Difon
Smart window films for automotive and architectural applications.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor investor | €0.0 | round |
* | KRW12.4b | Series A | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Difon is a South Korean company that develops and manufactures smart window films designed for energy efficiency and privacy. Spun off from Hyundai Motors in June 2021, the company is led by CEO Lee Seong-woo. Difon secured a Series A investment of 12.4 billion KRW in September 2023, bringing its total accumulated investment to 14.7 billion KRW. Key investors include Schmitz–DSC Future Mobility Fund, Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, IBK, Dongwoo Fine-Chem, and the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency.
The company's core technology, Variable Polarized Liquid Crystal (VPLC), is a next-generation film optimized for shading in vehicles and buildings. This technology allows users to adjust the transparency of windows with an electrical signal, offering superior ultraviolet blocking, insulation, and privacy compared to traditional methods. Difon's product lineup, protected by 18 core technology patents, includes PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) and VPLC films, energy-saving Low-E films, and display privacy films. The films can be attached to existing glass or supplied as smart glass solutions through a collaboration with KCC Glass & Materials. The business model appears to be B2B, focusing on supplying these films for mass production in the automotive and construction sectors. Difon has conducted technology demonstration projects with partners like Hyundai Motors and Hoban Construction.
Difon has established its own manufacturing line to ensure product quality and cost-competitiveness. The company is targeting the global smart window market, which was estimated to reach $8.97 billion by 2026. The latest funding is intended to enhance research and development, automate production processes, and establish mass production capabilities for its various film products.
Keywords: smart film, smart window, variable transmittance, VPLC, PDLC, energy saving film, privacy film, automotive technology, construction technology, Hyundai spin-off, Lee Seong-woo, eco-friendly solution, smart glass, Low-E film, UV blocking, building insulation, automotive shading, KCC Glass & Materials, Hoban Construction, energy efficiency