Daylight Computer
Daylight Computer designs and sells the DC-1 tablet, a 10.5-inch Android device with a proprietary zero-blue-light, flicker-free LivePaper display, sold direct-to-consumer for $729 to health-conscious individuals, knowledge workers, families, and light-sensitive users.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Daylight Computer does
Daylight Computer Co. is a San Francisco-based Public Benefit Corporation (operating on behalf of JANGLE INNOVATIONS INC.) founded in 2019 by Anjan Katta that designs and sells health-focused computing hardware. Its flagship product, the DC-1 tablet, centers on a proprietary LivePaper display — a 60fps reflective LCD that combines paper-like readability with full Android app performance, hardware-level zero blue-light emission via a custom amber LED backlight, DC dimming for flicker-free operation, and IGZO TFT architecture. The device runs Sol:OS, a custom Android 13-based operating system, and supports Wacom EMR passive stylus input for note-taking and PDF annotation; companion apps include the Daylight Capture document pipeline (MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, plus browser extensions) and integrations with SuperDisplay and SpaceDesk for use as a secondary monitor.
The company sells direct-to-consumer through daylightcomputer.com at $729 per DC-1, with accessories (Comfy Sleeve $59, Daylight Sling $49, LAMY Stylus) as secondary revenue. Customer segments are persona-driven rather than vertical-driven: health-conscious individuals seeking reduced eye strain and better sleep, knowledge workers doing long-form reading and writing, families with children (via the Kids DC-1 sub-brand), and users with light-sensitivity conditions such as photophobia or migraines. Go-to-market is pure D2C e-commerce supported by earned media in major tech publications, content marketing on light biology, and CEO podcast appearances; there is no physical retail distribution. The company has raised approximately $53.7M in cumulative funding across a $500K founder round (2021), $1.5M seed (2023), $20M Series A led by Andreessen Horowitz (2024), and an additional ~$31.7M round (2026), and is structured as a Public Benefit Corporation with an explicit mission "to help technology and humanity live happily ever after."
Daylight Computer firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Daylight Computer
- Legal name
- Daylight Computer Co.
- Website
- https://daylightcomputer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Daylight Computer designs and sells the DC-1 tablet, a 10.5-inch Android device with a proprietary zero-blue-light, flicker-free LivePaper display, sold direct-to-consumer for $729 to health-conscious individuals, knowledge workers, families, and light-sensitive users.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Daylight Computer industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Electronics (Health-focused tablets)
- NAICS
- Computer Storage Device Manufacturing (334112), Electronics and Appliance Retailers (449210)
- SIC
- Computer Storage Devices (3572)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Consumer Tablets (HDACAMAA)
Keywords
Where Daylight Computer is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Daylight Computer business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - DC-1 Tablet: One-time purchase of the DC-1 tablet at $729. Primary revenue stream from hardware device sales. Includes device, stylus, charging cable, and extra stylus nibs.
- Accessories: Sale of complementary accessories including Comfy Sleeve ($59), Daylight Sling ($49), and LAMY Stylus pen.
- Daylight Capture App: Desktop and mobile app for sending PDFs, EPUBs, and documents to the DC-1. Available free on MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and as browser extensions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | DC-1 Tablet - Core device with LivePaper display |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Comfy Sleeve - Protective case |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Daylight Sling - Ergonomic carry bag |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LAMY Stylus - Premium pen-style stylus |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SuperDisplay - Monitor app (Windows) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Daylight Computer product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Daylight Computer designs, manufactures, and sells the DC-1 tablet computer featuring its proprietary LivePaper display — a paper-like LCD that runs at 60fps, is flicker-free via DC dimming, and offers a hardware-level zero blue light amber backlight. The product is sold directly to consumers via daylightcomputer.com for health-focused reading, note-taking with Wacom EMR stylus, and focused writing use cases.
Product overview
Daylight Computer offers a unified product portfolio centered on the DC-1 tablet with its proprietary LivePaper display technology. The core offering consists of the DC-1 hardware running Sol:OS (Android-based), complemented by the Daylight Capture App for content synchronization. Accessories include the Comfy Sleeve, Daylight Sling, and LAMY Stylus. A specialized Kids DC-1 variant targets younger users with parental controls. Future plans include Sol:OS operating system upgrade and an AI Reading feature.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DC-1: The flagship tablet featuring the LivePaper display technology, a 10.5-inch blue light-free, flicker-free paper-like tablet with 60fps refresh rate, Wacom EMR stylus support, and amber backlight option.
- LivePaper
- Sol:OS
Products and services
- DC-1 Tablet The flagship Daylight tablet computer featuring a 10.5-inch LivePaper display running at 60fps, hardware-level zero blue light amber backlight, DC dimming for flicker-free operation, IGZO TFT panel, 1600x1200 resolution, MediaTek Helio G99 processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, 8000mAh battery, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and Wacom EMR stylus support. Sold to consumers for $729 with stylus, charging cable, and extra stylus nibs included.
