Hey everyone, Nuked here! Let’s dive into how technology is transforming eye care with a splash of fun.

Meet Eyebot, a clever startup that offers a lightning-fast vision test kiosk, giving quick, doctor-verified glasses prescriptions in just 90 seconds. Founded in 2021 and based in Boston, it aims to make eye care easy and accessible, sidestepping traditional hurdles like waiting times, insurance hassles, and costs.

These kiosks are popping up everywhere—from malls and universities to grocery stores, airports, and pharmacies—making eye exams as simple as a quick walk-by. The test is free, and each one generates a prescription reviewed by licensed eye doctors, so you know it’s legit and reliable.

Eyebot just secured a hefty $20 million in Series A funding, boosting its total to over $30 million. Since their seed round in June 2024, they’ve performed over 45,000 free vision tests, with plans to hit half a million annually soon. CEO Matthias Hofmann shares that they’ve gone from piloting to partnering with major US companies, scaling rapidly, and seeing real proof that their model works.

What makes Eyebot stand out? It’s the combination of speedy service and medical trust. Every test is supervised by doctors—if any unusual results pop up, patients are sent for full in-person exams. This blend of convenience and safety builds trust among users, especially parents with kids who can stop in, get tested, and leave with a new prescription in minutes.

Early skeptics doubted the accuracy of these quick tests, but that doubt eased once providers saw experienced doctors reviewing results. Eyebot is in the early stages of commercialization—offering free tests, with prescriptions verified for a fee, as well as leasing kiosks to retailers and practices. With its latest funding, it plans to expand kiosk deployment and grow its team across product development, clinical, and sales areas.

Leading the funding round are General Catalyst, AlleyCorp, Baukunst, and several other venture investors. The startup aims to enhance access further by leasing kiosks and demonstrating that tech-driven eye care can be both reliable and widely adopted.