• New financing highlights growing investor bets on AI-powered wearable fitness hardware
• Hangzhou startup targets overseas expansion as smart eyewear competition heats up

Chinese smart sports eyewear maker Guangli has secured shy of 100 million yuan ($14 million) in a pre-Series B round of funding, underscoring rising investor confidence in next-generation wearable devices that blend augmented reality with performance tracking.

The pre-Series B round was led by Hangzhou Hi-Tech Investment Group, with proceeds earmarked for hiring, core technology development and accelerating global sales and marketing, the company said.

Wearable devices like AI-powered glasses are commonly seen as the next frontier in consumer hardware beyond smartwatches. The funding comes as competition intensifies in smart glasses and AI wearables, where Chinese startups are racing to carve out specialized niches ahead of larger electronics brands.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Hangzhou, Guangli focuses on AR smart glasses and sports science algorithms. Since 2023, the company has concentrated on smart sports eyewear, using holographic resin waveguide technology to project real-time performance metrics directly into a user’s field of vision — addressing a longstanding limitation in sports where athletes cannot easily view data mid-activity.

The company has evolved from a single-product startup centered on smart swimming goggles into a broader portfolio covering swimming, running, cycling and outdoor sports.

According to the firm, in China’s niche smart swim-goggle segment, Guangli has emerged as an early market leader and has begun competing internationally with established global sports brands.

Its latest product, the Holoswim 2 Plus, adds real-time heart-rate monitoring — a technical challenge in swimming because wireless signals struggle to transmit through water.

To overcome this, Guangli developed a detachable heart-rate module called HandPlus B2, which clips onto a swim cap and transmits biometric data at close range to the goggles during workouts.

Company founder and CEO Zhang Zhuopeng, a graduate of the prestigious Chu Kochen Honors College at Zhejiang University, said the sensor’s accuracy approaches that of medical-grade chest straps.

The module can also be used across multiple sports scenarios, including running, cycling and trail activities, positioning it as a cross-discipline accessory rather than a single-use device.

In recent years, international markets have become a key growth driver. Overseas sales now account for nearly half of Guangli’s total revenue, and could rise to about 70% in the future as the company expands distribution globally, Zhang said.

The fundraising reflects broader momentum in smart eyewear, as advances in miniaturized optics, sensors and AI software push wearable devices into more specialized applications — from fitness and outdoor sports to productivity and augmented reality experiences.