The R & D team of Philips starts a business. "Smart Vision Link", a provider of 3D spatial vision solutions, secures tens of millions of yuan in Pre-A round financing | Exclusive Report by 36Kr
Text | Zhang Zhuoqian
Editor | Yuan Silai
36Kr learned that Suzhou Zhiju Xinlian Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Zhiju Xinlian") recently completed a Pre-A round of financing worth tens of millions of yuan, led by Wuzhi Capital. The funds from this round will be used to support the company's R & D investment and production line procurement, and promote the industrialization process of autostereoscopic 3D display technology. As of this round, the company has successively completed three rounds of equity financing.
Founded in May 2021, "Zhiju Xinlian" is a service provider focusing on three-dimensional spatial reality display technology. It provides a complete 3D spatial vision solution from optical path design, 3D spatial vision algorithms to 3D module adaptation. The company's products are compatible with various display screens such as LCD, OLED, and MiniLED, and its technology is widely used in many industries such as advertising, entertainment, medical, beauty, and smart home. On the user side, "Zhiju Xinlian" can quickly capture and generate digital humans based on users' display devices. At the end of 2023, the company launched its first-generation prototype.
The 3D display industry is currently experiencing rapid development, and its technologies are mainly divided into glasses-based and autostereoscopic types. Autostereoscopic 3D technology is currently mainly used in public business occasions and is expected to be applied to portable devices in the future. According to research data from Grand View Research, the global autostereoscopic 3D display market is expected to reach $18.56 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 30.3%.
Meanwhile, the autostereoscopic 3D display industry also faces many challenges. Currently, the industrialization of autostereoscopic 3D display is mainly restricted by extremely high hardware costs, low resolution, and high content creation costs. Especially in the field of radio and television, achieving efficient and economical real-time conversion from 2D to 3D content poses a core challenge. "In response to the two major pain points in the current industry, we propose a full-stack solution, mainly to solve the last - mile problem of the implementation of autostereoscopic 3D products," said Guan Yuxin, the founder of "Zhiju Xinlian". "Our cost control allows users to experience autostereoscopic 3D technology with the price of a cup of milk tea and feel a different 'fantasy' world."
Relying on semiconductor process technology, the optical module independently developed by "Zhiju Xinlian" uses nano - imprinting technology, featuring high processing precision, low cost, and strong adaptability. The independently developed "2D - TO - 3D" algorithm large model and rendering engine of the company can achieve efficient image processing and high - quality conversion. This algorithm supports the collection of human 3D information by a circular camera array in one second and cooperates with the pipeline to construct a real 3D digital human. At the same time, by using the AIGC technology of the edge - side small model, a realistic 3D model can be constructed through images, realizing the real - time conversion and processing of 2D images and videos to generate 3D content, which is compatible with various types of 3D display screens. The algorithm also supports the real - time dynamic synthesis of 3D digital humans and 3D scene information, realizing "cloud group photos", and can be applied to the in - vehicle 3D HUD scenario to achieve enhanced assisted driving and 3D stereoscopic navigation effects.
In terms of user experience, the autostereoscopic 3D display terminal of "Zhiju Xinlian" supports multi - person and multi - perspective viewing at a 60 - degree angle DOE, and can achieve full - real 3D direct - view imaging without auxiliary equipment, solving the pain points of traditional products with a single viewing angle and the need for additional auxiliary equipment. At the same time, the product has the function of adjusting the 3D effect in real - time through the 2D - TO - 3D slider mode, allowing users to freely adjust the intensity of the 3D effect according to their personal preferences and enhance the personalized experience.
In Guan Yuxin's view, home digital cinemas and community - type digital cinemas are expected to become the main battleground for the industrialization of autostereoscopic 3D. In the future, home TVs will no longer be just a carrier for watching traditional programs, but will evolve into an all - around entertainment center integrating 3D games, interactive entertainment, and more immersive experiences. The application of autostereoscopic 3D technology will lead a revolution in the home entertainment interaction mode.
Currently, "Zhiju Xinlian" has established cooperative relationships with customers in multiple fields, including 3D medical assistance and teaching, large - screen exhibition and interaction, game interaction, and immersive tourism. In May 2023, the company established a European R & D center in the Netherlands, cooperating with international well - known enterprises such as Philips, ASML, and NXP, as well as universities and R & D centers, and actively integrating into the internationally leading optoelectronic R & D industrial cluster. Currently, the company is a member unit of the World Ultra - High - Definition Video Industry Alliance (UWA).
This year, "Zhiju Xinlian" has a revenue target of 50 million yuan. Next, the company will combine new display technologies with screen products and create more 3D display products.
Zhiju Xinlian currently has a team of more than 30 people, with R & D personnel accounting for 80%. The core members of the team participated in the development of the world's earliest autostereoscopic 3D TV at the Philips R & D Center in the Netherlands in the early years, experiencing and verifying the entire process of autostereoscopic 3D product development. Subsequently, they have accumulated relatively rich experience in semiconductor manufacturing processes, optical path design, 3D rendering pipelines, information entertainment system chips and other fields in enterprises such as ASML, NXP, Philips Medical, GlobalFoundries, and Trans - Dimensional Intelligence.
Views from the investor:
Yang Shuning from Wuzhi Capital said, "Zhiju is one of the few domestic teams and enterprises with the ability to integrate the entire industrial chain of 3D spatial display. The core team comes from Philips in the Netherlands, the birthplace of autostereoscopic 3D R & D, and has a profound background in semiconductor equipment and processes, which conforms to the general trend of the future industrial development of semiconductorization of new displays. At the same time, we are optimistic about the development prospects of the current 3D spatial display industry, which can perfectly absorb the redundant ultra - high - definition screen resolution and data transmission rate and upgrade the user experience to the 3D world. Currently, Zhiju has shown us amazing 3D display effects and strong low - cost industrial implementation capabilities. We are optimistic about Zhiju's explosive growth in the global market."