Superspecs

What Superspecs does

Superspecs is a nonprofit charitable program created by the Ohio Ophthalmological Society that provides free protective and sports eyewear to children and students in Ohio. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and serving all 88 counties statewide, the organization distributes industrial-grade safety glasses and prescription sports goggles at no cost to qualifying participants through three primary programs: a Sports Program offering baseball/softball helmets with face masks, basketball and soccer goggles, and softball fielder's masks; a Career Tech Program supplying safety glasses to vocational education programs; and a Prescription Program providing prescription sports goggles to children who wear corrective lenses. Equipment is sourced from specialized suppliers including Rip-It (female-athlete sports equipment) and McAuliffe's Industrial (industrial safety eyewear), with distribution handled through direct application-based fulfillment to schools, leagues, and individual families, plus a network of 100+ participating eye care provider offices serving as fitting locations.

The business model is entirely grant-funded, with primary revenue from the Ohio Department of Health's Bureau of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Save Our Sight Fund, which itself is sustained by voluntary donations from Ohio residents applying for or renewing license plates. Supplemental individual donations support operations. All equipment is provided at no cost to eligible Ohio children (ages 18 and under), with income qualification for the prescription program set at 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. The go-to-market motion is community-driven: applications flow from youth sports leagues (minimum 12 teams, three-year commitment), career technical education schools via Ohio ACTE partnership (minimum 60 pieces, three-year commitment), and individual parents, with referral pathways through the Ohio Ophthalmological Society's physician network, school administrators, coaches, and program advocates.

The organization has shipped 19,000+ pieces of equipment valued at over $75,000 annually to nearly 60 Ohio vocational schools, and operates with 11-50 employees under the governance of the Ohio Ophthalmological Society. Geographic operations are explicitly restricted to Ohio residents, and the organization carries no intellectual property, patents, or proprietary technology beyond its brand identity and program design.

Name

Superspecs

Legal name

Superspecs

Website

https://superspecs.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Superspecs is an Ohio-based nonprofit created by the Ohio Ophthalmological Society that provides free protective sports and career-technical eyewear to Ohio children across all 88 counties, funded by the Ohio Department of Health's Save Our Sight grant program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Eye Safety Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Eye Protection & Goggles Retail (CRAMANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Powersports Safety, Helmets & Protective Gear Manufacturing (IMACAEAN)

Keywords

• Youth eye safety
• Protective sports eyewear
• Career tech safety glasses
• Prescription sports goggles
• Children vision protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant funding: Superspecs operates as a nonprofit funded entirely by grants. Primary funding comes from the Ohio Department of Health's Bureau of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Save Our Sight Fund. Additional support through the Save Our Sight program, funded by voluntary donations from Ohioans when applying or renewing license plates.
2. Donations: Individual donations to the Save Our Sight program support Superspecs operations and equipment distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Superspecs is a nonprofit charitable program that provides free protective eye equipment—including sports goggles, batting helmets with face masks, prescription sports goggles, and industrial-grade safety glasses—to Ohio children and students. Equipment is sourced from quality suppliers such as McAuliffe's Industrial and Rip-It, and distributed through applications from youth sports leagues, career technical education programs, schools, parents, and a network of participating eye care providers across all 88 Ohio counties.

Product overview

Superspecs is a non-profit eye safety program created by the Ohio Ophthalmological Society that provides free protective eye gear to children in Ohio through three distinct programs: (1) the Sports Program offering baseball/softball helmets with face masks (via Rip-It partnership), basketball/soccer goggles, and softball fielder's masks; (2) the Career Tech Program supplying industrial-grade safety glasses to vocational schools through McAuliffe's Industrial partnership; and (3) the Prescription Program providing prescription sports goggles to qualifying children through a network of participating eye care offices. All equipment is provided at no cost to Ohio children aged 18 and younger, with programs funded by the Ohio Department of Health's Save Our Sight program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Play Hard. Don't Blink. A sports eye safety program brand under Superspecs for youth sports leagues providing protective helmets and goggles.

