Biel Glasses
Barcelona-based medical device company that builds AI-powered smart glasses combining computer vision and mixed reality to help individuals with low vision navigate safely, selling through authorized low vision centers in Spain.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Biel Glasses does
Biel Glasses, S.L. is a Barcelona-based medical device company that develops AI-powered smart glasses to improve mobility and personal autonomy for people with low vision. Its products, Biel SmartGaze and the newer Biel SmartGaze ORA, combine computer vision, mixed reality, spatial computing, and robotics-derived obstacle detection — technology originally adapted from autonomous vehicle systems — to identify obstacles at any height (branches, bollards, awnings) and negative obstacles (holes, curbs, steps, stairs), while enhancing residual sight through zoom, contrast adjustment, edge highlighting, and configurable visual and audible alerts. The company sells through a network of authorized low vision centers in Spain, where prospective users undergo clinical evaluation, per-user configuration, training, and testing before purchase, with quote-based multi-year contract pricing reflecting the customized nature of each device.
The firm operates from Mataró (TecnoCampus incubator) and Barcelona, was founded in 2017 by Jaume Puig (CEO) and Constanza Lucero (CMO) as a spin-off of Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (technology transfer agreement signed December 2020), and has raised approximately $5M cumulatively across 18 transactions, predominantly from public R&D grants (CDTI, ENISA, EIT Health, ACCIÓ, ESA) with limited private equity participation from BHV Partners and Startupxplore. Its IP portfolio includes an EUIPO patent granted September 2020 and a US patent (U.S. Pat. No. 18/010,425) granted December 2025 covering the obstacle detection method and system. Biel's go-to-market is intentionally narrow and clinically integrated, relying on optometrists, rehabilitation specialists, ONCE, and low vision clinics as the primary referral and distribution channel, with stated plans for international expansion in coming years. Revenue is generated via direct hardware sales and bundled professional services (configuration, training, testing) rather than subscription software, with no publicly disclosed pricing.
Biel Glasses firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Biel Glasses
- Legal name
- BIEL GLASSES, S.L
- Website
- https://bielglasses.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Barcelona-based medical device company that builds AI-powered smart glasses combining computer vision and mixed reality to help individuals with low vision navigate safely, selling through authorized low vision centers in Spain.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Biel Glasses industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Assistive smart glasses for low vision
- NAICS
- Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wearable Computers (Industrial Smart Glasses/Wrist/Arm-Mount) (HDACALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- AR Smart Glasses (CRACAIAE)
Keywords
Where Biel Glasses is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barcelona
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Biel Glasses business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Smart Glasses Hardware Sales: Sale of Biel SmartGaze smart glasses devices for low vision assistance, sold through authorized centers in Spain
- Professional Services: Configuration, training and testing services provided through authorized centers to customize glasses to each user's needs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Biel SmartGaze - Custom smart glasses for low vision |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Biel Glasses product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Biel Glasses designs, manufactures and sells AI-powered smart glasses (Biel SmartGaze and Biel SmartGaze ORA) that combine 3D vision, artificial intelligence, mixed reality and robotics-derived computer vision to detect obstacles, enhance residual sight, and improve mobility for people with low vision. Devices are configured per patient and delivered through a network of authorized centers in Spain along with configuration, training and testing services.
Product overview
Biel Glasses offers two generations of AI-powered smart glasses for people with low vision. The core product line includes BIEL SMARTGAZE (the original model) and BIEL SMARTGAZE ORA (the newer generation). Both products combine artificial intelligence, computer vision, spatial computing, and mixed reality technologies to detect obstacles and enhance residual vision, improving mobility and autonomy for users. The ORA model represents an updated design partnership with VITURE, offering a more discreet sunglasses form factor while maintaining the same core AI-driven obstacle detection and vision enhancement capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BIEL SMARTGAZE: Smart glasses product line combining AI, spatial technology, and assistive optics for visually impaired users, featuring obstacle detection, visual alerts, magnification, and image enhancement capabilities.
- BIEL SMARTGAZE ORA
Products and services
- Biel SmartGaze AI-powered smart glasses for people with low vision that combine artificial intelligence, spatial computing and assistive optics to detect obstacles and enhance residual vision, enabling more independent mobility. Designed for individuals with visual impairments such as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, cataracts, macular degeneration and peripheral vision loss, and configured per patient.
- Biel SmartGaze ORA Next-generation AI smart sunglasses for people with low vision that integrate spatial computing, AI, robotics and mixed reality in a discreet sunglasses form factor developed with VITURE. Provide real-time obstacle detection at any height, negative obstacle detection (holes, steps), configurable visual and audio alerts, zoom functionality and luminosity adaptation, customized to each user's needs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 7x more common than blindness
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Biel Glasses
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Biel Glasses technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature4 records
Biel Glasses partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- VITUREcoreRecent collaboration with VITURE enabled the incorporation of a more discreet and natural sunglasses-style design into Biel SmartGaze ORA technology. This partnership achieved a more comfortable, aesthetic and integrated design for daily use by people with low vision.
