Elcyo Selected for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "ICT Startup League”
We are pleased to announce that Elcyo has been selected for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' startup support initiative, the ICT Startup League, in recognition of our business's social impact and innovation (out of 347 applications, 41 were selected).
In addition, Elcyo has also been selected for the "Business Promotion Course" of the Kyoto Economic Gardening Support Enhancement Project, organized by the Kyoto Industry 21 Foundation.
With the backing of these two initiatives, Elcyo will accelerate the development of our "Autofocus Glasses" to address the challenges faced by people with presbyopia and eye diseases, striving to achieve our mission of "improving people's health through their eyes.”
Tackling the Challenges of an Aging Society and Increasing Eye Disease
In Japan, the world's most rapidly aging society, it is estimated that over 70% of the population suffers from presbyopia, with around 42 million people using glasses to manage this condition. Presbyopia makes it difficult to switch focus between near and far objects, forcing individuals to either use multiple pairs of glasses or rely on bifocals. However, frequently switching glasses can be inconvenient, and using glasses with an incorrect prescription can worsen presbyopia. Additionally, bifocals can narrow the field of vision, increasing the risk of falls, and potentially accelerating the progression of dementia due to impaired vision.
These issues are not limited to presbyopia but also affect those with cataracts or pediatric amblyopia. Cataracts, which cloud the eye's lens with age, affect nearly all individuals over 80. Most cataract patients use single-focus intraocular lenses, which only focus on one point, necessitating multiple pairs of glasses. Similarly, children with amblyopia require glasses that perfectly match their current vision, but frequent changes in their vision mean that multiple pairs of glasses are often needed during treatment.
Currently, there are no comprehensive solutions for the challenges related to selecting and switching glasses for presbyopia and eye diseases, leaving many people to navigate daily life with significant inconvenience.
Focus Areas Following These Selections
We plan to accelerate the development of a prototype for our "manually adjustable focus glasses," controlled via smartphone. This includes improving lens quality, enhancing the user interface, and refining the design to create a product that users can experience firsthand.
Looking forward, we will also work on developing eye-sensing technology and eye movement data analysis in preparation for future autofocus glasses. By integrating these technologies into our autofocus glasses, we aim to enable the prevention and diagnosis of eye diseases and other health conditions.
We're Hiring!
Elcyo is expanding its team as we intensify our efforts in the research and development of smart glasses equipped with liquid crystal lenses. We are particularly interested in individuals with expertise in liquid crystal element development, manufacturing partnerships, and software development. International applicants are also highly encouraged to apply!
If you’re interested, please feel free to reach out to us:
Email：contact@elcyo.co.jp
LinkedIn：https://www.linkedin.com/company/elcyo-co-ltd
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/Elcyo.Co.Ltd
X（formerly Twitter）：https://twitter.com/elcyo_glasses
[Click here for the full release (in Japanese)]