Laclarée and the EIC Accelerator: Autofocus Glasses for Presbyopia

Laclarée, founded in Lyon in May 2016 by the scientist Bruno Berge, now its chief scientific officer, develops eyeglasses for presbyopia whose lenses contain a liquid and an ultra-thin membrane that an actuator in the temple deforms, guided by distance sensors in the frame, so that focus adjusts automatically to what the wearer looks at. Its EIC Accelerator project, I-SEE, "Innovative Solution of Electro-Focus Eyeglasses", receives an EU contribution of €2,499,999 and runs from December 2024 to November 2026, according to CORDIS. It was to take the product to market: miniaturisation, frame design, reliability testing, CE marking, an assembly line and sales tools, with first sales in France.

Before the project, the report says, a first generation reached TRL 6 to 7, was tested in an exploratory clinical study with the Saint-Étienne university hospital on 40 patients in 2021, and about 400 people tried the prototype, according to CORDIS. During the project, Laclarée froze the definition of its first product, Gamma, in February 2025, with time-of-flight sensors, a response time under one second and a 20 mm variable zone for near vision; completed the frame design in April 2025; and set the subsystem requirements in June 2025. In January 2025 it announced a €3.5 million equity round with the eye-care investor Rimonci Capital as a new shareholder, according to Acuité.

Where Laclarée Stands Now

In October 2025 Laclarée appointed Franck Leclere, a former general manager France and Benelux at the De Rigo eyewear group, as chief executive to prepare the commercial launch "scheduled for 2026", according to Minalogic. The target has moved: mid-2026 in January 2025, then autumn 2026 "first at a few partner opticians" in November 2025, according to Viva Villeurbanne. No sale or CE marking has been announced. Laclarée booked its first revenue, €54,500, in 2024, with a net loss of €754,323, according to its filed accounts.

The Technology: Lenses That Change Shape

Presbyopia affects everyone from about 45, and 20% of progressive lens wearers suffer heavy discomfort from a narrow field of view, distortion or poor ergonomics, the EIC report says. Laclarée's lenses include the wearer's prescription for myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism and add variable near correction. Opticians can let customers try a trial frame, and the glasses can be recalibrated as presbyopia progresses. The design places batteries at the temple ends and runs wires between the temples, which shows how much hardware must fit into a normal-looking frame.

What the EIC Award Promised, and What the Record Shows

The project runs to November 2026, so it is too early to judge it. Design and specification milestones from the first half are documented. The deliverables that define success, CE marking, an assembly line and the first product in opticians' shops, have not been announced two months before the end.

1. Product definitionFrozenFebruary 2025.
2. Frame designCompletedApril 2025.
3. CE markingNot announcedNo public record.
4. First sales in FranceSlippingMid to late 2026.

The Money

The EIC grant and the €3.5 million round give Laclarée about €6 million for its launch. The award was blended finance, but no EIC Fund investment has been announced. The 2024 loss was 14 times the year's revenue.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

The report counts 340 million people over 45 in Europe, all of whom face presbyopia. A European alternative to progressive lenses would serve a large and ageing workforce, but only once the product ships.

The Verdict

Laclarée and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.