What 100% Optical does

100% Optical is an annual B2B trade show and exhibition serving the UK optical industry, held at ExCeL London over three days in late February/early March. Founded in 2014 and organised by CloserStill Media, the event draws 11,000+ optical professionals and 250+ exhibitors representing 5,000+ brands across eyewear, contact lenses, optical equipment, lenses, and practice technology. The programme is anchored by a 120+ hour CPD-accredited education track curated by the Association of Optometrists (AOP), supplemented by sub-properties including 100% Catwalk (runway shows), 100% Studio (independent designer hub sponsored by Nikon Lenswear UK), Future Practice sessions, a Dispensing Workshop, and the Optical Academy for support staff. The company operates with a lean team of 7 employees and generates revenue primarily through exhibition booth fees, delegate registration, and sponsorship — a classic three-stream event business model.

Name

100% Optical

Legal name

CloserStill Media

Website

https://100percentoptical.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

100% Optical is an annual UK optical industry trade show organised by CloserStill Media, attracting 11,000+ professionals and 250+ exhibitors to ExCeL London for CPD education, product launches, and networking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show Events

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Luxury Eyewear (Sunglasses & Optical) (CRAKAFAG)

Keywords

• Optical trade show
• Eyewear exhibition
• CPD education
• Optical industry events
• Contact lens exhibition

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exhibition and Booth Fees: 100% Optical generates revenue primarily through charging exhibitors (eyewear brands, equipment suppliers, contact lens manufacturers) for exhibition space and booth placement at the annual event. Companies like SEIKO, Marcolin, Bausch & Lomb, EssilorLuxottica, and hundreds of others pay to exhibit at the show.
2. Delegate Registration Fees: The event charges optical professionals (optometrists, dispensing opticians, eyewear stylists, practice managers) registration fees to attend the show and earn CPD points through the AOP-curated programme.
3. Sponsorship Revenue: The event generates sponsorship revenue through branded content, stage naming rights, and promotional opportunities. Examples include Nikon Lenswear UK sponsoring 100% Studio.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

100% Optical is an annual three-day trade exhibition for the UK optical industry held at ExCeL London, organized by CloserStill Media. The event brings together 250+ exhibitors of eyewear brands, contact lenses, optical equipment, and practice technology with 11,000+ optical professional attendees, complemented by a CPD-accredited education programme of 120+ hours curated by the Association of Optometrists, catwalk runway shows, and the Love Eyewear Awards.

Product overview

100% Optical is the UK's leading annual optical trade show/exhibition event, not a unified software product. It operates as a platform for optical professionals featuring multiple attendance options, educational programs, and exhibitor showcases. The event runs 27 February - 1 March 2027 at Excel London, attracting 11,000+ professionals and 250+ exhibitors. The core offering is event access and CPD certification, supported by exhibitor showcases, catwalk shows, and specialized workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 100% Studio: Champions independent eyewear designers, featuring fashion, design and forward-thinking innovation.
• 100% Catwalk
• Love Eyewear Awards