- Universidad Rey Juan CarloscoreResearch partnership enabling integration of latest scientific advances in optometry and low vision treatment into the product.
- LEITAT Technology CentrecoreTechnology partnership enabling integration of latest technological advances into the product development.
- NVIDIAcoreMember of NVIDIA Inception program. NVIDIA has featured Biel Glasses technology in World Sight Day presentations. NVIDIA GTC technology conference participation. The NVIDIA platform powers the performance of Biel SmartGaze for real-time environment analysis.
- EIT HealthcoreEuropean Institute of Innovation and Technology Health program that supported the building of patient testing facilities. Winner of EITHealth Pitch Competition 2020.
- ONCEminorOrganization Nacional Ciegos Españoles (Spanish National Organization for the Blind). Met at SEEBV 2025 congress, potentially for partnership exploration in serving visually impaired community.
- Biocat - BioRegion of CataloniacoreSelected Biel Glasses as one of 12 featured startups for Health Innovation Ecosystem at Mobile World Congress 2024. Key supporter in Catalan health innovation ecosystem.
- Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)coreTechnology transfer agreement signed in December 2020 making Biel Glasses a spin-off of UPC, enabling technology transfer between the company and the university.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Biel Glasses competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OrCam: Israel-based maker of OrCam MyEye, a wearable AI device for blind and visually impaired users. Directly comparable smart assistive hardware targeting the same low-vision population with overlapping AI/computer-vision features.
- Envision: Netherlands-based maker of Envision smart glasses and AI app for blind/low-vision users. Directly comparable AI-driven wearable that reads text, recognizes faces and scenes for the same target population.
- IrisVision: US-based company offering VR/AR-based low-vision assistive devices (IrisVision Live, Inspire). Comparable vision-enhancement hardware targeting the same low-vision patient base.
- eSight: Canadian maker of eSight electronic glasses that enhance central vision for people with low vision. Closely comparable wearable device for the same low-vision patient population, with similar customization and prescription-style sales motion.
- Eyedaptic: US-based developer of AR glasses for low-vision patients (especially AMD). Comparable AR-based visual assistance device with similar vision-enhancement and obstacle-awareness value proposition.
- NuEyes: US-based maker of smart glasses (ODG and Pro versions) for visually impaired users. Directly comparable smart-glasses form factor targeting low vision, with similar prescription-and-config sales model.
Broad incumbents
- Vuzix: US-listed smart glasses and waveguide optics manufacturer serving enterprise, industrial and consumer markets. Comparable underlying smart-glasses technology platform, though Vuzix serves a much broader portfolio beyond low vision.
- Magic Leap: US-based AR/MR glasses maker with enterprise/medical use cases. Comparable wearable spatial-computing hardware platform, though Magic Leap is broader and not specialized in low-vision assistance.
- RealWear: US-based industrial wearable computing headset maker. Comparable wearable computing form factor for professionals, though RealWear is focused on industrial/field-service workers rather than low-vision users.
Emerging players
- GiveVision: UK-based developer of SightPlus smart glasses for the visually impaired. Directly comparable wearable solution for low vision, though smaller-scale and with a more limited distribution footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Biel Glasses social profiles
Digital presenceBiel Glasses compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Biel Glasses financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Biel Glasses leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Biel Glasses funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds18 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Biel Glasses M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Biel Glasses
What does Biel Glasses do?
Biel Glasses designs, manufactures and sells AI-powered smart glasses (Biel SmartGaze and Biel SmartGaze ORA) that combine 3D vision, artificial intelligence, mixed reality and robotics-derived computer vision to detect obstacles, enhance residual sight, and improve mobility for people with low vision. Devices are configured per patient and delivered through a network of authorized centers in Spain along with configuration, training and testing services.
Is Biel Glasses a public or private company?
Biel Glasses is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Biel Glasses founded?
Biel Glasses was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Biel Glasses based?
Biel Glasses is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Biel Glasses make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Smart Glasses Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are professional Services.
Who are Biel Glasses's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OrCam, Envision, IrisVision, eSight, Eyedaptic and NuEyes. Broad incumbents are Vuzix, Magic Leap and RealWear. GiveVision is listed as an emerging player.
Does Biel Glasses have an API?
No public API is recorded for Biel Glasses.
What industry is Biel Glasses in?
Biel Glasses's product category is Assistive smart glasses for low vision. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACALAH, Wearable Computers (Industrial Smart Glasses/Wrist/Arm-Mount), with a secondary code of CRACAIAE, AR Smart Glasses. Its NAICS code is 339115 and its SIC code is 3851.