- Kids DC-1 Child-focused version of the DC-1 tablet featuring built-in parental controls, app management, usage limits, time-based restrictions, and PIN protection, alongside curated child-safe apps such as Khan Kids, DuoABC, Starfall, and Epic Books. Designed for parents seeking a controlled, healthier computing environment for children.
- Daylight Capture App
Quantifiable outcome
- 0% blue light emission (vs ~25-40% in standard LED displays)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Daylight Computer
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Daylight Computer technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature6 records
Daylight Computer partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Daylight Computer competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kobo (Rakuten): Kobo's e-readers (Elipsa, Sage, Libra) and Kobo Stylus compete with DC-1's long-form reading, PDF annotation, and library-focused use case. Kobo offers broader bookstore integration but similar e-ink limitations.
- Apple iPad: The iPad (especially iPad Air/Pro with Apple Pencil and True Tone/Night Shift) is the mainstream tablet alternative for reading, writing, and note-taking. It competes for the same productivity buyer and has overwhelming ecosystem, app, and accessory advantages—Daylight must continuously justify the eye-health premium over iPad.
- Amazon Kindle: Amazon's Kindle line (Scribe for writing, Paperwhite/Oasis for reading) is the dominant consumer e-reader platform. While Kindle lacks Android app support and Daylight's 60fps refresh, it competes for the same reading-and-eye-comfort dollar at lower price points.
Direct peers
- reMarkable: reMarkable makes e-ink writing tablets (reMarkable 2, Paper Pro) that compete directly with the DC-1's reading, annotation, and paper-like writing use cases, targeting the same focus/distraction-free productivity buyer. It is the closest direct head-to-head competitor in the premium ePaper tablet category.
- Supernote: Supernote (by Ratta) sells premium e-ink writing tablets (Supernote Nomad, A5 X, A6 X) with stylus support and a distraction-free focus on writing and reading—overlapping strongly with DC-1's core use cases and similar premium pricing tier.
- Onyx International (BOOX): BOOX produces a wide range of Android-based ePaper tablets (Tab Ultra, Note Air, Go series) that run full Android apps at relatively high refresh rates—directly mirroring Daylight's positioning of "ePaper with full Android." Pricing and use-case overlap with DC-1 are substantial.
Emerging players
- Bigme: Bigme offers color and monochrome ePaper Android tablets with stylus support and faster refresh rates, positioning similarly to Daylight's "faster ePaper" thesis. It is a less established brand but expanding globally and competes for the same attention-conscious buyer.
- Huawei MatePad Paper: Huawei's MatePad Paper is a HarmonyOS-based e-ink tablet with stylus support positioned for productivity and reading. It competes in the same ePaper-productivity niche with the backing of a major hardware OEM.
Others
- Lenovo Yoga Book (and similar 2-in-1s): Lenovo's Yoga Book line and similar dual-screen or e-ink-keyed 2-in-1 laptops represent adjacent form factors targeting distraction-free writing and note-taking. They are not direct ePaper competitors but address overlapping productivity-and-focus buyer needs.
- Daylight Computer (consumer electronics DTC peers): Companies like Withings and Oura demonstrate the playbook of premium-priced health-focused consumer hardware sold direct-to-consumer at premium price points with strong content marketing. Daylight follows a similar go-to-market model and could learn from their category-creation and ecosystem-extension trajectories.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Daylight Computer social profiles
Digital presenceDaylight Computer compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Daylight Computer financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Daylight Computer leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Daylight Computer funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Daylight Computer 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 Daylight Computer
What does Daylight Computer do?
Daylight Computer designs, manufactures, and sells the DC-1 tablet computer featuring its proprietary LivePaper display — a paper-like LCD that runs at 60fps, is flicker-free via DC dimming, and offers a hardware-level zero blue light amber backlight. The product is sold directly to consumers via daylightcomputer.com for health-focused reading, note-taking with Wacom EMR stylus, and focused writing use cases.
Is Daylight Computer a public or private company?
Daylight Computer is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Daylight Computer founded?
Daylight Computer was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Daylight Computer based?
Daylight Computer is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Daylight Computer make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - DC-1 Tablet is the primary driver. The others are accessories and daylight Capture App.
Who are Daylight Computer's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kobo (Rakuten), Apple iPad and Amazon Kindle. Direct peers are reMarkable, Supernote and Onyx International (BOOX). Emerging players are Bigme and Huawei MatePad Paper. Others are Lenovo Yoga Book (and similar 2-in-1s) and Daylight Computer (consumer electronics DTC peers).
Does Daylight Computer have an API?
No public API is recorded for Daylight Computer.
What industry is Daylight Computer in?
Daylight Computer's product category is Consumer Electronics (Health-focused tablets). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACAMAA, Consumer Tablets. Its NAICS code is 334112 and its SIC code is 3572.