Ocumeda wins CHF 150,000 to build a telemedicine network providing easy access to eye care
21.10.2022
Due to demographical changes, eye diseases will increase by 35% within the next 10 years. However, the number of ophthalmologists will remain stable or even decrease. Even today, it is difficult for patients to get easy access to eye care. In some areas, patients wait more than six months for an appointment. In addition, approximately 75% of the population has not seen an eye doctor in the last three to five years. Statistically, 10-15% of the population suffers from eye conditions, implying a large number of potentially undetected, sight-threatening eye diseases.
 The Ocumeda team
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Ocumeda preserves human eyesight through excellent telemedical eye care that is technology-driven and based on strong partnerships. The startup offers easy access to eye care with its fully integrated telemedical service. Examinations are assessed by board-certified ophthalmologists who are connected to Ocumeda’s telemedicine platform. In parallel, Ocumeda develops medical AI products that help assess examinations faster and more accurately decode the human eye. The startup supports its patients along the whole patient journey, starting with initial screenings, referrals and appointments with local eye doctors, and regular checkups.
Due to the global pandemic, telemedicine grew in popularity and acceptance. The Ocumeda-platform is cloud-based and offers eye care services through B2B partners such as opticians, pharmacies, general practitioners, corporate health prevention programs, and elderly homes. For instance, there are approximately 35,000 opticians and pharmacies available as potential partners for the service. In the DACH region, which comprises approximately 100 million people, more than 50 million people are age 40+ or have relevant medical pre-conditions like diabetes and are thus potential Ocumeda customers.
The startup will use the CHF 150,000 Venture Kick award to enhance the offerings for connected ophthalmologists on their telemedical platform and roll out their eye screening service in Switzerland and Germany.
The Ocumeda founding team consists of Dr. Jörg-Christian Kirr and Prof. Dr. Marcel N. Menke, both ophthalmologists with strong backgrounds in telemedicine and retinal diagnostics, Dr. Christoph Haarburger, who has a background in medical image computing and priorly build up a teleradiology startup, and Benedikt Wiechers who has a background in strategic consulting and previously led a startup accelerator program.
“In the future, Ocumeda's innovative AI developments have the potential to support physicians in diagnosing and treating eye conditions and systemic diseases at an early stage,” said Prof. Dr. Marcel Menke.
Benedikt Wiechers added “Venture Kick is a fantastic program that helped us to accelerate our activities through to-the-point coaching, a valuable network, and strong recognition. The provided funding enabled us to bring our telemedical platform to the next level and rebrand to Ocumeda. We are grateful for the valuable support.”
The Ocumeda team (clockwise from top left): Benedikt Wiechers, Dr. Christoph Haarburger, Prof. Dr. med. Marcel Menke, and Dr. med. Jörg-Christian Kirr.
Due to the global pandemic, telemedicine grew in popularity and acceptance. The Ocumeda-platform is cloud-based and offers eye care services through B2B partners such as opticians, pharmacies, general practitioners, corporate health prevention programs, and elderly homes. For instance, there are approximately 35,000 opticians and pharmacies available as potential partners for the service. In the DACH region, which comprises approximately 100 million people, more than 50 million people are age 40+ or have relevant medical pre-conditions like diabetes and are thus potential Ocumeda customers.
The startup will use the CHF 150,000 Venture Kick award to enhance the offerings for connected ophthalmologists on their telemedical platform and roll out their eye screening service in Switzerland and Germany.
The Ocumeda founding team consists of Dr. Jörg-Christian Kirr and Prof. Dr. Marcel N. Menke, both ophthalmologists with strong backgrounds in telemedicine and retinal diagnostics, Dr. Christoph Haarburger, who has a background in medical image computing and priorly build up a teleradiology startup, and Benedikt Wiechers who has a background in strategic consulting and previously led a startup accelerator program.
“In the future, Ocumeda's innovative AI developments have the potential to support physicians in diagnosing and treating eye conditions and systemic diseases at an early stage,” said Prof. Dr. Marcel Menke.
Benedikt Wiechers added “Venture Kick is a fantastic program that helped us to accelerate our activities through to-the-point coaching, a valuable network, and strong recognition. The provided funding enabled us to bring our telemedical platform to the next level and rebrand to Ocumeda. We are grateful for the valuable support.”
The Ocumeda team (clockwise from top left): Benedikt Wiechers, Dr. Christoph Haarburger, Prof. Dr. med. Marcel Menke, and Dr. med. Jörg-Christian Kirr.