In a Nutshell
- Romanian startup .lumen, dedicated to enhancing pedestrian mobility through technology, locked €4M from Venture to Future Fund and the European Innovation Council.
- Today, they announced an additional round on SeedBlink, the all-in-one equity and investment platform, The target amount is €1M.
Pioneering Mobility Solutions for the Blind
Bucharest-based .lumen, founded in 2020 by Cornel Amariei, is on a mission to restore mobility to the blind and visually impaired. Their flagship product, the AI-powered Glasses, replicate the main features of the guide dog using autonomous driving technology.
In contrast, while a guide dog leads by pulling a person’s hand, the .lumen device employs its haptic interface to “guide” the user’s head. This technology has been evaluated by more than 300 blind individuals from nearly 30 countries, shared from the company.
.lumen’s strategic roadmap includes a limited-series launching in Q4 2024 and the USA market entry in Q4 2025. The company aims to sell 10K units by the end of 2026. These efforts are supported by a robust team of 50 engineers, professors, disability experts, designers, and scientists.
In Their Own Words
Cornel Amariei, CEO and founder of .lumen, expressed his excitement about the company’s potential impact, sharing what inspired him to start the company: “Growing up in a family with disabilities, I saw firsthand how technology can transform lives and how much is still needed.
“I founded .lumen to help people, and on the way, I found that we can do so much more. We’re opening this round to everyone, not just institutional investors, because we want more people to be part of our story. Join us in this mission to make an impact, not just money,” he said.
Investor’s Perspective
Venture to Future Fund is making one of the few investments outside Slovakia, signaling strong confidence in .lumen’s technology and vision.
Matej Říha, Chairman of the Board at VFF, commented, “We believe .lumen’s technology can profoundly transform the lives of blind individuals. Inspired by their mission and backed by an outstanding team, we’re thrilled to support a venture that promises both impactful change and impressive returns.”
Ionut Patrahau, Managing Partner at SeedBlink, also highlighted the significance of this funding round, sharing that they are “incredibly proud to support.”
“Their innovative work has a profound impact, improving the living experiences of those in need when the rest of society feels helpless,” he added.
