Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · Menlo Park, CA, USA
Developer of high-performance QuantumFilm quantum dot image sensors for smartphone cameras, focused on low-light performance.
InVisage Technologies, based in Menlo Park, California, developed QuantumFilm, quantum dot-based image sensors designed to enhance smartphone photography and video in low-light conditions. This proprietary QuantumFilm technology, approximately 10 times thinner than traditional silicon-based sensors, utilized nanoparticles to offer superior light sensitivity compared to conventional CMOS image sensors. The venture-backed company, led by CEO Jess Lee, raised approximately $98 million from prominent investors including Intel Capital, Nokia Growth Partners, and GGV Capital. Founded in October 2006 by Ted Sargent and Everett McGinley, leveraging research from the University of Toronto, InVisage grew to between 40 and 53 employees and held 27 registered patents, focusing on miniaturized, high-performance image sensors for mobile devices. Apple Inc. ultimately acquired InVisage Technologies in November 2017 for an undisclosed sum, confirming its innovative impact on mobile imaging.
InVisage Technologies has raised $149.5M across 6 funding rounds.
InVisage Technologies has raised $149.5M in total across 6 funding rounds.
InVisage Technologies was a fabless semiconductor company that developed QuantumFilm image sensors, leveraging quantum dots to capture light more effectively for superior digital photography in compact devices like mobile phones and IoT gadgets.[1][2][3] It targeted mobile, security, automotive, military, medical imaging, and consumer camera markets, solving the problem of low-light performance and image quality in small-form-factor sensors compared to traditional CMOS tech.[1][2][3] Founded in 2006, the company raised $60M before being acquired by Apple in November 2017, marking strong growth momentum in imaging innovation.[1][3]
InVisage emerged from research by Ted Sargent, a University of Toronto professor and the company's CTO, who discovered a highly sensitive light receiver while working on transmitters in his lab; he secured rights to the tech and founded InVisage in October 2006 in Menlo Park, California (later Newark).[1][3] In 2007, Jess Lee joined as CEO, bringing expertise from OmniVision Technologies where he scaled sales from $50M to $500M; Syrus Madavi became chairman in 2012.[2][3] Early traction included a $20M Series D round in 2013 led by GGV Capital with Nokia Growth Partners, paving the way for sensor shipments in 2014, and awards like the 2010 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award.[1][3]
InVisage rode the smartphone camera boom of the 2000s-2010s, where demand for pro-grade photo quality in slim devices exploded amid mobile computing's rise and IoT expansion.[1][3] Timing was ideal post-iPhone launch, as market forces favored compact, high-sensitivity sensors for low-light and multispectral imaging, influencing competitors like Spectricity and Quantum Science in semiconductors.[1] Its quantum dot tech advanced the ecosystem by pushing boundaries in hybrid sensors, contributing to Apple's camera advancements post-acquisition and broader trends in nanomaterial imaging for automotive and health apps.[1][3][4]
Post-2017 Apple acquisition, InVisage's tech likely fueled iPhone camera leaps in low-light and computational photography, with its patent portfolio enabling ongoing sensor innovations.[1][3] Looking ahead, quantum dot sensing aligns with AI-driven imaging, AR/VR, and autonomous vehicles, where trends like edge AI and spectral analysis will amplify its legacy influence. As Apple integrates this into future devices, InVisage exemplifies how specialized imaging startups shape mobile tech's core, tying back to its roots in breakthrough light capture for everyday compact photography.[1][3]
InVisage Technologies has raised $149.5M across 6 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $32.5M Other Equity in December 2014.
InVisage Technologies has raised $149.5M in total across 6 funding rounds.
InVisage Technologies's investors include China Oceanwide Capital, GGV Capital, Intel Capital, InterWest Partners, NGP Capital, RockPort Capital, ACME Capital, Granite Ventures, Griffin Gaming Partners, InterWest, Marcy Venture Partners, Nokia Growth Partners.