Nanolux
Nanolux is a Tokyo-based AIST-spun venture that builds near-infrared color imaging hardware and software, producing color images in complete darkness without visible-light illumination for surveillance, automotive, medical, and consumer applications, with named deployments at NEXCO and Osaka University Hospital.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nanolux does
Nanolux Co., Ltd. (株式会社ナノルクス) is a Tokyo-headquartered, AIST-spun venture that develops and commercializes near-infrared color imaging hardware and software. Its core technology uses Fabry-Perot bandpass filters and multi-spectral IR sensors (world's first commercial 3μm-pixel IR multi-spectrum sensor) to reconstruct color-equivalent images from infrared light alone, enabling surveillance and machine-vision operation in complete darkness without visible-light illumination, as well as non-invasive, glare-free medical fundus imaging and non-contact pulse-wave vital sign monitoring.
The company's product portfolio spans the IR Multi-spectrum Imaging Sensor platform, Color Night Vision Surveillance Cameras (first deployed at NEXCO highway infrastructure in February 2017), the NLX-FD001 NIR Color Fundus Camera for clinical and smartphone-form-factor use, and the Nanolux Vital Detection system for automotive and patient monitoring. Nanolux monetizes through direct B2B hardware sales to infrastructure operators and healthcare institutions, licensing of its NIR color imaging and Fabry-Perot filter IP to camera/device manufacturers, and grant-funded research collaborations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers include NEXCO, Osaka University Hospital, and NAIST.
The company is privately held, employs roughly four people, and operates from Tokyo, with an R&D laboratory on the NAIST campus (opened April 2022) and a wholly-owned subsidiary in Shenzhen (established April 2022). Since its 2015 restart under CEO Motoshi Sobue, Nanolux has built a patent portfolio jointly held with AIST in Japan and fully held internationally, secured multiple Japanese government grants (NEDO 2016, METI 2021), received venture-backed seed funding led by ASUS alongside Tsukuba Bank Group (2017), and has continued to expand into adjacent verticals (consumer electronics, smartphones, automotive driver monitoring).
Nanolux firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nanolux
- Legal name
- 株式会社ナノルクス
- Website
- https://nanolux.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Nanolux is a Tokyo-based AIST-spun venture that builds near-infrared color imaging hardware and software, producing color images in complete darkness without visible-light illumination for surveillance, automotive, medical, and consumer applications, with named deployments at NEXCO and Osaka University Hospital.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nanolux industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Night Vision Imaging Equipment
- NAICS
- Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV) (HDAHALAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF), Low Vision & Assistive Vision Devices (Magnifiers, Electronic Video Magnifiers, Wearable Vision Aids) (HLAHAJAN)
Keywords
Where Nanolux is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Nanolux business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Camera and Sensor Hardware Sales: Sale of color night vision cameras, sensors, and camera systems for surveillance, automotive, and medical applications
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary NIR color imaging technology and Fabry-Perot filter technology to camera manufacturers and other device makers
- Medical Device Systems: Sale of medical imaging systems including fundus cameras for healthcare institutions
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nanolux product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nanolux develops and commercializes proprietary near-infrared (NIR) color night vision technology originating from AIST research. It manufactures and sells color night vision surveillance cameras, IR multi-spectral imaging sensors, near-infrared color fundus cameras for medical eye examination, and non-contact vital sign detection systems. The company also licenses its underlying Fabry-Perot filter and NIR color imaging technology to camera and device manufacturers for integration into third-party products.
Product overview
Nanolux is a near-infrared color night vision technology company that commercializes technology developed at AIST (Japan's largest industrial research institute). Their product portfolio centers on IR color imaging technology that produces color-equivalent images in complete darkness using near-infrared illumination only. The core offerings include: (1) Near-infrared Color Night Vision Technology as the foundational platform, (2) NLX-FD001 Near-infrared Color Fundus Camera for medical applications enabling non-invasive eye examination, (3) Nanolux Vital Detection for pulse wave sensing and vital sign monitoring, (4) Color Night Vision Surveillance Cameras for security and infrastructure monitoring, and (5) IR Multi-spectrum Imaging Sensors featuring the world's first commercial 3μm pixel IR multi-spectrum sensor with Fabry-Perot filter technology. All products share the common technological foundation of near-infrared to visible light colorization, targeting security, automotive, healthcare, and consumer markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Near-infrared Color Fundus Camera NLX-FD001 Medical-grade fundus camera using Nanolux's NIR color imaging technology to enable glare-free, non-invasive eye examination; supports blood vessel visualization without flash and AI-assisted diagnosis for glucose, blood fat, arteriosclerosis, and eye diseases. Targeted at hospitals and ophthalmology clinics.
- Color Night Vision Surveillance Camera Security/surveillance camera system delivering color video at 30fps in complete darkness using only near-infrared illumination, intended for infrastructure operators (highways, tunnels, rivers, railways, police).
- Nanolux Vital Detection Non-invasive, non-contact pulse wave sensing system for 24/7 vital sign monitoring including heart rate and stress indicators; targets automotive driver monitoring and healthcare patient monitoring applications.
- IR Multi-spectrum Imaging Sensor Commercial-size (3μm pixel pitch) Full HD 1/2.7-inch IR multi-spectral imaging sensor with Fabry-Perot bandpass filter, designed for integration into OEM cameras and devices; supplied to camera and equipment manufacturers.
