Solidview Nears Commercialization of Domestic LiDAR Sensors…Accelerating R&D

Co-CEOs JaeHyuk Choi and Jung-Hoon Chun "Target Mass Production Next Year"

First Product Launch Planned for Second Half of This Year, with a KRW 10 Billion Funding Goal Next Year

 

“We aim to establish ourselves as a leading LiDAR sensor developer and supplier, not just in Korea but also in the global market,” said SolidVue’s Co-CEOs Choi Jae-hyuk and Jeon Jeong-hoon during an interview with the bell at a café in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, on August 1. SolidVue is a company specializing in designing LiDAR sensors as System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions. The company is preparing to commercialize domestic LiDAR sensors, targeting mass production by 2025.

Recently, Solidview secured KRW 2.4 billion in funding through the Materials and Components Technology Development Program (Convergent Technology Type), organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, bolstering its research and development (R&D) efforts. The company plans to launch its first “Solid-State LiDAR Sensor” product in the second half of this year, with the ultimate goal of becoming a market leader leveraging its unique technological edge.

 

Proprietary LiDAR Technology with Superior Price and Performance Competitiveness

SolidVue was founded in November 2020 by three partners: JaeHyuk Choi and Jung-Hoon Chun, both professors at Sungkyunkwan University’s Department of Semiconductor System Engineering, and Seong-Jin Kim, a professor at UNIST’s Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

Backed by top-tier R&D capabilities, the founders established the company to accelerate the commercialization of LiDAR sensors using semiconductor technology. LiDAR sensors are crucial for measuring not only the distance to objects but also their speed, direction, temperature, and atmospheric composition. These sensors are anticipated to play a key role in future industries such as autonomous vehicles, robotics, and smart cities.

Encouraged by Kanghon Cho, General Partner of venture capital firm Quad Ventures, the founders took the leap into entrepreneurship. Quad Ventures recognized SolidVue’s unique technological capabilities, which include winning three awards from the IEEE and multiple accolades from the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), known as the “Olympics of semiconductors.”

“While mechanical LiDAR has been the standard, the latest trend is to replace it with semiconductor chips,” said Chun. SolidVue is the only company in South Korea to have developed LiDAR sensors that completely replace mechanical components with semiconductor technology.

SolidVue’s LiDAR sensors are up to 10 times smaller and 100 times cheaper than traditional mechanical LiDAR systems. “Our sensors are ultra-compact compared to competitors, but their performance is not just on par—it’s superior,” Choi stated confidently.

The company’s proprietary technologies, such as CMOS SPAD technology, sensor architecture, and LiDAR interference elimination, underpin its competitive edge. CMOS SPAD technology enhances measurement accuracy by detecting even the smallest particles of light.

Globally, only a few companies, including SolidVue and Japan’s Sony, possess such advanced capabilities. Choi added, “We have resolved the key challenges of volume and cost in LiDAR commercialization. We are committed to ensuring a successful product launch in the second half of this year.”

 

Focus on Future R&D and Becoming a Comprehensive Sensor Company

SolidVue recently restructured its leadership to prepare for LiDAR mass production. The company transitioned from a single-CEO under JaeHyuk Choi to a co-CEOs with Jung-Hoon Chun. Choi will focus on core sensor technology development and future innovations, while Chun will enhance product marketability, commercialization, and business expansion.

The co-CEOs have set two key goals: First, to advance their business model through the mass production and commercialization of LiDAR sensors. Second, to actively pursue R&D in future technologies.

SolidVue expects significant revenue growth starting in 2025 with the mass production of LiDAR sensors. “We are driven by a mission to localize key future technologies,” Choi said, emphasizing that applying these technologies to industries such as autonomous driving, robotics, and traffic control will provide both security benefits and economic advantages.

According to market research firm Yole, the global LiDAR market is projected to grow at an annual average rate of 22%, reaching KRW 8.6 trillion (approximately $6.3 billion) by 2027. The sensor market, which SolidVue focuses on, is estimated to account for 10–20% of the total market.

The company is also intensifying its R&D efforts. With plans for aggressive hiring, over 80% of its workforce will be dedicated to R&D. “We will advance SPAD device and high-resolution SPAD array technologies, the core elements of LiDAR sensors,” Chun explained. He also noted the potential for these technologies to be applied to next-generation high-sensitivity imaging sensors, such as night vision cameras.

Having recently secured KRW 2.4 billion in R&D funding through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, SolidVue has consistently stood out in national projects. Last year, it was named a “Rising Star Fabless” under the ministry’s Global Star Fabless Development Program.

In 2025, the company plans to pursue KRW 10 billion in venture funding. “As a university-based startup, we believe the technological expertise we’ve built over the years is not something others can easily replicate,” Choi said. “We aim to grow as Korea’s leading LiDAR sensor company.”

View original article: 솔리드뷰, 국산 라이다 센서 상용화 눈앞…R&D 박차 - the bell