Vision Expo West, produced by RX and The Vision Council (TVC), in partnership with VSP Vision and health care innovation hub Matter, has announced the six finalists for the 2025 VSP Vision Innovation Challenge. This global competition seeks to advance new solutions aimed at enhancing both provider and patient experiences in eye care.

The cohort includes three early-stage and three later-stage companies, which will participate in a four-week startup bootcamp from Aug. 11 to Sept. 5. The program will provide mentorship and resources to help the startups refine their business strategies and solutions. Finalists will present their technologies live on stage during Vision Expo West, taking place Sept. 17-20 at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas.

Vision Expo West will introduce Launchpad as an exhibition showcase for 28 emerging companies, including the Vision Innovation Challenge finalists. Launchpad aims to highlight new diagnostic devices, treatment technologies, software solutions, and retail innovations poised to impact the future of vision care.

Early-stage finalists will have the opportunity to compete for a $400,000 investment from Topcon Healthcare Inc.'s venture capital arm, Thinc Ventures.

2025 Startup Cohort

Later-Stage Finalists:

• Remidio (Glen Allen, VA): Artificial intelligence-powered hardware and software solutions providing remote eye care and overall health monitoring.

• