Digital Light Innovations

What Digital Light Innovations does

Digital Light Innovations (DLi) is a privately held, full-service design and manufacturing company headquartered in Austin, Texas, specializing in DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology built around Texas Instruments' Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) chipsets. The company was the first to receive TI's DLP Authorized Design House designation and operates as the specialized DLP arm of the TyRex Technology Family of companies. DLi designs and produces a comprehensive product portfolio including DLP light engines (3DLP9000 UV, CEL5500 Compact Embeddable, CELscope), development kits (DLP Discovery 4100, DLP LightCrafter 6500/9000, DLi4130, DLi4120), optics bundles and modules, DLP chipsets, SugarCUBE LED illumination sources, and custom parts and assemblies.

The company's underlying technology leverages TI DMDs with up to 4 million individually controlled micromirrors, supporting pattern rates as high as 32,552 Hz binary and wavelengths from 365nm UV through the visible spectrum, with proprietary illumination, integrating, and projection optics. DLi also offers end-to-end custom design services spanning optics, mechanical, electrical, FPGA firmware, and software, as well as manufacturing services through TyRex sister companies with production in the US, Europe, and Asia. It holds nearly 30 DLP-related patents developed over decades of optical system design.

DLi monetizes through a mix of hardware sales (light engines, development kits, chipsets, optics modules, parts via the DLiStore), custom design services, and contract manufacturing. Pricing is predominantly quote-based for major systems and multi-year contract in nature, with smaller parts and accessories sold transactionally through an online shop. The customer base is anchored in scientific research and academic institutions (Rice, UC Berkeley, UNC Chapel Hill, RPI, KAIST, Hong Kong Polytechnic), government and national laboratories (Lawrence Livermore, Allen Institute, USDA/MSU), and select commercial partners (TERA-print, with the 2020 SPIE Prism Award-winning TERA-Fab E beam pen lithography tool), with growing exposure to 3D printing/additive manufacturing, industrial machine vision, and medical imaging OEMs.

Name

Digital Light Innovations

Legal name

Digital Light Innovations

Website

https://dlinnovations.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Digital Light Innovations is an Austin, Texas-based design and manufacturing company specializing in DLP (Digital Light Processing) light engines, development kits, optics, and chipsets built on Texas Instruments DMD technology, serving scientific researchers, 3D printing OEMs, and medical imaging integrators globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

DLP Light Engines and Photonics Components

NAICS

Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431), Other Specialized Design Services (54149), Computer Terminal and Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (334118)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)

akta.pro primary industry

3D Printers (Additive Manufacturing) (HDACAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Machine Vision & Inspection Lighting (Ring lights, bar lights, backlights, strobed illumination) (IMAGAIAG)

Keywords

• DLP light engines
• DMD technology
• Digital micromirror devices
• Optical design services
• Photonics manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Hardware Products: Sale of DLP light engines, development kits, optics bundles, chipsets, optics modules, and parts/accessories. Products range from entry-level development kits to professional-grade light engines for 3D printing and industrial applications.
2. Design Services: Custom design solutions including complete light engine design (optics, mechanical, electrical, software), custom optics design, electronic board design, FPGA programming, and software development. Supports clients from concept through production.
3. Manufacturing Services: Manufacturing of electronic, electro-mechanical, and opto-mechanical products. Includes post-manufacturing services such as distribution, repair, warranty, and end-of-life product management.
4. Illumination Products: Sale of SugarCUBE LED light sources including Blue, Green, Red, Ultra White, and White variants for fiber optic illumination applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Digital Light Innovations (DLi) designs, manufactures, and sells DLP-based light engines, development kits, optics bundles, chipsets, optics modules, and illumination sources built around Texas Instruments' Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) technology. The company also provides full-service custom design and manufacturing solutions for DLP applications spanning 3D printing, scientific research, machine vision, and medical imaging. As TI's first DLP Authorized Design House, DLi combines proprietary engineering, prototyping, and optics expertise to deliver production-ready photonics subsystems to industrial, academic, and government customers.

Product overview

Digital Light Innovations (DLi) offers a comprehensive portfolio of DLP-based optical solutions organized into several product categories: DLP Light Engines (3DLP9000 UV Light Engine, CEL5500 Compact Embeddable Light Engine, and CELscope microscopy module), DLP Development Kits (DLi4130 High-Speed, DLi4120 Essentials, DLP Discovery 4100, DLP LightCrafter 6500, and DLP LightCrafter 9000), DLP Chipsets (DLP9000 WQXGA, DLP6500 1080p, DLP Discovery 4100, DLP5500), Optics Bundles (DLi6500 1080p with LED/Fiber variants), Optics Modules (RAY-65S LED/Fiber), SuperSpeed V-Modules from ViALUX, Illumination Sources (SugarCUBE LED series), and Parts/Accessories/Assemblies. The company serves as a full-service design and manufacturing partner for DLP-based solutions, providing both off-the-shelf products and custom design services for industrial, medical, scientific research, and 3D printing applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TyRex Technology Family: A consortium of technology companies connected by shared principles of quality, customized solutions, lasting relationships, and strong company culture.
• 3DLightPro
• CELscope
• SugarCUBE

Products and services

• DLP Light Engines

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 million pixel resolution for professional-grade 3D printing
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and key.

