Investing In and Entering the Metaverse Through a Side Door Called Brelyon
Let’s be clear: I generally don’t believe the metaverse hype. And I’m generally not impressed with virtual reality headsets (such as Meta Quest 2) that you have to “wear” to gain an “immersive” experience. Further complicating matters, I prefer to invest in pure software companies — since hardware requires so much capital, engineering and supply chain work (followed by commoditization risks).
Still, what if there was a side door into the emerging metaverse market? In other words, what if a startup delivered the metaverse “experience” — without all of the traditional annoyances like VR headsets that make some users dizzy and nauseous? Channel Angels and I believe Brelyon represents that side door entry into a unicorn-sized metaverse opportunity.
UPDATED January 4, 2023: Brelyon announced these plans for CES 2023.
Credit: Brelyon
Brelyon: The Metaverse Without Apple VR and Meta Quest 2 Virtual Reality Headsets
Brelyon is developing an immersive desktop screen (pictured above) that may displace traditional LCD screens while supporting traditional PC applications and next-generation immersive experiences. The company, led by MIT veterans, claims it has “developed the world's first no-headset display technology with monocular depth.”
Brelyon’s true believers include Lockheed Martin Ventures and the MIT-affiliated E14 Fund, Corning Incorporated, LG Technology Ventures, UDC Ventures (the corporate venture arm of Universal Display Corp.), and Franklin Templeton. Those firms backed Brelyon with $15 million in Series A financing in September 2022. Channel Angels proudly participated in that Series A funding round — and a Brelyon 2020 seed round — via the Propel(x) investor platform.
But what is Brelyon’s technology, and is it real or vaporware? Here are some answers to those questions:
The company’s vision statement surfaced at a TEDx conference in June 2020.
A product preview surfaced at CES 2022.
Brelyon’s display was named one of the 100 greatest innovations of 2022 by PopularScience.
First Look: Brelyon Ultra Reality Display
And here’s a Brelyon marketing reel that provides some more technology context:
So where does Brelyon go from here? The answers apparently will surface at CES 2023, set for January 5-8 in Las Vegas. According to Brelyon’s Facebook page:
“We can't believe 2022 is almost over. But just around the corner is #CES2023, January 5-8 in Las Vegas. We'll be showcasing our Ultra Reality display as well as some of our latest innovations at Eureka Park. To schedule a private demo, please visit: www.calendly.com/michael-brelyon/ces”
Can Brelyon Displace LCD Displays, Meta Quest Headset?
Long term, we’ll be watching to see if Brelyon can create a new hardware product category — essentially displacing millions of LCD displays for some PC and gaming applications, while also eliminating the need for virtual reality headsets. Among the many wildcards: We don’t know if or how the long-rumored Apple VR headset will disrupt the market.
Still, we like Brelyon’s technical progress so far. And we look forward to seeing what new surprises the company will share at CES 2023.