Products and services

• 100% Optical Annual Exhibition Three-day annual trade exhibition at ExCeL London featuring 250+ exhibitors showcasing eyewear, contact lenses, optical equipment, and practice technology across 5,000+ brands, attended by 11,000+ optical professionals. Open to exhibitors purchasing booth space and to delegates registering to attend.
• CPD Accredited Seminars Programme Continuing Professional Development-accredited seminar programme of 120+ hours, curated by the Association of Optometrists (AOP), offering optical professionals the CPD points required for ongoing professional registration.
• 100% Catwalk Live runway shows displaying the most exciting frames, new colours, designs, and styles supplied by exhibiting brands, with nine shows across the event duration.
• 100% Studio (sponsored by Nikon Lenswear UK) Hub within the annual show dedicated to championing independent eyewear designers, focusing on fashion, design, and forward-thinking innovation, sponsored by Nikon Lenswear UK.
• Love Eyewear Awards Awards programme celebrating, championing, and promoting the best in eyewear amongst independent and major designers, manufacturers, and retailers, held in conjunction with the annual event.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11,000+ professionals attend annually
• +2 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Association of Optometrists (AOP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial UK partner and strategic collaborator. AOP curates the CPD-accredited educational programme for 100% Optical. The partnership provides credibility with optical professionals and direct access to AOP's membership base. Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of AOP, provides endorsement quotes for the event.
• Nikon Lenswear UKcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of 100% Studio, the hub for fashion, design and forward-thinking innovation at the event. Nikon Lenswear UK sponsors this showcase for independent eyewear designers.
• Optical Times (OT)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial UK Media Partner providing media coverage and promotion for the event to their optical industry audience.
• CloserStill MediaflagshipOthersThe organising company behind 100% Optical. CloserStill Media is an international exhibition and conference organiser that runs multiple professional events. They handle all event logistics, marketing, and operations.
• Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Associate Partner representing dispensing opticians in the UK optical industry.
• College of OptometristscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Associate Partner and professional body for optometrists providing endorsement and member promotion.
• General Optical Council (GOC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Associate Partner and UK regulatory body for optical professionals.
• Association of Independent Optometrists (AIO)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Associate Partner representing independent optical practices.
• Ophthalmological Society of Algeria (OSA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Associate Partner providing international reach to North African optical professionals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Reed Exhibitions (RX): Reed Exhibitions is one of the world's largest exhibition organisers and operates the opti Munich optical trade show among many other B2B events. It is comparable as a global exhibitions operator with overlapping optical trade show assets and similar event-driven revenue models.
• Informa Markets: Informa Markets is a global exhibitions organiser that runs Vision Expo and many other healthcare and optical-adjacent events. It is comparable as the organiser of competing optical exhibitions and as a broader peer in the B2B trade show business model.
• CloserStill Media: CloserStill Media is the parent organiser of 100% Optical and operates a portfolio of B2B exhibitions across healthcare, technology, and retail. It is comparable as the operating platform behind 100% Optical and shares back-office infrastructure, sales, and event-management capabilities with the brand.
• Vision Expo (Informa): Vision Expo, organised by Informa, is the largest optical trade event in North America with East and West Coast editions. It is comparable as a flagship optical industry exhibition serving optometrists, dispensers, and eyewear brands, though its primary geography is the US rather than the UK/Europe.

Regional players

• Hong Kong Optical Fair (HKTDC): The HKTDC Hong Kong Optical Fair is Asia's leading optical trade show, focused on eyewear manufacturing and sourcing. It is comparable in format (annual B2B optical trade show) but serves a primarily Asian audience and supply chain, rather than competing for UK/European optometrists.
• Expo Optica (Madrid): Expo Optica is the leading Iberian optical trade fair held in Madrid, serving Spanish and Portuguese optical professionals and eyewear brands. It is comparable as a regional optical industry exhibition with similar programming (CPD, fashion, equipment) but competes primarily in Iberia rather than the UK.

Others

• Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers: The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers is a UK livery company and optical professional body with an associated educational and CPD programme. It is comparable as an adjacent optical industry stakeholder providing CPD and professional standards that intersect with the educational content at 100% Optical.

Direct peers

• opti Munich: opti is the leading German optical trade fair held annually in Munich, drawing eyewear brands, optometrists, and equipment suppliers. It is a direct peer to 100% Optical in format (annual B2B trade show), audience (optical professionals), and exhibitor base across DACH and broader Europe.
• Silmo Paris: Silmo is the historic Paris-based optical trade show serving eyewear brands, lens manufacturers, and optical professionals across Europe. It competes directly with 100% Optical for exhibitor marketing budgets and for international attendee share, with overlapping fashion and CPD-style programming.
• MIDO (Milan Optical Show): MIDO is the largest global optical trade fair held annually in Milan, attracting major eyewear brands, lens manufacturers, and equipment suppliers. It is the most direct international competitor to 100% Optical, with overlapping exhibitor rosters (EssilorLuxottica, Marcolin) and a similar delegate base of optometrists and optical retailers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/100optical
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcWSpSpUCb1Zlxj3fYtEbPw
• Facebookfacebook.com/100optical
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/100-optical
• Instagraminstagram.com/100optical
• TikToktiktok.com/@100optical

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 100% Optical