1stQ

What 1stQ does

1stQ Deutschland GmbH (commonly '1stQ') is a Mannheim, Germany-based medical device manufacturer founded in 1998 by Rüdiger Dworschak, specializing in intraocular lenses (IOLs), single-use ophthalmic surgical instruments, and surgical accessories for cataract surgery, refractive lens exchange, and presbyopia correction. The company's IOL portfolio spans the Liberty² dual-lens system (a monofocal capsular bag IOL combined with a multifocal sulcus AddOn), the AddOn® supplementary sulcus IOL for pseudophakic eyes, and the Basis capsular bag lens family, each available in trifocal, EDOF, Mono+, toric, and monofocal optical configurations. Manufacturing is ISO 13485-certified and conducted in Mannheim, with a 1,200-module, ~420 kWp photovoltaic installation commissioned in 2025 to support energy self-sufficient production of single-use precision instruments.

The company sells through direct B2B channels to ophthalmologists, eye clinics, hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers across EMEA and Asia-Pacific, using quote-based enterprise pricing for IOLs, OP-Sets, injectors, and surgical liquids. Supporting services include the IOL Experience with RALV pre-operative simulation (integrated from partner DEZIMAL GmbH), IOL calculators for power determination, the 1stQ Academy e-learning portal, and field presence at major ophthalmology congresses (DGII, AAD, DOC, ESCRS, DOG) plus regional demonstration events in German cities. 1stQ operates through two legal entities (1stQ Deutschland GmbH and 1stQ GmbH) under founder-managing-director leadership, is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, and is recognized for sustainability leadership via the DOG Pura Award 2022, the CO2-Neutralitätssiegel from Swiss Climate (2020), and Fraunhofer IBP/Medacta-validated lifecycle studies.

Name

1stQ

Legal name

1stQ Deutschland GmbH

Website

https://1stq.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

1stQ is a German manufacturer of intraocular lenses (Liberty², AddOn®, Basis) and single-use ophthalmic surgical instruments, selling directly to eye clinics and ophthalmologists across EMEA and Asia-Pacific, with supporting IOL calculators and the RALV pre-operative visualization workflow.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmic Medical Devices

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Cataract Surgery Systems & IOLs (Phaco Systems, IOLs, Intraoperative Aberrometry, Viscoelastics) (HLAHAJAH)

Keywords

• Intraocular lenses
• Ophthalmic medical devices
• Cataract surgery products
• Single-use surgical instruments
• Presbyopia correction lenses

Headquarters

HQ city

Mannheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Intraocular Lens Sales: Sale of proprietary IOL products including AddOn sulcus lenses, Liberty² dual-lens systems, Basis capsular bag lenses, and various optical types (trifocal, EDOF, monofocal, toric).
2. Single-Use Instrument Sales: Sale of precision single-use ophthalmic surgical instruments, OP-Sets, injectors, and liquids for lens surgery.
3. IOL Calculators and Services: Expert portal offering IOL calculators for precise lens calculation, service and handling support, and the 1stQ Academy e-learning platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

1stQ develops and manufactures intraocular lenses (IOLs) — including the Liberty² dual-lens system, AddOn® sulcus supplementary lenses, and Basis capsular bag lenses — along with single-use ophthalmic surgical instruments, OP-Sets, injectors, and surgical liquids. The company also provides the IOL Experience with RALV preoperative visualization workflow, IOL calculators, and the 1stQ Academy e-learning platform for ophthalmologists.

Product overview

1stQ is a specialist in intraocular lenses (IOL) and innovative solutions for lens surgery. The product portfolio centers on IOL products including the IOL Navigator (selection tool), AddOn IOL (sulcus supplementary lens for pseudophakic eyes), Basis IOL (capsular bag lenses), and Liberty² (dual-lens system for presbyopia correction). These are available in multiple optical configurations: Trifocal, EDOF, Mono⁺, Toric, and Monofocal. Non-IOL offerings include single-use ophthalmic instruments, OP-Sets, injectors, and surgical liquids. Supporting services encompass IOL calculators (AddOn Calculator, CylinderCalculator, Axis Repositioning Tool, IOL Calculator), the 1stQ Academy e-learning platform, Service & Handling support, and the IOL Experience mit RALV workflow that enables preoperative visualization of postoperative vision using RALV technology from DEZIMAL GmbH.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Liberty²: Dual lens solution for flexible presbyopia correction combining a trifocal AddOn and monofocal capsular bag IOL
• AddOn® IOL
• Basis IOL
• RALV
• 1stQ Academy
• Single-Use Instruments (SUI)

