Eyelights, founded in 2016 in Labège near Toulouse, first sold EyeRide, a head-up display for motorcycle helmets, of which it had sold more than 15,000 units by 2023. At CES 2022 it showed an augmented reality windscreen made with the Japanese glassmaker AGC, and its EIC project, Vision, set out to bring that technology to cars to improve safety and the driving experience, according to CORDIS.
The European Innovation Council granted €2,500,000 towards a €3.6 million project from February 2023 to July 2025. In April 2023 the EIC Fund co-led a €20 million round with Shift4Good and Bpifrance, and Eyelights said it would add about 30 staff and supply carmakers. The final report says the system reached technology readiness level 8 on demonstration vehicles and drew "preliminary requests for quotations (RFQs) from prominent global original equipment manufacturers". No production contract has been announced. In 2025 the company had 13 employees and a net loss of €1.64 million, according to Pappers.
Company file
- Legal entity
- Eyelights SAS, SIREN 819 514 118, Labège
- Founded
- April 2016
- CEO and co-founder
- Romain Duflot
- Products
- EyeRide helmet HUD; augmented reality windscreen display
- Investors
- Shift4Good, Bpifrance, EIC Fund, Aster, Breega, FK Group, Techstars
- EIC project
- Vision, 1 Feb 2023 to 31 Jul 2025
- EIC funding
- Blended finance: grant plus EIC Fund equity
Where Eyelights Stands Now
When it raised its Series A, Eyelights described a development partnership with Renault on car interfaces. The final EIC report says the system was integrated into several cockpits, including SUVs, saloons and sports cars, and targets a price of about €200 per head-up display. No carmaker has announced it as a supplier. The company's equity was €13.4 million at the end of 2025.
The Technology: A Brighter Windscreen Display
The report says Eyelights built optical engines with better contrast, windscreen coatings compliant with the ECE R43 safety standard, and a software kit with computer vision, an AR engine and wireless communication. It claims "15X better optical performance" than LED-backlit head-up displays, brightness up to 20,000 nits and power use under 1 watt per inch. Field tests showed reduced cognitive load, the report says, without giving numbers.
What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows
Vision promised next-generation AR technology for safer driving, ready for the automotive market. It reached demonstration vehicles and early interest from manufacturers. Automotive supply depends on a carmaker choosing the system for a model, and that step has not been announced. CORDIS still lists the project as signed.
- Optical engine and coatingDeliveredPer final report.
- Vehicle demonstrationsDeliveredTRL 8.
- Carmaker contractNot announcedRFQs only.
- Team growthShort13 staff vs 30 hires planned.
The Money
Eyelights does not publish revenue. It lost €919,000 in 2022, €1.06 million in 2023, €507,000 in 2024 and €1.64 million in 2025. The 2023 round lifted its equity from €2.8 million to €12.4 million, and it stood at €13.4 million at the end of 2025.
What Cannot Be Checked
Questions for the EIC
How much the EIC Fund invested, whether any quote request became a contract, the status of the Renault partnership, and how many EyeRide units the company now sells are not public.
Why Europe Should Care
The EIC backed a French company to compete in car displays, a market that is won through supply contracts with carmakers. The technology reached demonstration level; the contract that would prove the business has not appeared.
What the project promised
Next-generation augmented reality windscreens to improve car safety and the driving experience.
What the record shows
Demonstration vehicles and quote requests, no announced carmaker contract, and 13 employees.
The Verdict
Ready to show, waiting to sell
Eyelights did the development the EIC paid for and has the money to keep going. It still needs a carmaker to buy in.
Eyelights and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.
