Ixi Secures $36.5M Funding for Autofocus Eyewear

Finnish startup IXI has secured $36.5 million in Series A funding, led by Plural and joined by investors such as the Amazon Alexa Fund, to advance its development of autofocus eyewear. IXI's glasses use real-time eye tracking and liquid crystal lens technology to automatically adjust focus, addressing presbyopia and offering a wider field of view than traditional progressive lenses. Founded by Niko Eiden and Ville Miettinen, who previously helmed the mixed reality company Varjo, IXI aims to redefine eyewear as a tech-enhanced lifestyle accessory rather than just a medical device. The company sees significant opportunity in the $200 billion and rapidly growing global eyewear market, positioning its technology as a transformative step for vision correction. IXI’s team leverages experience from pioneering mobile and mixed reality technologies, seeking to disrupt an industry that has seen little innovation in corrective optics for decades. The funding will support continued product development and the commercial launch of IXI Adaptive Eyewear.