NOVAGAN SARL

Their core work

NOVAGAN is a Swiss SME based in Lausanne specializing in MicroLED and photonic display technologies. Their core business involves developing miniaturized light-emitting components for diverse applications — from high-luminance cockpit displays in aviation to MicroLED pixel arrays for augmented reality smart glasses. More recently, they have extended their photonics expertise into biomedical territory, contributing to optogenetic implant technology for sensory restoration in hearing-impaired patients.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

NOVAGAN's H2020 trajectory shows a clear expansion from industrial display applications toward biomedical photonics. Their early work (2017-2019) focused on light-emitting technologies for aviation cockpits and augmented reality — straightforward commercial applications of MicroLED expertise. By 2021, they pivoted into a fundamentally different domain with HearLight, applying their photonic component capabilities to optogenetic brain implants for hearing restoration, signaling a move toward medical device applications.

NOVAGAN is moving from industrial photonics into medical device territory, suggesting future collaborations should consider them for any project requiring miniaturized light sources for biomedical or neural applications.

How they like to work

NOVAGAN operates primarily as a specialist technology contributor, joining consortia led by others (2 out of 3 projects as participant). Their one coordination role was an SME Phase 1 feasibility study (MICROPIX), typical for SMEs validating their own product concept. With only 8 unique partners across 4 countries, they maintain a focused network rather than broad consortium engagement, consistent with a small company providing a specific technological component.

NOVAGAN has collaborated with 8 unique partners across 4 countries, a compact but internationally diverse network for an SME of this size. Their partnerships span aviation (Clean Sky 2) and frontier neuroscience research, indicating they are valued as a specialist component supplier across different sectors.

What sets them apart

NOVAGAN occupies an unusual niche at the intersection of MicroLED manufacturing and biomedical photonics — very few SMEs can credibly claim expertise in both augmented reality displays and optogenetic neural implants. Their Lausanne base places them in one of Europe's strongest photonics and medtech ecosystems. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: a small, agile company with demonstrated ability to adapt precision light-emitting technology to radically different application domains.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HearLight
  Largest funded project (EUR 493,772) and a bold pivot — applying MicroLED photonics expertise to optogenetic brain implants for hearing restoration under a FET/Research Excellence grant.
• MICROPIX
  Their only coordinated project, an SME Phase 1 study for MicroLED augmented reality displays — reveals their core commercial product ambition.
• HiLICo
  Clean Sky 2 aviation project demonstrating NOVAGAN's ability to operate within large Joint Technology Initiative frameworks alongside major aerospace players.