E-Paper technology manufacturer E Ink Holdings (8069.TW) has announced a strategic partnership and direct equity investment in Soofa, a US-based developer of solar-powered digital community kiosks.
The investment represents E Ink’s first direct capital injection into a complete digital signage solutions provider. Funded through E Ink’s corporate venture mechanism, the partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of low-power, zero-grid municipal communications infrastructure while expanding the commercial footprint of E Ink’s display ecosystem.
Founded in 2014 out of the MIT Media Lab—a research background shared with E Ink—Soofa operates public digital kiosks across more than 60 US cities, including Boston, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. The kiosks consolidate real-time public transit updates, municipal notices, weather alerts, and local business advertising into outdoor public spaces.
The strategic capital deployment will focus on scaling Soofa’s platform using E Ink’s 75-inch Kaleido Outdoor colour ePaper display technology.
Key technical, operational, and commercial aspects of the investment include:
- Infrastructure-free deployment: The low power consumption of ePaper allows kiosks to operate entirely on solar power, eliminating the need for electrical grid trenching or wired utility connections.
- Sunlight-readable display integration: Integrates 75-inch Kaleido Outdoor colour ePaper displays, providing full-colour visibility in direct sunlight for digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising and municipal communications.
- Low-impact logistics: Kiosk units require a two-person installation team without heavy construction machinery, enabling rapid deployment across urban and municipal sites.
- Ecosystem expansion: Combines E Ink’s display manufacturing capabilities with Soofa’s network of local government relationships and media ad-sales operations.
Johnson Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of E Ink, stated that the investment supports sustainable public signage by combining low energy consumption with accessible municipal information systems.
Lee added that building on the companies’ shared MIT Media Lab heritage and decade-long technical collaboration will accelerate the adoption of full-colour outdoor ePaper displays across urban environments.
