A decade of research at Princeton University has resulted in a startup developing imaging sensors with capabilities beyond traditional cameras. Cephia launched on Oct. 30 with $4 million in seed funding and pilot customers already testing products that promise vision capabilities beyond human perception.
The San Francisco-based company builds imaging sensors using artificial intelligence, computational imaging, and silicon metamaterials. Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation led the round, with Incharge Capital, a deeptech investor backed by Porsche SE and Deutsche Telekom, co-leading. MetaVC Partners, NRM Partners, and SOSV also participated in the round, the Cephia said.
According to Cephia, the new funds will support product development, team expansion, and sales initiatives.
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Building Vision Systems From Biological Concepts
Cephia's technology draws from biological systems found in marine and insect life, according to the company.
Mantis shrimp, dragonflies, and cephalopods possess eye structures that perceive wavelengths and dimensions humans cannot see, and Cephia said it has translated these natural designs into compact sensors capable of detecting phenomena traditional cameras miss.
“Our metamaterials-based technology is inspired by nature — drawing from creatures like mantis shrimp, dragonflies, and cephalopods, whose remarkably complex eyes allow them to perceive worlds invisible to us,” Cephia co-founder and CEO Bo Dong said in the company's statement. “Even more exciting, we can fit this capability into the palm of your hand, unlocking countless possibilities.”
The sensors employ silicon metamaterials that manipulate light in ways traditional materials cannot, Cephia said, an approach that enables sensing functions difficult to replicate with existing technology. The company said it targets applications in consumer electronics, manufacturing, and precision agriculture.
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Princeton Researchers Transition Academic Work To Commercial Venture
The founding team comprises scientists who collaborated at Princeton University’s Computational Imaging Lab before advancing to industry roles. Dong previously led computer vision teams at Disney Research Imagineering and ESPN’s Advanced Technology Group. He also worked as a senior computer vision researcher at SRI International, formerly known as Stanford Research Institute, according to Cephia‘s statement.
Cephia co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Ethan Tseng earned his Ph.D. from Princeton, where he developed the world’s first full-color metasurface cameras, according to the company. He conducted additional research at Carnegie Mellon University and Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE).
Felix Heide, the third Cephia founder, serves as a professor at Princeton University and head of AI at Torc Robotics. According to Cephia‘s statement, he previously co-founded Algolux, which was later acquired by Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck.
The team published research in Nature Communications in 2021 demonstrating cameras as small as salt grains that captured images.
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Display Technology Manufacturer Provides Lead Investment
Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation manufactures backlight modules and display technologies for technology firms globally. Its investment provides the startup with access to the investor’s portfolio companies, according to Cephia's statement.
“We see great market potential for Cephia technology that will redefine metasurface-based multimodal vision systems, and we are pleased to announce our lead in Cephia’s seed round,” Radiant Opto-Electronics President Justin Wang said in Cephia's statement.
Aleksej Mitrjaschkin, partner at Incharge Capital Partners, said Cephia’s multimodal sensing solution addresses multiple industries. “Their multimodal sensing solution is unlocking new use cases across massive markets, such as automotive, manufacturing and consumer electronics," he said in Cephia's statement. "We are thrilled to support their mission to meet the growing global demand for this technology and are encouraged by the significant early traction with pilots and active partnerships.”
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