONEKO Innovation Fund L.P.

SiLC Technologies was founded in 2018 by a team of members with more than 20 years experiences in the silicon photonics industry. The startup is developing IC chip-scale LiDAR.

LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is an optical sensor measuring distance to and instant velocity of an objects by hitting its laser light to the object and observing the reflected light. Machine vision commonly uses 2 dimensional information from camera but is now evolving to use 3 or 4 dimensional information (distance and instant velocity are added) from camera plus LiDAR. The machine vision evolved with combination of camera plus LiDAR is expected to be utilized in wide industries including security camera, industrial robot, autonomous vehicle and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), and consumer devices for AR/VR.

In order that LiDAR could be popular among these wide industries, it is thought that LiDAR should be IC-chip scale from the perspectives of functionality and cost. In the space of this IC-chip scale LiDAR, SiLC Technologies is the leading player with competitive advantages in sensor functions, IC-chip integration technology, and manufacturing know-hows.

Global Brain invested in SiLC technologies, seeing huge potential of its target market and its strong competitive advantages. SiLC Technologies is proceeding collaborations with global top tiers in security camera, industrial robot, autonomous vehicle and ADAS, etc. Global Brain will provide hands-on support to SiLC Technologies in its business development in Japan and other Asian countries.

About SiLC Technologies

Location
SiLC Technologies, Inc.
Representative
Monrovia, CA, United States
Founded
Mehdi Asghari
URL
https://www.silc.com/

About EP-GB L.P.

Name
EP-GB L.P.
General Partner
Global Brain Corporation
Fund Size
5 billion JPY

About KURONEKO Innovation Fund L.P.

Name
KURONEKO Innovation Fund L.P.
General Partner
Global Brain Corporation
Fund Size
5 billion JPY

About Global Brain

Location
Tokyo, Japan
Representative
Yasuhiko Yurimoto
Founded
January, 1998
URL
https://globalbrains.com/