Romanian startup .lumen, specializing in assistive mobility solutions for the visually impaired, has announced the closing of a €5 million funding round. Led by Catalyst Romania, the round aims to commercialize the Glasses for the Blind, a device leveraging patented Pedestrian Autonomous Driving (PAD AI) technology.
Founded by Cornel Amariei, .lumen develops glasses that replicate the functions of a guide dog in a scalable format. The PAD AI technology powering this device could also be applied to humanoid robotics to enhance navigation in urban environments. Currently undergoing regulatory testing, the first generation of the glasses is expected to launch in Europe in the coming months, with a second version already in development.
The funding round was led by Catalyst Romania, supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, Tigrim Capital, and a crowdfunding campaign on SeedBlink, which raised €1 million in just seven hours. The funds will be used to finalize the European launch and prepare for expansion into the United States and other international markets.
With this investment, .lumen aims to address a significant societal challenge while exploring commercial opportunities in urban and robotic technologies.
