IXI Raises US$36.5 Million to Develop Autofocus Eyewear

IXI, a Helsinki-based company developing smart glasses that automatically adjust to the wearer’s vision, has received US$36.5 million in funding and plans to commercialize its first product.

Globally, at least 2.2 billion people live with vision impairment or blindness, with 1 billion cases preventable or yet to be addressed. In Mexico, over 45 million people have uncorrected refractive errors, according to Sylvia Warren, Director of Patient Attraction and Retention, Salauno. 

IXI developed technology that combines eye-tracking sensors with liquid crystal lenses to assist users with presbyopia — helping them see clearly at varying distances without adjusting their glasses. The innovation targets a vision correction market valued at over US$200 billion and growing faster than the smartwatch and smartphone markets, according to company estimates.

The latest round of Series A funding is led by London-based venture capital firm Plural, with participation from investors including Tesi, byFounders, Heartcore, Eurazeo, FOV Ventures, and Tiny Supercomputer. Existing investors such as the Amazon Alexa Fund, Maki.vc, First Fellow, and the Bragiel Brothers also joined the round.

The eyewear under development is not intended for entertainment or connectivity, unlike many smart glasses on the market. Instead, IXI focuses on improving sight. The technology uses a compact system inside the frame that tracks eye movement and adjusts the liquid crystal lenses in real time to bring objects into focus, potentially replacing the need for bifocals or progressive lenses.

Battery life for the glasses is projected at around two days. If the battery dies, the lenses revert to a default prescription suitable for distance vision, allowing continued use for tasks like driving. IXI has filed for multiple patents and expects to reveal a prototype later this year, though the company has not announced a product launch date. The glasses will require regulatory approval before hitting the market.

Pricing is still under consideration, but the company expects the product to be positioned more like a premium consumer electronic device than traditional eyewear, potentially comparable to a high-end smartphone.