Solar Kiosks Expand Across U.S. Cities With E Ink
Students and residents in more than 60 U.S. cities may see more solar-powered public information displays in their communities.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Language Learning
E Ink has made a strategic investment in Soofa, a company that operates solar-powered digital information kiosks, with the financial terms and E Ink's ownership stake undisclosed. The investment supports Soofa's expansion and the adoption of E Ink's 75-inch Kaleido Outdoor color ePaper displays across U.S. communities.
Why it matters
The deal ties public-facing information kiosks to an energy-efficient display technology, which matters for cities seeking sustainable outdoor signage that does not depend on conventional electrical infrastructure. For the education and language-learning community, it signals how public information systems that share local news, transit updates and community announcements may keep expanding in the places students live and study.
Soofa has relationships with more than 60 U.S. cities, and its kiosks run without conventional electrical connections. The financial terms, including the amount invested and E Ink's stake, were not disclosed.
The players
E Ink
A display technology company whose electronic paper and color ePaper displays are being deployed in Soofa's kiosks.
Soofa
A company founded in 2014 that operates solar-powered digital information kiosks in more than 60 U.S. cities, including Boston, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
The details
E Ink's display development and manufacturing capabilities are paired with Soofa's operation of public-facing advertising and information networks. Soofa's solar-powered kiosks display local news, public transportation updates, weather information, community announcements and advertising, and they operate without connections to conventional electrical infrastructure. Installation is simple enough that a two-person team can set up a kiosk without specialized equipment, and the investment is meant to support the rollout of E Ink's 75-inch Kaleido Outdoor color ePaper displays.
Timeline
2014: Soofa is founded.
November 10, 2026: E Ink announces the Soofa investment and partnership.
Education Landscape
The investment reflects a longstanding collaboration that began with shared roots at the MIT Media Lab, a research institution known for connecting technology development with public-facing applications. It places this development within a broader pattern of university-born research moving into commercial public infrastructure.
Students and community members who use public information kiosks may see more solar-powered displays showing local news, transit updates and community announcements as Soofa expands. Anyone interested in how these networks serve their area can ask their city's transportation or community office which information systems are in place.
The takeaway
Public information infrastructure is expanding into more American cities through partnerships that combine display manufacturing with local service networks. Readers curious about what their own community's displays offer can ask city officials which information services are currently running.
Further reading
For more on how technology shapes study habits, explore Language Learning coverage.
