Nebula Labs raises $150M to commercialize its AR contact lens prototype

Tech · 5 min read

Nebula Labs announced a $150 million financing round led by HorizonBio and disclosed plans to commercialize an augmented reality contact lens prototype capable of displaying monochrome HUD elements and performing high-resolution eye tracking. The company emphasized that the current prototype is proof-of-concept for optical and power-delivery challenges and that commercial availability will be contingent on extensive safety testing and regulatory approvals.

Nebula plans to use the new funds to expand clinical trials, refine power management and wireless charging for the lens, and pursue certifications across multiple regions. The technology is aimed at assisted vision scenarios and context-aware micro-prompts for professionals like surgeons and technicians rather than mass-consumer AR replacements.

The news raises both excitement and questions about comfort, long-term wear, and privacy implications of eye-tracking at scale. Nebula says it is forming an independent ethics advisory board and will publish safety data as trials progress.