bTendo

bTendo Ltd. was an Israeli company established in late 2006 that specialized in the development of miniaturized scanning laser projectors for consumer electronics. The firm focused on creating micro-projection modules, such as its flagship myPro line, designed to be embedded within handheld devices like smartphones, digital cameras, and laptops. This allowed users to project media from their devices onto any surface.

The core of bTendo's offering was its Scanning Laser Projection engine technology. This system utilized MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) based micro-mirrors to project a consistently sharp, focus-free image with vivid colors. A key differentiator for bTendo's modules was their compact size and low power consumption, which were critical requirements for integration into portable electronics. The projection engine combined red, green, and blue laser sources into a single beam, directed by the MEMS modulator to create a high-resolution display. At the time of its acquisition, the company had developed a module smaller than 1.7 cubic centimeters and less than 5mm high, making it suitable for even the slimmest device designs.

The company's business model centered on the development and licensing of its intellectual property to large-scale electronics manufacturers. In February 2011, bTendo entered a significant joint development and license agreement with STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor and MEMS manufacturer. This partnership aimed to combine bTendo's projection engine with STMicroelectronics' MEMS expertise, video processing capabilities, and semiconductor process technology to create the smallest pico projector for the mass market. This collaboration was a strategic success, producing evaluation samples that were distributed to potential customers. Ultimately, in August 2012, STMicroelectronics acquired bTendo's intellectual property and hired most of its staff to accelerate the technology's integration into the emerging video-sharing market for portable devices. Prior to the acquisition, bTendo had raised $7 million from venture capital firms Carmel Ventures and BlueRun Ventures and was led by CEO Dana Gross since 2009.

Keywords: bTendo, pico projector, micro-projection, MEMS, scanning laser projector, STMicroelectronics, embedded projector, mobile projection, myPro, consumer electronics, handheld devices, projection engine, Dana Gross, Carmel Ventures, BlueRun Ventures, video sharing, focus-free projection, portable projector, miniature projector, laser projection