Startup story #3 - Lighthouse Tech

Lighthouse Tech has developed, TAMI®, a smart eyewear frame designed to help blind and visually impaired individuals move around safely and independently. It provides upper-body protection without compromising comfort, style, or aesthetics. Two of the founders, Franco Burlando and Nathan Deutsch, talk about the project's evolution and recent milestones in this short interview.

How is your solution different from existing alternatives?
Franco: The most commonly used alternative is the white cane, which is effective at detecting ground-level obstacles but does not safeguard users from many potentially dangerous situations, such as open windows, hanging tree branches, open truck doors, etc. Other tools that can detect obstacles above the waist do not offer the same level of protection combined with a stylish eyewear frame, which helps avoid the social stigma often associated with medical devices.

How does it work?
Nathan: We have embedded in the glasses frame a miniaturised sensor for constantly scanning the surrounding environment with a unique modular and patented click-in system that alerts the user of any hazards through a soft haptic vibration.

You have been working on this solution for several years and have recently completed the USI Startup Centre incubation programme. How did the project evolve during this time?
Franco: Our strong point is that our vision for the product and its functionalities has not changed significantly over time. This is encouraging because it speaks to the fact that we were able to listen to the end user and provide what they need. The initial version of the product was validated by over 100 users, of which 68% were blind or severely visually impaired. However, this vision also encompasses several issues which we had to solve on the back end to obtain the product that we and the end users really wanted. It was not smooth sailing at all. This is why it was important to be part of an incubation programme. At USI Startup Centre, we received constructive criticism, leads and suggestions that helped us redefine both our product journey and our overall strategy. When we talk to other entrepreneurs at the beginning of their journey, we strongly recommend joining one of many incubators and accelerators available in Switzerland based on their profile and needs. It will help you get to the right answers faster.

Nathan: I joined a team at a time when there were basically more problems than solutions. One of the first things I had to do was to find the right techniques to do customer validation while taking care of many other aspects, including the go-to-market strategy. So, one of the turning points for me was when I learned how to identify the right people to whom to talk and ask them the right questions. Then we managed to gather the necessary information and present it in a way that allowed us to move forward with different stakeholders, including potential partners and investors.

Where do you stand today?
Franco: We have a strong team with complementary backgrounds and Moreno Menghini, the Head of Ophthalmology at the Lugano Hospital and lecturer at USI, on the Advisory Board. Since the beginning of this year, we have received several awards and recognitions in Switzerland and abroad, including Venture Kick. We were >>venture>> finalists, Toyota Mobility for All award finalists, Mass Challenge US cohort participants, Helbling Venture Challenge finalists and ATED Innovation Day finalists. Another big milestone is the closing of our pre-seed funding round led by KAPSLY Ventures. We will use these funds to set up mass production and bring our cutting-edge assistive technology to the market in Q1 2025.

3 quick questions to wrap it up:

• What advice would you give other founders? – Join a coaching programme, an incubator or an accelerator. It will help you get where you want faster and avoid one or two mistakes
• Which skill any founder should master? – Managing the team and asking the right questions to the right people
• How would you define your entrepreneurial journey in one word/phrase? – It is a steep learning curve

For more information on Lighthouse Tech: https://www.startup.usi.ch/en/node/9323