XPANCEO, the company building the world’s first invisible, weightless smart contact lens for AI-powered extended reality, today announced the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board, chaired by Nobel Laureate Sir Konstantin Novoselov.

Unveiled during the Dubai Future Forum 2025 at the Museum of the Future, the Board brings together 11 world-leading scientists whose expertise spans advanced materials, nanophotonics, optoelectronics, and flexible electronics. Their collective mission: accelerate the path from breakthrough research to a fully functional, safe, and commercially viable smart contact lens.

Pushing the Boundaries of Wearable Technology

XPANCEO’s smart lens aims to unite multiple advanced capabilities (including extended reality displays, health monitoring, zoom functionality, and night vision) within a device thinner than a human hair. Achieving this requires novel materials and microscopic optical systems far beyond what conventional electronics can offer.

The new Advisory Board strengthens XPANCEO’s ability to tackle these challenges head-on.

Led by Pioneers in Materials and Photonics

Sir Konstantin Novoselov, renowned for his Nobel-winning work on graphene and 2D materials, brings decades of experience in ultra-thin electronics and photonics. Joining him are globally recognized experts whose research underpins the core of XPANCEO’s technology:

• Advanced materials and engineered nanoparticles: enabling transparent, flexible, high-performance components.
• Nanophotonics and optoelectronics: critical for image generation and light control at the microscale.
• Flexible and 2D nanoelectronics: essential for turning lab innovations into reliable, real-world wearable devices.
  
  Together, they will guide XPANCEO’s team of more than 70 researchers in solving the remaining scientific and engineering challenges.
  
  A Milestone for XPANCEO, and the UAE's Innovation Ecosystem

“The Board’s collective expertise gives XPANCEO a unique advantage as we move from advanced prototypes to a product ready for everyday use,” said Dr. Valentyn Volkov, XPANCEO founder. “This collaboration is not just about building a device, it’s about shaping the future of human-technology interaction.”

The establishment of the Scientific Advisory Board reinforces XPANCEO’s position as one of the world’s leading physics-driven startups, as recognized by Nature Index, and reflects the UAE’s growing status as a global hub for frontier research and transformative innovation.

About XPANCEO

Founded in 2021, XPANCEO is developing the next generation of human–computer interfaces: an ultra-thin smart contact lens that brings AI-powered extended reality into everyday life.