Eyebot gets $20M Series A to boost to expand eye care access

Eyebot, a startup offering a 90-second vision test kiosk that delivers doctor-verified glasses prescriptions, has secured $20 million in Series A funding.

The Boston-based startup, founded in 2021, streamlines how people access vision care by eliminating traditional obstacles, such as appointment delays, limited accessibility, complex insurance requirements, and cost.

Its kiosks, already found in malls, universities, retail stores, pharmacies, grocery chains, schools, and airports, deliver a free, 90-second vision test. According to the company, each test generates a prescription that is then reviewed and approved by licensed eye doctors, ensuring fast, convenient, and reliable prescriptions.

The new funding, which brings Eyebot’s total funding to more than $30 million, comes roughly a year after the startup raised its seed round in June 2024. Since then, the startup has conducted more than 45,000 free vision tests and is on track to deliver over half a million annually, it says.

“Since our seed round, the shift has been dramatic. We’ve gone from piloting to partnering with some of the largest companies in the U.S., launching kiosks all over the country, and delivering tens of thousands of vision tests,” Matthias Hofmann, co-founder and CEO of Eyebot, told TechCrunch. “Revenue is scaling and our team has doubled in size. Most importantly, we’ve proven the model works: people are using Eyebot, doctors are validating the results, and retailers are excited about the traffic it drives.”

What sets Eyebot apart, Hofmann said, is its combination of convenience and medical assurance. Every test is reviewed by a doctor, and all prescriptions are issued under clinical supervision. If test results indicate anything unusual, patients are referred for in-person, comprehensive exams. That balance of speed plus clinical oversight earns trust, he says.

“At our mall locations, we’ve seen surprising uptake from parents with kids,” Hofmann said. “They’ll stop between stores, try Eyebot — sometimes even while holding their kids’ hands — and leave with a prescription in just a couple of minutes.”

Convincing traditional eye care providers to embrace a tech-first approach has proven difficult. Early skepticism ran deep: doctors worried about accuracy, while patients questioned whether a process so fast could be reliable, according to Hofmann. He says that hesitancy eased once providers learned that experience doctors review every result, many with more than a decade of experience.

Eyebot is in the early phases of commercialization. Its vision test is offered free to consumers, and if a prescription is needed, one of the company’s doctors verifies it for a fee. Additionally, the company leases its kiosks to optical retailers, eyewear brands, and independent practices.

With the Series A, the company plans to scale kiosk deployment and expand its team across product, clinical operations, and commercial growth, the CEO said.

The latest round was led by General Catalyst and included participation from returning investors AlleyCorp, Baukunst, Village Global, Humba Venture, Ravelin, and Ubiquity Ventures.