Israeli startup flō Optics secures "millions of dollars" from Japanese company Mitsui Chemicals
“The partnership with Mitsui Chemicals and SDC Technologies is a powerful combination of capabilities that brings together deep expertise, innovation, and tremendous resources,” said flō Optics CEO Jonathan Jaglom
Japanese materials giant Mitsui Chemicals, a $12 billion-in-revenue leader in performance materials and the optical industry, has announced an investment in Israeli startup flō Optics. The full amount could not be disclosed, but insiders have confirmed the value to be roughly “a few million dollars.” The investment follows a $35 million funding round recently completed by flō Optics, attracting both new and existing strategic partners.
The investment was made through SDC Technologies (SDC), a Mitsui subsidiary known for advanced coating materials across industries. The collaboration marks a strategic move to develop cutting-edge digital processes for coating optical lenses, leveraging flō Optics’ proprietary digital platform and SDC’s materials expertise.
Based in Israel, flō Optics provides the ophthalmic market with precision digital coating technology for lenses. “The partnership with Mitsui Chemicals and SDC Technologies is a powerful combination of capabilities that brings together deep expertise, innovation, and tremendous resources,” said Jonathan Jaglom, CEO of flō Optics. “SDC has unparalleled knowledge and experience in optical coatings, and Mitsui brings to the table not only decades of global leadership but also massive resources that allow us to think and act big. Together, we clearly see a path to accelerate the development of the next generation of optical coating technologies on a global scale.”
Mitsui Chemicals, which controls about 45% of the global optical materials market, is expanding its global innovation footprint by partnering with Israeli technology. “We’re excited to be partnering with flō Optics,” added Richard Chang, President and CEO of SDC Technologies. “Their digital-first approach to lens processing fits naturally with our mission to provide best-in-class surface solutions. This collaboration supports our vision to drive material innovation across ophthalmics and beyond.”
flō Optics was built by veterans of digital manufacturing and 3D printing and develops a digital coating platform enabling ultra-precise, scalable, and sustainable lens processing. SDC is part of the Mitsui Chemicals Group, benefiting from its broad material science network and global infrastructure, and was acquired in 2008.