• Texas InstrumentsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLi was the first to receive DLP Authorized Design House designation from Texas Instruments. DLi partnered with TI to design electronic controller boards, firmware, and software for the Explorer API and Control Software for the DLP Discovery 4100 platform. DLi also manufactures the DLP LightCrafter 6500 & 9000 EVMs and Development Kits for TI. This is a core strategic partnership enabling DLi's position as a world leader in DLP technology.
• TyRex Group (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLi is a proud member of the TyRex Family of Technology Companies. Through this family network, DLi can provide complete solutions including product reliability testing (Austin Reliability Labs), custom cables and assembly (iRex), fiber optic solutions (Megladon), software development (Saber Data), and end-to-end factory services (SabeRex, Arctos Assembly, TekRex).
• ViALUXkeyTechnology or IntegrationDLi carries SuperSpeed V-Modules from ViALUX, which give users full access to DLP Discovery 4100 and LightCrafter 6500/9000X Chipsets without time-consuming software and firmware development. ViALUX provides high-speed FPGA logic code for DLi's product offerings.
• TERA-printkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerTERA-print developed the world's first commercialized Beam Pen Lithography device (TERA-Fab E series) using DLi's CEL5500 light engine. This product won the 2020 Prism Award in Life Sciences category. The partnership demonstrates DLi's technology enabling innovative research commercialization.
• TyRex Family CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLi operates alongside sister companies: Arctos Assembly (system integration), Austin Reliability Labs (product testing), SabeRex (technology solutions), iRex (custom cables), Megladon (fiber optics), Saber Data (software development), TekRex (3D printing development), and TyRex (parent). These companies provide integrated solutions for DLi customers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jenoptik: German photonics and optical systems group offering light sources, lasers, and optical modules for industrial and medical applications. Jenoptik is a broad incumbent that overlaps with DLi in OEM photonic modules, structured light, and custom optical design for industrial OEMs.
• Thorlabs: Large US-based photonics equipment and components manufacturer serving research and industrial customers with optics, light sources, and custom modules. Thorlabs overlaps with DLi in optics design services, illumination sources (LED/fiber), and custom modules for OEM integration.
• Texas Instruments: Owner of the underlying DMD/DLP chipset technology. Texas Instruments is the chip supplier and ecosystem anchor for DLi; it also sells reference designs and LightCrafter EVMs directly, making TI a broad incumbent in the same product category from the silicon side.
• Hamamatsu Photonics: Global Japanese photonics component manufacturer offering MEMS mirrors, SLMs, light sources, and detectors. Hamamatsu is a broad incumbent that competes with DLi in spatial light modulation, structured light sources, and OEM photonic subsystems.
• Edmund Optics: Major global optics distributor and manufacturer of lenses, filters, illumination, and custom optical assemblies. Edmund Optics overlaps with DLi in custom optics design services, illumination products, and OEM optical modules for machine vision and research customers.
• Carl Zeiss (ZEISS): Global optics and photonics leader with microscopy, medical imaging, and optical component divisions. ZEISS overlaps with DLi at the intersection of DLP-based microscopy modules (CELscope) and optical subsystems for biomedical research customers.

Direct peers

• HOLOEYE Photonics: Berlin-based developer of Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs) and LCOS-based microdisplays used for holography, optical trapping, and structured light. HOLOEYE is a direct peer in the spatial light modulation niche serving research and industrial customers with technology that competes against DLP in some use cases.
• ViALUX: German specialist in high-speed DLP modules and FPGA-based control electronics for DLP Discovery and LightCrafter platforms. ViALUX is both a partner (DLi resells ViALUX V-Modules) and a direct competitor in high-speed pattern generation, making it the closest comparable in DLP subsystem design.

Emerging players

• Optotune: Swiss developer of tunable optics, laser speckle reducers, and compact optical modules for industrial and AR/VR applications. Optotune is an emerging player in adaptive optics that partially overlaps with DLi in dynamic optical subsystems and OEM light engine integration.

Regional players

• Laser Components: European photonics distributor and manufacturer of lasers, light sources, and custom optical assemblies. Laser Components is a regional player comparable to DLi in illumination products and custom optical subsystems, though focused on European customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dlinnovations
• YouTubeyoutube.com/Dlinnovations
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Digital-Light-Innovations/1426990194237970
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digital-light-innovations

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Digital Light Innovations