.lumen (DOTLUMEN) has announced the successful closure of a €5 million investment round, led by Catalyst Romania, aimed at bringing the Glasses for the Blind to market and advancing the Pedestrian Autonomous Driving (PAD AI) technology.
This milestone investment, also includes participation from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, Tigrim Capital, and a €1 million crowdfunding component facilitated by SeedBlink, raised in a record-breaking seven hours.
With the first generation of .lumen Glasses undergoing regulatory testing and expected to launch in Europe within a few months, and the second generation already in development, this investment round will support market entry activities across Europe while paving the way for expansion into the USA and other international markets.
“This investment round brings so much competence onboard, from experienced investors that can help the next growth phase of the company. Just a few years ago I started this company with the purpose of helping people. Now, Catalyst Romania and EIC Fund, among other great investors, are joining our vision. We are also very proud to keep this company a product of Romanian and European Innovation, and the selection of investors proves just that” – Cornel Amariei – Founder & CEO of .lumen.
“We at Catalyst Romania are proud to lead this important investment round of €5 million into one of the most innovative, socially impactful, and highly recognized Romanian technology startups, dotLumen. It is our mission to support such breakthrough and visionary technologies from Romania and Eastern Europe, and to back great teams from the region such as the Cluj based team of dotLumen led by founder Cornel Amariei” said Marius Ghenea, Managing Partner of Catalyst Romania.
Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board, said: “The unique form of financing via EIC – combining grants and equity – is proving itself highly attractive to Europe’s most promising start-ups. We are delighted with the EIC Fund’s investment in .lumen, an innovative company pushing the boundaries of Pedestrian Autonomous Driving technology. We believe in their tremendous potential of their technology and are excited to support their growth and development.”
“We at Tigrim are incredibly proud to join .lumen’s mission to reimagine pedestrian mobility and enable more inclusive futures. Their pioneering Pedestrian Autonomous Driving technology not only empowers the visually impaired, but also has the potential to reshape urban navigation for everyone. This aligns perfectly with our commitment to invest in breakthrough innovations that drive positive global impact. We look forward to supporting .lumen as they scale their vision across Europe and beyond.” – Johan Törnqvist, CEO at Tigrim.
“Raising €1 million for .lumen in just 7 hours via SeedBlink stands as a testament for the power of innovation and a shared belief in a brighter future. Championing .lumen’s groundbreaking work celebrates European ingenuity and the profound social impact of their technology—both core to our mission. It’s an honour and a privilege to support .lumen’s team as they scale and build a lasting legacy of progress and inclusivity for generations to come.” said Andrei Dudoiu, CEO at SeedBlink.
.lumen is the research start-up which builds Pedestrian Autonomous Driving (PAD AI), first showcased in the Glasses for the Blind. Founded by Cornel Amariei, inspired by his family – all of them having disabilities, the Glasses replicate the main features of the Guide Dog, and more, in a scalable product. The same software coordinating the Glasses, called PAD AI, will allow humanoid robotics to navigate pedestrian environments.