Meta Puts $3.5 Billion Into Partner EssilorLuxottica, XPANCEO, Arago, Kartel Raise New Rounds
Key Takeaways
Trump hints his allies may buy TikTok. Meta invests $3.5B in Ray-Ban maker. XPANCEO, Arago, and Kartel raise funds. Smart glasses, AI chips, and AR contact lenses heat up.
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July 10, 2025
04:18 PM
Forbes
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InnovationConsumer Meta Puts $3. 5 Billion Into Partner EssilorLuxottica, XPANCEO, Arago, Kartel Raise New RoundsByCharlie Fink, Contributor
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights
A former executive covering AI, XR and The Metaverse for Forbes
AuthorJul 10, 2025, 04:18pm EDTWASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 10: Sarah Baus of Charleston, S. , a content creator on TikTok, holds a
More sign that reads "Keep TikTok" outside the U
Supreme Courton January 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)Getty Images Tik Tok, I own the clock, says the Donald
Prexy says a group of rich folk are buying the social platform
I would be shocked if the syndicate is not made up of the president’s wealthiest supporters and family members
That is totally legal, because the president is doing it
An audience member watches the Meta Connect Developer Conference keynote while wearing Ray-Ban Meta
More 2nd generation smart glasses at Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, California on Wednesday September 27, 2023. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images Meta has reportedly invested apximately $3. 5 billion in eyewear maker EssilorLuxottica
The social media company now owns just under 3% of the company it has partnered with to make XR glasses based on both their Ray‑Ban and Oakley brands
The investment comes as Ray‑Ban Meta smart glasses have sold over two million units since late 2023, and EssilorLuxottica plans to scale duction to ten million units annually by 2026
XPANCEO raises $250 million in Series A funding
They’re now valued at $1. 35 billion, making Xpancio the UAE’s 12th unicorn
The company is AI-powered smart lenses designed to replace smartphones, laptops, and other personal devices with a single, invisible interface
XPANCEO’s totype can already display holographic images, translate languages in real time, and vide night vision
The team includes scientists from Cal, MIT, and the European Space Agency, and says it is on track to release a commercial duct within five years
The funding round was led by Opportunity Ventures and saw participation from strategic investors in Europe and Asia
XPANCEO’s vision pushes into science fiction territory, with a fully immersive interface worn directly on the eye
I wonder if at that point we won’t be getting neural implants
Mentra AI glasses willb be available in September
Mentra MORE FOR YOU Mentra Raises $8 Million To Launch Open-Source OS For Smart Glasses
Mentra raises $8M to launch MentraOS 2. 0, an open-source XR operating system for smart glasses backed by Y Combinator
Zoom Finally Comes to VR
Using the new Zoom VR app for Quest headsets you can now join or host Zoom meetings directly from VR with your Meta avatar appearing in calls as a virtual webcam
It’s a bold blend of VR and conventional conferencing
The result: immersive presence without sacrificing real-world awareness
If they had done this in 2022 I would have lost my mind
Sesame, the smart glasses startup led by former Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe, has welcomed Oculus co‑founder Nate Mitchell as Chief duct Officer
Mitchell describes teaming up with Iribe and hardware architect Ryan Brown as “getting the band back together” to build wearable that brings computing into daily life]
The company is lightweight smart glasses designed for all‑day wear
Backed by early Oculus investors Andreessen Horowitz and Spark Capital, Sesame emerges into an increasingly competitive space alongside Meta’s Ray‑Ban, Snap’s new, spatial specs, and the upcoming collaboration between Samsung and Google based on Android XR
Genies are avatar agents with personalities that know you and track with you across platforms
Genies Genies Is Building The Visual Layer For LLMs Genies partners with Unity to bring emotionally intelligent AI avatars into games, merging behavior, memory, and UGC tools for real-time interactive companions
After making inroads in Hollywood, Runway is enabling AI to make games
Runway, the $3 billion generative-AI startup who made a splashy collaboration announcement with Hollywood’s Lionsgate studio, is now expanding into games with a new “Game Worlds” platform
It will enable users to build simple interactive text-and-image games via a chat interface, with full AI-generated game creation slated for later this year
CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela says Runway is in talks with gaming studios to source datasets and embed its AI in development workflows
Kartel Launches With $2 Million And Human-Centric AI To Disrupt Media duction Kartel
Ai emerges from stealth with $2M to line creative media duction using AI, human talent, and a phone call
Fast, curated, agency-quality work
Mozart AI founders (L to R) Pascual Merita Torres, Immanuel Rajadurai, Arjun Khanna, Sundar ArvindMozart AI Mozart AI Empowers Music Composition With A Copilot
Mozart AI raises $730K to launch a digital audio workstation that helps artists create faster with AI, without giving up control or relying on full-song generation
Intangible co-founders Intangible Intangible Launches Public Beta, Merging Generative AI, Game Engines, And Cinematic Design
Intangible launches open beta of its browser-based 3D AI platform, combining game engines, spatial design, and cinematic tools for creatives across industries
The new mmersity 3D app from Leia is free
Leia Leia’s Immersity Mobile App Brings 3D Depth To Everyday Photos
The 3D display company has launched Immersity, a free mobile app that turns photos into dynamic 3D reels using AI, bringing immersive content creation to everyday smartphone users
VITURE is releasing three new models, ed by a supreme model they call 'The Beast,' due in
VITURE VITURE Launches Luma Series, Sets Its Sights On Spatial Computing
VITURE, the quiet giant of XR glasses, launches its Luma Series smart glasses with four new models, sharper displays, spatial features
According to IDC’s most recent report, they own a 52% of the U
Market for XR glasses
Moonvalley founders (L to R) Mikolaj Binkowski, Bryn Mooser, Mateusz Malinowski, John Thomas, Naeem
More TalukdarAsteria Asteria And Moonvalley Release Marey, A Clean, duction-Grade AI Model
The new AI generative model from Asteria and Moonvalley offers Hollywood filmmakers clean, licensed, duction-ready tools with full creative control
Poster for Kling AI's new series, 'Loading. 'Kling Kling AI Flexes Its Muscles With New Anthology Series ‘Loading…’ Kling AI debuts 'Loading…,' a seven-part multi-genre YouTube anthology series that showcases human artistry at the center of cinematic AI
This column is also a podcast hosted by its author, Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, former studio executive and co-founder of Red Camera, and Rony Abovitz, founder of Magic Leap
This week our guest is Randy Marsden, founder and CEO of Skidattl
We can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube
What We’re Reading Here’s What Happened to the 9 VR Studios Meta Acquired (Road to VR) Apple is working on Seven XR glasses jects (9to5 Mac) Editorial StandardsRes & PermissionsLOADING PLAYER.
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