Aledi unveils $200M microLED factory for AR displays

Aledia unveiled its microLED factory with a $200 million production line for virtual reality.

The Grenoble, France-based company wants to change the future of hardware so that it becomes more familiar and has the power to display visionary displays. They announced on Cost of CES 2025The biggest tech show in Las Vegas this week.

Tech giants have recently doubled down on microLED for smart glasses, releasing prototypes and looking at commercial sales from 2027. Although cases of using the power of AI for AR have emerged in the past year, there are serious problems with the hardware – power consumption, bulkiness and making money. – remain major barriers to mass adoption.

AR requires displays that combine extreme brightness, compact size and low power consumption for long battery life. Existing technologies such as OLED (organic LED) and LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) are limited in this difficult environment, but still able to achieve immersive AR experiences, said Aledia.

AR devices require bright displays for all lighting, both indoor and outdoor. The devices also need to be compact, fitting into the small form factors that require AR glasses and other accessories. They also need long battery life, and should be cheap to manufacture.

Both OLED and LCOS technologies emit light in all directions, while only light emitted from a narrow cone can be used with AR glasses.

After 12 years of continuous R&D, a history of nearly 300 patents and an investment of $ 600 million, Aledia said it has broken these barriers. With its microLED-based microdisplay – the best, which grows permanently with Red, Green and Blue microLEDs on the same surface that is natively directive – the company said that it can solve the problems of hardware, and open the way to a deeper, AI. – Experience driven by AR vision ever created.

“Immersive technologies like AR have not yet been realized because the industry has not yet developed a display that is visually appealing and highly functional,” said Pierre Laboisse, CEO of Aledia, in a statement. “At Aledia, we have developed nanowire technology that makes MicroLED displays thinner, more powerful and easier to manufacture for mass adoption. By the next CES, OLED and LCOS will have already been phased out in favor of our advanced microLED technology.”

Aledi’s MicroLED platform for AR

Aledia’s MicroLED technology based on 3D gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon nanowires paves the way to the next generation of smart displays.

The company said its 3D GaN nanowire technology offers increased brightness and power control compared to 2D LEDs, as well as higher pixel density and resolution. The 3D interface allows for a more realistic and controlled output, making Aledia’s display even better and suitable for advanced applications like AR.

In R&D testing, Aledia’s nanowires improved steering and optical performance in real-world environments, which are essential for AR experiences.

Alediya said it has superior battery life in a compact package. Aledia’s hybrid bonding technology combines microLEDs and driver electronics into the smallest and smartest device on the market, resulting in slim displays and high power consumption for long battery life.

Inexpensive products that expand

Alediya’s advantage lies in its more than $200 million line of buildings within Europe’s “Display Valley,” which enables rapid iteration without limiting volume. By using semiconductor-grade silicon in 8-inch and 12-inch formats, Aledia reduces the cost of mass production of microLEDs, accelerating the spread of various displays. Aledi is ready and able to support customers who need up to about 5,000 wafer starts per week.

“Our Champagnier factory is at the heart of European innovation, and we are proud to be standing in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Pavilion at CES,” said Laboisse. “We are redefining international standards for display technology with our innovative and innovative chips, positioning Grenoble as the global center for microLED production.”

To see Aledi’s technology at CES 2025, visit Booth 60711-04 at Eureka Park, in Hall G at the Venetian.

Founded in 2011, Aledi holds more than 300 patents and 60 of its employees hold doctorates.