The primary focus of PeriVision, a spin-off from the ARTORG Center AI in Medical Imaging lab, University of Bern, is to optimize visual field and perimetry testing, a critical step in preventing blindness caused by glaucoma—a chronic eye disease affecting over 80 million individuals worldwide.
Last year, the startup secured EUR 1.5 million in pre-seed funding from the EIT Health Wild Card accelerator, a convertible loan from Venture Kick, and a substantial research grant from the Swiss government's Innosuisse program. These resources facilitated the building of their first product and conducting essential clinical studies. In spring 2023, the company successfully closed the first tranche of a seed round, raising CHF 0.5-1.0M to further accelerate research and development, and prepare for the launch of their inaugural product in Q1 2024.
Various investors participated in the seed round, including early-stage VC, DART Ventures, experienced angel investors from the founders' network, the Swiss ICT Investors Club (SICTIC), Fondation pour l'Innovation Technologique (FIT), and the Biopôle Startup Fund. Notably, Walter Inäbnit, the former owner and chairman of leading ophthalmic device manufacturer Haag-Streit Group, will join PeriVision as a board observer. Inäbnit, a respected figure in the industry, believes in the company's potential to revolutionize ophthalmology and improve both clinical practice and patient care.
“Bringing innovation into ophthalmology to improve clinical practice and patient care has been the work of my life at Haag-Streit. PeriVision shares the same vision. They want to make eye care much more accessible to patients and the lives of eye doctors easier. But to make an impact you do not just need great technology, patents and research, which they have – but also commercial experience and an understanding of the industry. This is what I hope to contribute to the young company.”
Arijana Walcott from DART Ventures, specializing in bringing European deep-tech startups to the US market, highlighted the rationale behind their investment in PeriVision's eye care platform.
“With billions of people impacted by vision impairments, many of which could have been prevented, the need for timely diagnosis and treatment is crucial. Perivision’s mission to provide deeper insight into eye diseases and make eye care affordable and accessible resonates deeply with us. We at DART were impressed by the team’s expertise, professionalism, and the significant advancements they have made in AI research. With their patented solution and access to valuable data sets, Perivision has a unique advantage in the market.”
www.perivision.com
