Led · Seed · May 2024

Lighthouse Tech is a Switzerland-based company developing smart eyewear that integrates obstacle-detection technology in a fashion frame to complement the white cane. The device detects obstacles above ground level and notifies users through gentle haptic vibrations to improve safety and mobility. It is designed to work alongside the white cane rather than replace it, addressing collisions with objects above waist height. The leadership team includes founder and CEO Franco Burlando, CTO Andrea Moroni Stampa, and COO Nathan Deutsch, all veterans in the optical and eyewear industry. The company received a further CHF 150,000 (€160,000) from Venture Kick and will use the funds to strengthen its sales team ahead of a planned market entry in Q1 2025. Lighthouse Tech also plans to attend specialised trade shows, visit distribution partners in the DACH region and Italy, and ramp up social media and community engagement with blind and vision-impaired users. Lighthouse Tech SA is a Ticino-based startup developing assistive technologies for blind and visually impaired people. Its flagship product, the LTH01 smart glasses frame, combines advanced sensors and real-time feedback to locate obstacles in the upper‑body zone and improve personal mobility and safety. Sensors and electronics are modularly incorporated into eyewear temples, allowing users to choose from six styles, multiple colours and two sizes; the LTH01 modular series is ready to be incorporated into fashion eyewear collections. The company emphasizes sustainable materials, aesthetics and comfort to produce a wearable device intended for continuous daily use and to avoid stigma associated with bulky assistive devices. Lighthouse Tech has closed a CHF 500,000 seed funding round to proceed with industrialization of its first product. KAPSLY Ventures led the round and managed an investment syndicate; the startup thanked supporters including Venture Kick/Venturelab, USI Startup Center, Fondazione Agire, AITI UP!, Innosuisse and Switzerland Global Enterprise.