SiLC Technologies Raises $12M in Funding

SiLC Technologies has closed a $12 million seed financing round, which founder and CEO Mehdi Asghari said will allow the company to refine its 4D+ Vision Chip lidar sensor.

At CES 2020, a point cloud taken with SiLC's 4D+ Vision Chip detects a rooftop security camera post at 190m and a lamppost at 250 meters. Courtesy of SiLC Technologies.

The chip is claimed to exceed the range, resolution, and accuracy of most lidar sensors on the market and in a smaller footprint. It operates at the 1550 nm wavelength, which the company said allows for better energy efficiency and prevents interference from other lidar sensors and sunlight. The company expects that the technology will be a boon for startups developing autonomous vehicles, and could be used for AR/VR applications and biometric scanning.

In addition to Dell, who led the round, the company is backed by Decent Capital, ITIC Ventures, and undisclosed angel investors.

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Published: March 2020

Glossary

lidar: Lidar, short for light detection and ranging, is a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to measure distances and generate precise, three-dimensional information about the shape and characteristics of objects and surfaces. Lidar systems typically consist of a laser scanner, a GPS receiver, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), all integrated into a single system. Here is how lidar works: Laser emission: A laser emits laser pulses, often in the form of rapid and repetitive laser...