Products and services

• Baseball and Softball Helmets Protective batting helmets with face masks designed for youth baseball and softball, provided free of charge to Ohio children. The program partners with Rip-It to supply helmets specifically designed for female athletes.
• Sports Goggles (Basketball and Soccer) Non-prescription protective sports goggles for basketball and soccer, available free to youth athletes in Ohio leagues.
• Softball Fielder's Masks Protective face masks for softball fielders, supplied through the Rip-It partnership to protect female athletes during play.
• Prescription Sports Goggles Free prescription sports goggles for qualifying children who wear glasses, available for any activity from classroom to playground. Distributed through a network of participating Ohio eye care offices. Eligibility: household income at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.
• Career Tech Safety Glasses Industrial-grade safety glasses provided free to Ohio vocational and career-technical education programs. The program partners with McAuliffe's Industrial to supply protective eyewear for students in programs including dental hygiene, heating and air technology, engineering, welding, auto body, and auto services. Minimum 60 pieces per school; three-year program commitment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90 percent of recreational eye injuries can be prevented with proper eye protection
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• McAuliffe's IndustrialcoreTechnology or IntegrationOhio-based industrial safety equipment supplier partnered with Superspecs to provide industrial-grade safety glasses for career technical education programs. Family business founded 100 years ago, located in Ohio. Provides the best protective equipment available to serve the most students possible in Ohio.
• Rip-ItcoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-founded by Matthew Polstein and his brother, Rip-It is committed to empowering women athletes with sports equipment designed specifically for female proportions. Superspecs partners with Rip-It as supplier for softball helmets and face masks offered through the program. Equipment designed for proper fit, ventilation, and visibility for female athletes.
• Ohio Ophthalmological SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization of medical doctors specializing in ophthalmology. Creator of Superspecs program. Members are dedicated to preserving the vision of every Ohioan. Board members include Dr. Nicole Bajic (Cleveland Clinic), Dr. Carla Ford (Ohio State), and Dr. Shanika Esparaz (Northeast Ohio).
• LiFEsports at The Ohio State UniversitykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio State University program helping kids develop life skills through sports. Serves over 1,000 youths annually in Columbus area. Partners with Superspecs to provide free prescription goggles to qualifying camp participants. Children receive free eye exams at Nationwide Children's Hospital during registration.
• Nationwide Children's HospitalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbus, Ohio children's hospital that provides free eye exams during LiFEsports Registration Day. Identifies children who qualify for free prescription goggles through the Superspecs program.
• Ohio ACTE (Association of Career and Technical Education)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level association representing career and technical education. Partners with Superspecs on the Career Tech Safety Glasses program application process. Joint application form for Ohio schools to receive free safety equipment.
• Participating Eye Care Provider NetworkkeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 100+ ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians across Ohio who serve as fitting locations for prescription sports goggles. Includes major healthcare systems and independent practices in cities including Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Akron, Toledo, and throughout Ohio.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Helen Keller International: Global nonprofit focused on preventing blindness and reducing malnutrition. Comparable mission area (preventing avoidable vision loss) and grant-funded operating model, though it operates at much larger geographic scale.
• American Academy of Ophthalmology: Largest professional medical association of ophthalmologists in the US. Comparable as the national umbrella under which state ophthalmological societies like Superspecs' parent (Ohio Ophthalmological Society) operate and set eye safety policy.

Direct peers

• New Eyes for the Needy: Nonprofit that purchases and distributes new prescription glasses to low-income children and adults in the US. Closely comparable to Superspecs' prescription goggle program in providing free vision-correcting eyewear to those who cannot afford it.
• Prevent Blindness: National eye health nonprofit focused on advocacy, public education, vision screening, and access to care. Comparable in mission (preventing avoidable eye injuries and vision loss) and operating through state-level affiliates and grant-funded programs.
• OneSight: Nonprofit affiliated with EssilorLuxottica that provides free vision screenings, exams, and glasses to underserved communities globally. Directly comparable in delivering free protective/vision eyewear to people in need at scale.
• Vision To Learn: National nonprofit that provides free vision screenings, eye exams, and glasses to children in underserved schools. Highly comparable to Superspecs in mission (free eyewear for children), beneficiary demographic, and school-based distribution model.
• Essilor Vision Foundation: Nonprofit that provides free vision screenings and eyeglasses to underserved children across the US. Comparable in serving the same child demographic, providing free eyewear, and operating school- and community-based distribution.

Others

• The Vision Council: Industry trade association for optical and vision care product manufacturers and suppliers. Comparable as an industry umbrella organization in the same protective and ophthalmic eyewear ecosystem, though focused on industry advocacy rather than direct distribution.
• National Safety Council: National nonprofit focused on occupational and recreational safety, including eye safety. Comparable in addressing preventable eye injuries in workplace and youth settings, though Superspecs is more narrowly focused on the children's protective eyewear niche.

Emerging players

• Warby Parker Impact Programs: Warby Parker's 'Buy a Pair, Give a Pair' program and Pupils Project distribute free glasses to schoolchildren in need. Comparable in providing free eyewear to children through school-based channels, though delivered by a for-profit company rather than as a standalone nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/superspecsohio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLYVT_YNozprMdHWvJywqmQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/superspecsohio
• Instagraminstagram.com/superspecsohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Superspecs