RPO Inc., a San Jose, Calif.-based developer of optical touch technology, has raised $19.3 million in new Series C funding. BASF Venture Capital and JAFCO were joined by return backers Jolimont Capital, Allen & Buckeridge and Neo Technology Ventures.
PRESS RELEASE
RPO Inc. today announced that on November 3, 2009, the company closed a supplemental issuance of its Series C Preferred Stock for $19.3 million from several existing investors in RPO, plus a new strategic investor contributed to this financing.
RPO’s Chairman and CEO, Malcolm Thompson, noted, “This is a major milestone for RPO that will enable the development and launch of its cutting edge touch screen technology. With this new financing, RPO is well positioned to develop a wide range of products, engage strongly with customers and to commence high-volume manufacturing of its DWT™ systems in 2010.”
“Over the coming months, RPO will be aggressively expanding its engineering and manufacturing capabilities, and will be seeking to recruit highly skilled engineers and business professionals in both the US and Australia,” Dr. Thompson added.
RPO provides a highly differentiated optical touch technology called Digital Waveguide Touch™ (DWT™) to one of the fastest growing markets today. Touch is finding widespread application in a range of products, including cell phones, cameras, consumer products, netbooks, car navigation systems, e-books and laptop computers. DWT™ is the only product that provides touch interaction with pen, finger, gloved finger or any object and has superior optical performance over other technologies because it does not cause any deterioration of brightness and contrast to the displayed image on the screen. It can sense multiple touch points, as well as the size and width of the touch object and is ideally suited for Windows 7. Furthermore, the patented technology is simple, elegant and low cost. RPO’s DWT™ platform is ideal for a wide range of consumer products including smart phones, navigation devices, e-Books, netbooks, handheld gaming, cameras, notebooks and desktop displays.
About RPO
RPO Inc is incorporated in Delaware and has headquarters in San Jose. The core technologies have been developed at its research and development facilities in Canberra and Sydney Australia. It has received venture funding in this round from existing investors including Australian funds managed by Jolimont Capital, by Allen & Buckeridge and by Neo Technology Ventures; and from BASF Venture Capital and from Jafco. For more information visit www.rpo.biz