- Compact Glare-free IR Color Fundus Camera (Smartphone Form Factor) Compact, handheld fundus camera prototype in smartphone form factor enabling mobile fundus imaging anywhere; developed jointly with NAIST as a consumer/mobile-health device.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3x higher accuracy in object recognition using color IR vs monochrome IR (67 correct recognitions vs 19 for color vs monochrome; 34 errors vs 173 errors)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Nanolux
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nanolux technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature5 records
Nanolux partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- JETRO X-HUB TOKYOsupportingSelected for JETRO's startup support program 'X-HUB TOKYO Shenzhen Course' for international market expansion support.
- 大阪大学 (Osaka University)coreJoint research with Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and AI Medical Center for clinical verification of glare-free NIR fundus camera. Developed practical NLX-FD001 model with clinical validation at Osaka University Hospital.
- NTT EAST ACCELERATOR LIGHTnICsupportingSelected for NTT East accelerator program focused on supporting technology ventures with potential for digital and IoT applications.
- 産業技術総合研究所 AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)coreAIST technology transfer venture originating from AIST research. 50% joint patent ownership in Japan with exclusive licensing to Nanolux. Joint exhibition at G20 and ongoing technology collaboration.
- 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学 (NAIST)coreEstablished Nara Research Laboratory in April 2021 at NAIST for joint research. CEO Motoshi Sobue serves as Project Professor. Collaborative development of NIR multi-spectral sensors and fundus camera technology.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nanolux competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Basler AG: Industrial machine-vision camera and embedded vision components manufacturer serving factory automation, medical, and traffic monitoring. Comparable to Nanolux's industrial and surveillance camera business with shared OEM/integrator channels.
- Himax Technologies: Fabless display-driver and image-sensor IC designer serving AR/VR, smartphone, surveillance, and automotive markets. Comparable to Nanolux's CMOS-sensor-adjacent sensor business and emerging technology licensing model.
Broad incumbents
- Topcon Healthcare: Ophthalmic and diagnostic imaging company producing fundus cameras, OCT devices, and screening solutions for eye-care professionals. Comparable to Nanolux's glare-free NIR fundus camera and AI-assisted screening in the same clinical ophthalmic-imaging segment.
- Sony Semiconductor Solutions: World's leading CMOS image sensor manufacturer serving smartphone, automotive, surveillance, and industrial imaging markets. Highly comparable to Nanolux as a giant incumbent in the same image-sensor space whose roadmap pressures Nanolux's niche IR-color differentiation.
- Hamamatsu Photonics: Japanese specialty photonics and optoelectronic-sensor manufacturer covering photodiodes, image sensors, and medical/industrial imaging. Directly comparable to Nanolux as a Japan-headquartered optoelectronic sensor player with overlap in medical and industrial imaging applications.
- Excelitas Technologies: Photonic and sensor technology provider offering infrared sensing, optical components, and imaging systems for defense, medical, and industrial customers. Comparable to Nanolux in fabry-perot/IR sensing technology and in overlapping medical and security end-markets.
- Teledyne FLIR (formerly FLIR Systems): Global leader in thermal and infrared imaging systems for defense, security, industrial, and automotive applications. Highly comparable to Nanolux's surveillance and night-vision products as an incumbent IR-imaging specialist with established channels and complementary product breadth.
- Samsung Semiconductor (System LSI / Image Sensor): Major CMOS image sensor manufacturer (ISOCELL line) with mobile, automotive, and IoT focus. Overlaps with Nanolux in image-sensor technology for surveillance, automotive, and consumer cameras, with far greater scale and integration.
- Canon Medical Systems: Manufacturer of ophthalmic diagnostic imaging equipment including fundus cameras and retinal imaging systems. Directly comparable to Nanolux's NLX-FD001 fundus camera and medical-imaging strategy as an incumbent in clinical retinal imaging.
Direct peers
- OmniVision Technologies: Designer and supplier of advanced digital image sensors used in consumer electronics, automotive, and surveillance. Comparable to Nanolux as a fabless image-sensor specialist competing for the same design slots in cameras, with broader scale but narrower specialization in visible-light RGB.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nanolux social profiles
Digital presenceNanolux financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nanolux leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Nanolux subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Nanolux funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nanolux M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nanolux
What does Nanolux do?
Nanolux develops and commercializes proprietary near-infrared (NIR) color night vision technology originating from AIST research. It manufactures and sells color night vision surveillance cameras, IR multi-spectral imaging sensors, near-infrared color fundus cameras for medical eye examination, and non-contact vital sign detection systems. The company also licenses its underlying Fabry-Perot filter and NIR color imaging technology to camera and device manufacturers for integration into third-party products.
Is Nanolux a public or private company?
Nanolux is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Nanolux founded?
Nanolux was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Nanolux based?
Nanolux is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Nanolux make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Camera and Sensor Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing and medical Device Systems.
Who are Nanolux's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Basler AG and Himax Technologies. Broad incumbents are Topcon Healthcare, Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Hamamatsu Photonics, Excelitas Technologies, Teledyne FLIR (formerly FLIR Systems), Samsung Semiconductor (System LSI / Image Sensor) and Canon Medical Systems. OmniVision Technologies is listed as a direct peer.
Does Nanolux have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nanolux.
What industry is Nanolux in?
Nanolux's product category is Night Vision Imaging Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHALAE, Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV), with a secondary code of IMAGAJAF, Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors). Its NAICS code is 339115 and its SIC code is 3827.