23 May 2026, 20:08 PM

UPDATED 23 May 2026, 20:08 PM

TECH & STARTUP

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Tech & Startup Desk

Image: XPANCEO

XPANCEO, a Dubai-based technology company says it is moving closer to developing smart contact lenses capable of displaying augmented reality images, monitoring health data and providing wireless connectivity, exploring alternatives to smart glasses and other wearable devices.

The startup which is developing smart contact lenses, announced that it had created a proof of concept for integrating a microbattery into a lens in partnership with ITEN, a tech company based in France. Unlike smart glasses or virtual reality headsets, however, contact lenses must operate within an extremely small form factor while meeting strict safety and biocompatibility requirements.

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XPANCEO said low-energy functions such as biosensing could rely on energy harvested from the wearer’s body and environment, including blinking, body heat and tear fluid. The challenge has led developers to explore alternatives to conventional lithium-ion batteries, which can swell, leak or overheat. This led to their partnership with ITEN which develops solid-state ceramic microbatteries designed to avoid the leakage and expansion risks associated with liquid-electrolyte batteries.

According to XPANCEO, engineers working on the project developed a multi-stage encapsulation process and examined thermal management and overvoltage protection for use within the confined environment of a contact lens. The companies described the proof of concept as an early milestone towards the commercial viability of smart contact lenses.

XPANCEO said in July 2025 that it had raised $250 million in a Series A funding round, valuing the company at $1.35 billion and giving it unicorn status. The round followed an earlier $40 million seed investment. Both funding was led by Opportunity Venture (Asia). XPANCEO has previously said a commercial version of the technology could reach consumers by around 2030, although significant technical and regulatory hurdles remain.