Romanian startup .lumen, which has developed glasses enhancing the mobility of the blind and visually impaired, has successfully closed a EUR 5 million investment round led by Catalyst Romania.

The investment includes participation from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, Sweden's Tigrim Capital, and a EUR 1 million crowdfunding component facilitated by SeedBlink, raised in seven hours.

The funding is aimed at bringing the company's Glasses for the Blind to market and advancing the Pedestrian Autonomous Driving (PAD AI) technology.

As the first generation of .lumen Glasses is undergoing regulatory testing and is expected to launch in Europe within a few months, and the second generation is already in development, this investment round will support market entry activities across Europe while paving the way for expansion into the USA and other international markets, the company said.

"This investment round brings so much competence onboard, from experienced investors that can help the company's next growth phase. Just a few years ago, I started this company to help people. Now, Catalyst Romania and EIC Fund, among other great investors, are joining our vision. We are also very proud to keep this company a product of Romanian and European Innovation, and the selection of investors proves just that," Cornel Amariei, the founder & CEO of .lumen, said.

"We at Catalyst Romania are proud to lead this important investment round of EUR 5 million into one of the most innovative, socially impactful, and highly recognized Romanian technology startups, .lumen. It is our mission to support such breakthrough and visionary technologies from Romania and Eastern Europe, and to back great teams from the region such as the Cluj-based team of .lumen led by founder Cornel Amariei" Marius Ghenea, managing partner of Catalyst Romania, said.

"The unique form of financing via EIC – combining grants and equity – is proving itself highly attractive to Europe's most promising startups. We are delighted with the EIC Fund's investment in .lumen, an innovative company pushing the boundaries of Pedestrian Autonomous Driving technology. We believe in their technology's tremendous potential and are excited to support their growth and development," Svetoslava Georgieva, chair of the EIC Fund Board, said.

"We at Tigrim are incredibly proud to join .lumen's mission to reimagine pedestrian mobility and enable more inclusive futures. Their pioneering Pedestrian Autonomous Driving technology not only empowers the visually impaired but also has the potential to reshape urban navigation for everyone. This aligns perfectly with our commitment to invest in breakthrough innovations that drive positive global impact. We look forward to supporting .lumen as they scale their vision across Europe and beyond," Johan Törnqvist, CEO at Tigrim, said.

"Raising EUR 1 million for .lumen in just seven hours via SeedBlink stands as a testament for the power of innovation and a shared belief in a brighter future. Championing .lumen's groundbreaking work celebrates European ingenuity and the profound social impact of their technology—both core to our mission," Andrei Dudoiu, CEO at SeedBlink, said.

.lumen is a research startup that builds Pedestrian Autonomous Driving (PAD AI), first showcased in the Glasses for the Blind. The glasses replicate the main features of a guide dog, and more, in a scalable product. The same software coordinating the glasses, called PAD AI, will allow humanoid robotics to navigate pedestrian environments, the company said.

(Photo: .lumen press photos)

simona@romania-insider.com