What ic! berlin does

ic! berlin (legal entity ic! Berlin GmbH) is a Berlin-based designer and manufacturer of premium prescription eyewear and sunglasses, founded in 1996. The company's defining technical feature is a patented screwless hinge system built on flexible stainless steel sheet, with the screwless architecture protected across multiple international patent families (including EP2614402 and US-Patent Nr. 9069190). The product range extends beyond the original screwless metal frames into acetate-front models, ultra-thin 3.5mm Silk temples, German-patented FLEXARBON hand-bendable temples, titanium frames, and premium Barberini mineral lens options, alongside licensed Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG collections. All frames are designed and manufactured in Berlin.

The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market: a company-owned flagship store in Berlin-Mitte (currently relocated to a pop-up at Kastanienallee 43 during a redesign) that offers more than 500 original designs, in-house optician consultations, and same-day prescription lens finishing; plus a global network of authorized optician partners that handle local fitting and sales. Direct-to-consumer digital touchpoints include the company's e-commerce site with a virtual try-on tool and a store-locator that routes online discovery to partner retailers. Marketing is content-driven, anchored by an editorial Journal, an active Manifesto brand campaign, social presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Xing, and an email newsletter, with press handled by agency Reference Studios.

Revenue is generated from one-time premium frame sales plus prescription lens services; pricing is not publicly disclosed and customers are directed to the flagship or partner opticians for quotes. The company is privately held with no identified external investors, operates as a German GmbH headquartered at Wolfener Straße 32F in Berlin, and reports a headcount band of 51-100 employees. Operational and data-protection interfaces appear to be administered in coordination with Marcolin (Deutschland) GmbH in Cologne.

Name

ic! berlin

Legal name

ic! Berlin GmbH

Website

https://ic-berlin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ic! berlin is a Berlin-based, privately held premium eyewear manufacturer founded in 1996 that designs and produces screwless-hinge prescription frames and sunglasses in-house, selling them through a Berlin flagship store and a global network of authorized opticians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Eyewear

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury & Designer Eyewear (CRAAAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Prescription Eyewear Frames (Optical) (CRAAAKAA)

Keywords

• Premium eyewear
• Screwless frames
• Designer glasses
• Stainless steel eyewear
• Prescription sunglasses

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Premium Eyewear Sales: ic! berlin generates revenue through the direct sale of prescription frames and sunglasses at premium price points. Products are sold through company-owned flagship stores and a network of authorized optical retail partners globally.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ic! berlin designs, manufactures, and sells premium prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses featuring proprietary screwless hinge technology and flexible stainless steel, acetate, and titanium frame construction. All frames are 100% designed and produced in Berlin, Germany, and sold through the company flagship store and a global network of authorized optician partners. The portfolio spans multiple collections including Classic, Silk, FLEXARBON, Barberini mineral lens, and licensed Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG lines.

Product overview

ic! berlin is a premium eyewear company offering prescription glasses and sunglasses through multiple sub-brand collections. The core product portfolio includes the Classic Collection (flexible stainless steel with screwless hinges), Silk Collection (3.5mm temple models), FLEXARBON (patented flexible technology), and licensed Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG collections. The Iconic Chrome Capsule represents anniversary limited editions. All frames are 100% designed and manufactured in Berlin. The company operates a flagship store in Berlin-Mitte and maintains partnerships with authorized opticians worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Glasses (Prescription Eyeglasses)
• Sunglasses
• Classic Collection
• Silk Collection
• FLEXARBON Collection
• Mercedes-Benz Collection
• Mercedes-AMG Collection
• Iconic Chrome Capsule

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMercedes-Benz brand intellectual property licensed from Daimler AG. ic! berlin creates the Mercedes-Benz Collection, featuring eyewear designs that reflect the automotive brand's design language. Licensed use of Mercedes-Benz trademarks and logos on products and marketing materials.
• Mercedes-AMG (Daimler AG)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMercedes-AMG brand intellectual property licensed from Daimler AG. The Mercedes-AMG Collection features high-performance inspired eyewear designs. Licensed use of AMG trademarks and logos on products and marketing materials.
• BarberinicoreTechnology or IntegrationBarberini supplies premium mineral glass lenses used in ic! berlin's Barberini collection. Barberini mineral lenses are recognized for superior optical quality and scratch resistance compared to standard polycarbonate lenses.
• Reference StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR and communications agency handling press inquiries for ic! berlin. Contact: [email protected] and [email protected].
• Marcolin (Deutschland) GmbHminorOthersMarcolin Group company based in Cologne, Germany. Handles data protection inquiries and appears to manage certain operational communications. Privacy notices direct data rights requests to Marcolin Deutschland at Waidmarkt 11a, 50676 Köln.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Persol: Italian luxury eyewear brand owned by EssilorLuxottica, selling premium sunglasses and optical frames globally through luxury and optical retail. Comparable to ic! berlin on premium eyewear category and screwless/signature-hinge heritage, but operating at significantly larger scale through Luxottica's distribution.
• Tom Ford Eyewear: Luxury designer eyewear line produced under license by Marcolin/EssilorLuxottica. Comparable to ic! berlin on licensed luxury-designer eyewear positioning, premium price points, and optical-retail distribution, though operating as part of a much larger fashion house.
• Ray-Ban: Iconic global eyewear brand owned by EssilorLuxottica with broad prescription and sunglasses ranges. Comparable to ic! berlin on eyewear category and global retail presence, though positioned as mass-premium rather than designer/niche premium.
• Maui Jim: US-based premium polarized sunglasses brand sold globally through optical and sport retail channels. Comparable to ic! berlin on premium sunglasses positioning, lens-technology differentiation (polarized/mineral), and authorized-retail distribution.
• Oakley: Global sport and performance eyewear brand owned by EssilorLuxottica. Comparable to ic! berlin on premium eyewear category and material innovation (e.g., ic! berlin's performance-oriented collections), though operating at much larger mass-premium scale.

Direct peers

• Mykita: Berlin-based premium eyewear designer and manufacturer known for distinctive screwless and modular frame construction. Closely comparable to ic! berlin on geography, manufacturing base, design-led premium positioning, and screwless-engineering heritage.
• Warby Parker: US-based direct-to-consumer eyewear brand offering prescription frames and sunglasses with own-retail and e-commerce focus. Comparable to ic! berlin on prescription eyewear category and omnichannel DTC strategy, though positioned at a lower price point.
• Silhouette: Austrian premium eyewear manufacturer known for rimless and lightweight titanium frames sold globally through opticians. Comparable to ic! berlin on premium positioning, lightweight engineering focus, European manufacturing heritage, and optical-channel distribution.
• Lindberg: Danish premium eyewear brand specializing in lightweight, screwless, and minimalist titanium and acetate frames. Directly comparable to ic! berlin on premium designer positioning, screwless/minimalist engineering, and authorized-optician distribution model.

Regional players

• Brunello Cucinelli Eyewear: Italian luxury fashion house producing premium eyewear under license. Comparable to ic! berlin on luxury-designer licensed eyewear positioning and premium price points, though primarily distributed through European and Italian luxury retail rather than independent opticians.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/icberlin
• Xx.com/icberlineyewear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 ic! berlin