What Project Lobster does

PJ.LOBSTER™ (Project Lobster SL) is a Barcelona-headquartered optical brand founded in 2018 that designs and sells prescription glasses, sunglasses and daily disposable contact lenses directly to consumers in Spain. Its product stack combines acetate, stainless steel and beta titanium frames with a proprietary freeform lens family — Neo PRO® for personalized single vision, and Vimax® / Fitusr® / Fitfrm® / Master® tiers for varifocals — plus coatings such as Bluesafe® (blue light and UV), anti-reflective, anti-scratch and superhydrophobic finishes. The company also operates an in-house Reglaze® lens-replacement service, an optician-led eye-exam offering bundled free with purchase (€40 standalone), and a same-day JIT® prescription service for €20.

The company monetizes through a one-time-sale model on frames (€130–€530 prescription, €130–€210 non-prescription) and a subscription-style refill mechanism for Lobster Daily silicone hydrogel contact lenses (€16–€24 per 30-lens box). Distribution combines a proprietary Shopify-hosted e-commerce site shipping internationally via DHL with five owned optical stores across Barcelona (Eixample, Gràcia, Sant Gervasi), Madrid (Ayala, Justicia) and Valencia, supported by WhatsApp-based concierge service and an Acuity-powered booking flow. Marketing centers on organic Instagram, an in-house content platform ("The World Is Out There To Be Seen™"), and the Member Get Member® referral program (€10–€50 credits).

Following a January 2026 bankruptcy filing, Project Lobster was acquired by Dutch eyewear specialist Ace & Tate in February 2026 — Ace & Tate's first acquisition — as part of an explicit European retail expansion strategy. Pre-acquisition, the company had raised roughly US$2.1M in disclosed primary funding (2019–2022) from Cabiedes & Partners, Abac Nest Ventures, Dozen Investments and Angel Club; co-founder and CEO is Oscar Valledor Pérez. Post-acquisition, the brand continues to operate under the PJ.LOBSTER™ identity within Ace & Tate's organizational structure.

Name

Project Lobster

Legal name

PROJECT LOBSTER SL

Website

https://projectlobster.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PJ.LOBSTER™ (Project Lobster) is a Barcelona-based direct-to-consumer optical brand, founded in 2018, that designs and sells prescription glasses, sunglasses and silicone hydrogel daily contact lenses through five Spanish retail stores and its e-commerce site, and was acquired by Dutch eyewear group Ace & Tate in February 2026 following a January 2026 bankruptcy filing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Eyewear Product Sales: Primary revenue stream from direct sale of prescription glasses, sunglasses, and non-prescription eyewear. Frames are sold with included lenses at various price points (€130-€530 for prescription, €130-€210 for non-prescription).
2. Reglaze® Lens Replacement Service: Replacement lens service allowing customers to add new lenses to existing frames. Revenue generated from lens replacement with various options from €50-€600 depending on lens type.
3. Contact Lens Refill Program: Contact lens refill program (Daily Contacts Refill©) offering subscription-like repeat purchases. Customers who buy 4+ boxes receive discounted pricing (€16 vs €24 per box). Can be included in Circular Vision Program™ for continuous shipments.
4. Eye Examination Services: Eye examination services provided in-store. Comprehensive visual exams are free with purchase of glasses, or €40 standalone for prescription-only visits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Lobster is a direct-to-consumer visioncare brand that designs, manufactures (via freeform lens technology), and sells prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, and daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses under the PJ.LOBSTER™ label. The brand supports its eyewear sales with on-site comprehensive vision examinations, a Reglaze® lens-into-existing-frames replacement service, and a Daily Contacts Refill© subscription-style program. Distribution occurs through five owned optical stores in Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia) and a proprietary e-commerce storefront with international shipping.