Products and services

• Liberty² Dual-Lens System A unique dual-lens solution for flexible presbyopia correction combining a monofocal capsular bag IOL with a multifocal sulcus AddOn IOL, enabling enhanced spectacle independence for ophthalmologists performing cataract and refractive lens surgery.
• AddOn® IOL

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of eyes had residual refractive astigmatism ≤0.50 D after AddOn toric IOL implantation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DEZIMAL GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for RALV (Real Artificial Lens Vision) technology - a simulation device allowing patients to experience visual outcomes with different IOL types before surgery. RALV is described as a product of DEZIMAL GmbH, with 1stQ integrating it into their IOL Experience workflow and practice tools.
• PLANT-MY-TREE®minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability partnership for the imPLANT-A-TREE initiative where partners become tree godparents to support reforestation in Germany and CO2 emissions offset through tree planting.
• Fraunhofer Institut für Bauphysik IBPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned screening study (ISO 14044) to assess sustainability of single-use products, validating CO2 footprint of 1stQ instruments versus traditional alternatives.
• Der Grüne Punkt - Duales System Deutschland GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPackaging recycling partnership. Company registered with Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (DE3739691146838). Der Grüne Punkt handles disposal of licensed packaging.
• MedactaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned ISO 14044 carbon footprint analysis comparing 1stQ single-use instruments to re-sterilizable metal instruments, validating CO2 neutrality and water savings.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Carl Zeiss Meditec: Diversified ophthalmic medical technology company offering IOLs (CT LUCIA, AT LARA, AT TORBI) alongside surgical microscopes, diagnostics, and laser systems. Competes in IOLs as part of a much broader surgical workflow portfolio.
• Santen Pharmaceutical: Japanese ophthalmology specialist with a growing IOL and surgical device portfolio acquired through its 2023 purchase of Lensar. Competes in premium IOLs while also operating broadly in glaucoma, dry eye, and retinal therapeutics.

Regional players

• HumanOptics: German-headquartered IOL manufacturer specializing in premium and specialty intraocular lenses. A direct European competitor of comparable size with similar focus on niche indications and German engineering heritage.

Direct peers

• Alcon: Global leader in ophthalmic medical devices including the PanOptix trifocal IOL and AcrySof single-piece IOLs. Directly competes with 1stQ across monofocal, toric, and premium multifocal/EDOF IOL categories, though at vastly larger scale.
• PhysIOL: Belgian IOL manufacturer now part of BVI Medical, specializing in finevision trifocal and EDOF IOLs. Highly comparable specialty IOL player with similar premium-niche positioning in Europe.
• HOYA Surgical Optics: Manufactures preloaded IOLs (iSert, Vivinex) with strong positions in the Japanese and European markets. Direct competitor in monofocal and toric IOL categories and increasingly active in premium optics.
• Johnson & Johnson Vision: Manufacturer of TECNIS monofocal, multifocal, EDOF (Symfony), and toric IOLs. Overlaps directly with 1stQ's premium IOL portfolio and competes for the same ophthalmic surgeon customers globally.
• Rayner: UK-based specialist IOL manufacturer with a comparable niche focus, offering monofocal, toric, multifocal, and EDOF IOLs (e.g., RayOne, Sulcoflex). Closely comparable in scale and specialization to 1stQ and a direct competitor in European markets.
• Bausch + Lomb: Produces enVista and LuxSmart IOLs plus a broad ophthalmic surgical portfolio. Direct competitor in standard and premium IOL categories serving the same ophthalmology clinic and hospital channels.

Emerging players

• VSY Biotechnology: Turkish ophthalmology company producing trifocal (Triva), EDOF, and toric IOLs. Comparable specialty IOL portfolio targeting international markets with a growing European commercial footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCW9KZ1icbLXvE0FfpGQXDBw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1stq-deutschland-gmbh
• Facebookfacebook.com/1stQDeutschland

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 1stQ