Flō Optics, an Israeli innovative startup, has completed a $35 million Series A round. The funding round was led by the Jaglom family, who have previously invested in companies such as Stratasys. Italian firm MEI Systems, which produces lens-edging machines and solutions, also participated in the round. This investment shows the potential of Flō Optics’ approach to optical lens coating.

Established in 2018 by Dr. Claudio Rottman, Flō Optics specializes in the application of coatings onto optical lenses via digital printing processes. Indeed, Dr. Rottman was the former chemistry manager at Objet before realizing that laboratory processes associated with optical lenses need to be digitized. 

He used his capability regarding inkjet 3D printing in developing his method for applying coatings on lenses via additive manufacturing technology. The company has a number of patents on multi-material and multi-layer structures, allowing for the accurate application of coatings to lenses.

The coating of optical lenses is done in the wet process. Wet process is the method in which the lenses are immersed in chemical baths for applying protective and anti-reflective layers. This can be inaccurate and a bit environmental toxic because of the chemical wastes produced. 

The technology used in Flō Optics digital printing is such that it prints the coatings directly on the lens at pixel-level precision. This, not only is accurate but also environmental friendly due to less use of chemicals.

The $35 million Series A funding round was led by the Jaglom family, who have a history of investing in technological advancements in the optics field, including their involvement with Stratasys. Italian company MEI Systems also participated in the round, acquiring a minority stake in Flō Optics. 

Prior to this round, Flō Optics had raised only a few million dollars in a seed round, making this a significant milestone in the company’s growth trajectory.

Under the leadership of Chairman and CEO Jonathan Jaglom, Flō Optics is poised for significant growth.Jaglom, a former executive at Objet and Stratasys and CEO of MakerBot, brings extensive experience in the 3D printing industry. He joined Flō Optics in 2020, first as an investor, then as managing director, and ultimately as CEO. 

The leadership team includes industry veterans, such as Benny Bilenko and Guy Menchik, who have over three decades of experience in optics and additive manufacturing. 

Flō Optics’ proprietary technology allows it to print directly onto optical lenses with digital printing. This results in pixel-level precision, beating the traditional wet coating process hands down. Besides quality and performance improvements in the optical lens, the company helps reduce environmental footprint by avoiding the use of chemical baths and lowering waste.

The optical lens business has always made use of outdated coating methods. These are resource-intensive and unsustainable. Flō Optics can disrupt the sector with digital printing technology, that is precise and efficient while less harmful to the environment. A new trend, the company technology will be in optics labs, worldwide, when installed. There is a bright future ahead regarding the production of optical lenses.

The newly obtained funds will help to speed up the development of the product, expand the manufacturing capacity, and scale up the operations to fulfill the growing demands. 

This encompasses moving from the technology development phase to the early growth phase with plans to put machines in the optics labs all over the world. The funds will also enable the company to create a dominant presence in the global ophthalmic market.

Flō Optics plans to leverage its technological advances to establish a significant presence in the global ophthalmic market. The company aims to continue innovating and expanding its platform to meet the evolving needs of the optical industry. This includes scaling its digital printing technology to assist more optical labs in producing high-quality lenses efficiently.