Product overview

PJ.LOBSTER™ is a contemporary visioncare brand offering prescription glasses, sunglasses, and optical services through physical stores and online. The core product portfolio includes prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses designed in Barcelona using acetate, beta titanium, stainless steel, and organic acetate materials. The company offers specialized lens technologies including Freeform® progressive lenses (Vimax®, Fitusr®, Fitfrm®), Neo PRO® single vision lenses, and Bluesafe® UV/screen protection lenses. Supporting services include eye exams, lens replacement (Reglaze®), contact lens refills (Daily Contacts Refill©), and a referral program (Member Get Member®). The brand operates 5 optical stores across Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia, with products priced from €130 for non-prescription frames to €1,080 for premium varifocal packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PJ.LOBSTER™ Prescription Glasses Direct-to-consumer prescription eyeglasses designed in Barcelona with frame and lenses bundled at €150–€530, available as single vision or varifocal configurations for adults needing vision correction in Spain and across the EU via international shipping.
• PJ.LOBSTER™ Sunglasses Non-prescription and prescription sunglasses designed in Barcelona with UV-protective options including tinted, polarized, photochromatic, and mirrored lenses, priced from €130 to €230.
• Lobster Daily Contact Lenses Spherical daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses with UV protection packaged in boxes of 30 lenses, for adult contact lens wearers in Spain seeking refractive correction via lenses rather than glasses.
• PJ.LOBSTER™ Vision Exam Comprehensive personalized eye examination conducted in-store by optical staff in Spanish locations, free when bundled with a glasses purchase or available standalone for €40 to produce a prescription-only result.
• Reglaze® Lens Replacement Service Service that fits new prescription single-vision or varifocal lenses into a customer's existing frames (€50–€350 single vision; €200–€600 varifocal), including anti-reflective, anti-scratch, and superhydrophobic coatings as a sustainability-focused alternative to purchasing a new pair.
• Daily Contacts Refill© Program Subscription/auto-refill program for Lobster Daily silicone hydrogel contact lenses with UV protection, delivering continuous shipments under the Circular Vision Program™ at a discounted per-box price.
• FUTURES© × HIDDEN® Limited Edition Capsule Limited-edition collaborative capsule eyewear collection with HIDDEN NY, consisting of two rectangular acetate and titanium frames sold as an exclusive drop to mark Project Lobster's integration into Ace & Tate.
• SS26 Collection Seasonal Spring/Summer 2026 collection of beta titanium frames emphasizing lightness, flexibility, and high resistance, available from €130 with prescription or non-prescription lens options.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60-day adaptation period for progressive lenses with free exchanges
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Ace & TatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Dutch eyewear specialist Ace & Tate acquired Project Lobster in February 2026 in its first acquisition. The acquisition is part of Ace & Tate's European expansion strategy, with plans to add ten stores in 2026 and a goal to become the leading optical brand in Europe. Project Lobster had previously filed for bankruptcy before the acquisition. Both brands will prioritize operational continuity while working toward a more unified retail experience under Ace & Tate's larger organizational structure.
• HIDDEN NYflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration creating the FUTURES© limited-edition eyewear capsule collection. The capsule was developed to anticipate the future, challenge the present, and redefine the vision of tomorrow. Two rectangular acetate and titanium frames were created as part of this exclusive collaboration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Persol: Italian heritage premium eyewear brand (Luxottica portfolio) selling prescription frames and sunglasses globally. Comparable on the premium design-led, acetate-and-titanium frame proposition.
• LensCrafters: EssilorLuxottica-operated global optical retail chain combining eye exams, prescription eyewear, and in-store service. Comparable as a multi-store optical retailer offering branded lens tech (e.g., Varilux, Crizal).
• Ace & Tate: Amsterdam-based direct-to-consumer optical brand operating ~80 stores across Europe, offering prescription eyewear, sunglasses, and contact lenses at premium-mid price points. Now Project Lobster's parent company, it is the closest strategic and operational comparable to PJ.LOBSTER's DTC-plus-retail optical model.
• Ray-Ban: EssilorLuxottica's flagship global eyewear brand across prescription frames and sunglasses. Comparable on the fashion + optical lens combination and broad European retail presence.

Direct peers

• EyeBuyDirect: Online-first eyewear retailer with house-brand frames, prescription lens add-ons, and frequent promotional pricing. Comparable to Project Lobster's e-commerce prescription glasses and sunglasses business.
• Mister Spex: Berlin-based European optical retailer combining a large online store with partner optician network and own retail locations. Comparable as a multi-channel European optical brand with branded lens offerings.
• Warby Parker: US-headquartered vertically integrated DTC optical brand selling prescription glasses, sunglasses, contacts, and eye exams online and through ~200+ retail stores. Closest global analog to Project Lobster's hybrid DTC + physical-store, house-brand-lens, value-premium positioning.
• Polette: European online-first eyewear retailer headquartered in France, selling prescription frames and sunglasses at low-to-mid price points. Direct competitor to Project Lobster's e-commerce business in Spain and across Europe.
• Zenni Optical: Pure-play online eyewear retailer offering prescription glasses and sunglasses at very low price points. Comparable as an online optical competitor, particularly on basic single-vision and progressive lens SKUs.

Regional players

• Specsavers: UK-headquartered optical and audiology retailer with extensive European store footprint. Comparable as a large physical-store optical chain offering private-label progressive lenses at mid-market prices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/projectlobster
• Xx.com/ProjectLobster

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project Lobster