Dubai's Xpanceo Raises $250 Million to Make Night‑Vision Contact Lens

Dubai-based deep-tech startup Xpanceo has raised a $250 million funding round to advance development of its smart contact lenses, which deliver night vision, augmented reality, and hands-free control via gaze and voice commands.

Founded by a Russian-Ukrainian team and supported by the establishment of a state-of-the-art lab in Dubai, Xpanceo is developing compact, intelligent lenses packed with microprojectors, AI chips, biosensors, and wireless connectivity. The lenses form the basis of an "Invisible Computer" concept that replaces smartphones and wearables with contact lens-based interfaces inspired by sci-fi references like Iron Man.

The $250 million investment will support human trials, further R&D, and expansion of the Dubai lab, aiming for a commercial launch in 2027–2028. Xpanceo’s founders hope to unlock new interactions and sensory capabilities -ranging from infrared vision to health tracking - while integrating invisible watermarking to help distinguish AI-generated content.

The funding positions Xpanceo among a new wave of capital-backed AI and wearables companies in the MENA region, marking a strategic push toward frontier technologies that bridge digital and physical worlds.