EssilorLuxottica, a France-based global designer, manufacturer and distributer of advanced vision care products, eyewear and med-tech solutions, has acquired Switzerland-based Ikerian, a health tech company, operating under the RetinAI brand, specialising in AI and data management in eyecare. The move adds advanced software powered by machine learning and computer vision to EssilorLuxottica’s med-tech journey with solutions streamlining clinical, research and pharmaceutical workflows, and delivering actionable AI-driven insights that empower healthcare professionals and enhance patient care.
“We are ushering in a new era of healthcare, and it will be transformative for patients everywhere,” said Francesco Milleri, chairman and CEO at EssilorLuxottica. “Leveraging [RetinAI’s] AI-powered analytics, we can turn clinical data into insights that enable faster, more accurate diagnoses and more effective disease monitoring.”
It is the latest acquisition in a busy year for EssilorLuxottica that has seen it acquire Pulse Audition, a French startup delivering AI-based noise reduction and voice enhancement; the Canadian start-up Cellview Imaging, a specialist in retinal imaging; one of the largest optical companies in Malaysia operating under the A-Look, Seen and OWL banners; the South Korean company PUcore’s division dedicated to the development, manufacturing and sale of ophthalmic lens materials; Belgium-based Automation & Robotics (A&R); and the major acquisition of Optegra.
Sharper vision
RetinAI develops advanced tools to collect, process and grade large-scale retinal images and biomarker datasets. It also partners with pharmaceutical companies and research organisations that leverage proprietary real-world evidence to accelerate clinical studies and drug development.
“This acquisition opens an exciting new chapter for our team and technology,” said Carlos Ciller, PhD chairman and CEO of RetinAI / Ikerian AG. “Together, we’ll shape how technology drives better healthcare, sharper vision, and improved outcomes for patients.”
In October 2024, Ikerian raised US$8m in a Series B led by new investor, Sanoptis, with participation from existing investors the THINC Ventures arm of Topcon Healthcare, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) and Verve Ventures. Earlier in 2024, it closed its US$6.18m Series A extension financing led by strategic investor the Corporate Venture Capital arm of Topcon Healthcare. The first close in 2023 added ZKB as a new investor alongside existing Seed and Series A venture firms, the btov Industrial Technologies fund, managed by Matterwave Ventures, Verve Ventures, and private investors.
Press release: EssilorLuxottica acquires RetinAI, accelerating transformative AI and data-powered eye health solutions