Dubai-based deep-tech company XPANCEO says it is developing a smart contact lens that could replace smartphones, smartwatches and AR headsets by the end of the decade.
The company told CNN this week that a consumer version of the lens could be ready to buy as soon as 2030. It is designed to deliver augmented reality, GPS, health monitoring and biometric data directly through the eye, removing the need for screens or wearable devices.
XPANCEO closed a $250 million Series A round in 2025 at a $1.35 billion valuation, the largest AR/VR funding round on record. The startup has showcased working prototypes at GITEX Global in Dubai, including lenses with micro-displays, integrated micro-batteries and glucose-sensing capabilities through tear fluid.
Founders Roman Axelrod and Valentyn Volkov say the lenses will be certified as medical devices and built to international health-data protection standards.
Source: CNN | Khaleej Times | Microsoft Source EMEA
