Cellid Joins Qualcomm's the Snapdragon START program to accelerate the development of AR glasses

Cellid to Showcase Its "Crux" AR Glasses at Augmented Enterprise Summit 2026

TOKYO, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cellid Inc., a developer of displays and spatial recognition engines for next-generation AR glasses, today announced that it has joined Snapdragon® START (Snapdragon Scalable Turnkey AI-Ready Toolkit), a development support program for personal AI devices designed by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. ("Qualcomm Technologies").

As part of the program, Cellid will utilize Qualcomm Technologies' START Platform solution to develop reference designs for AR glasses powered by Snapdragon® platforms. Through this initiative, Cellid aims to help device manufacturers bring AR glasses to market more quickly and cost-effectively.

Cellid will also showcase its AR glasses reference design, Crux, at the Augmented Enterprise Summit 2026. The event is an enterprise-focused conference dedicated to the convergence of AI, XR, and digital twins, and Qualcomm Technologies is an official sponsor and partner. At the summit, Cellid will show Crux for enterprise customers exploring business applications of AR glasses. Crux is powered by the Snapdragon® AR1+ Gen 1 Platform.

About Snapdragon START

Snapdragon START is a Qualcomm Technologies program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of personal AI devices, including smart glasses. The program pairs hardware modules powered by Snapdragon platforms with a model-agnostic software stack, allowing participating companies to focus on product design and user experience.

Cellid joined the program on the strength of its track record in developing AR glasses reference designs powered by Snapdragon platforms.

Initiatives Through the Program

Through its participation in Snapdragon START, Cellid will establish a more efficient development framework for AR glasses powered by Snapdragon platforms. Cellid will also utilize Qualcomm Technologies' developer software development kits (SDKs) to shorten development cycles and improve the quality of its reference designs.

To date, Cellid has developed AR glasses reference designs that integrate a range of capabilities built around its proprietary optics, including wide-field-of-view waveguides, display modules, optical engines, mechanical and enclosure design, and SDKs.

Building on this work, Cellid will help device manufacturers develop and commercialize AR glasses more quickly and cost-effectively.

About Crux, Cellid's AR Glasses Reference Design powered by Snapdragon

"Crux," which will be showcased at the event, is a binocular, full-color AR glasses reference design for high-end applications, powered by  Snapdragon AR1+ Gen 1 Platform. Its glass waveguide delivers exceptional image quality with high resolution and brightness. Crux is suitable for a wide range of uses, including advanced AR projects and XR platform development.. By combining Cellid's proprietary waveguide and display module technologies with a Snapdragon platform, Crux offers the familiar wearability of conventional eyeglasses together with the functionality required for practical AR applications.

Future Outlook

At the Augmented Enterprise Summit 2026, to be held in the U.S. state of Georgia in October 2026, Cellid will run live demonstrations of Crux in a dedicated meeting room at the venue. Cellid will also continue to pursue joint marketing initiatives with Qualcomm Technologies.

Looking ahead, Cellid will continue its research and development into smaller, higher-performing, and more comfortable AR glasses, along with the technologies needed for mass production. Through these efforts, Cellid aims to contribute to the growth of the AR glasses market and accelerate the adoption of AR glasses.

Event Information

Augmented Enterprise Summit 2026

Dates: October 13–15, 2026
Venue: Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Official Website:Augmented Enterprise Summit 2026
Exhibition: Live demonstration of Cellid's "Crux" AR glasses reference design in a dedicated meeting room at the venue

Comment from Satoshi Shiraga, CEO, Cellid, Inc.

"For AR glasses to become a technology that people use every day, it is essential to have a platform that integrates not only advanced optical technologies, but also the processing power, connectivity, and AI capabilities needed to deliver a seamless experience in an eyeglass-sized form factor.

Through our participation in Snapdragon START, we will integrate Qualcomm Technologies' advanced technologies with Cellid's proprietary optical technologies to create an environment that enables device manufacturers to bring AR glasses to market faster, more efficiently, and with greater confidence."

Comment from Sahil Bansal, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

"We are delighted to welcome Cellid to Snapdragon START. Cellid's industry-leading waveguide, display and optical technologies makes them an ideal ecosystem solution provider as we work to accelerate the development and commercialization of AI-powered smart glasses. By combining Cellid's innovative AR reference designs with Qualcomm Technologies' capabilities, we can help customers reduce development complexity, shorten time-to-market, and unlock new opportunities for enterprise and consumer AR devices. We are excited to deepen our collaboration and support Cellid's vision for the future of wearable computing."

About Cellid  

Cellid focuses on developing displays and spatial recognition engines for next-generation AR glasses. For AR glasses displays, we manufacture cutting-edge optical see-through displays using the waveguide (DOE method). Leveraging Cellid's proprietary optical simulation and production technology, we offer display module products that achieve the world's largest viewing angle in waveguide technology, while maintaining the thinness, lightness, and sharp image quality equivalent to standard eyeglass lenses. Additionally, Cellid develops and provides industry-specific solutions utilizing spatial recognition software technologies like Cellid SLAM. By integrating AR display hardware technology with real-world spatial recognition software technology, Cellid promotes the fusion of the physical and digital worlds ("Blending the Physical and Digital Worlds") and leads to the realization of information tools that are more human-centric and dramatically more convenient.

Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.

SOURCE Cellid, Inc.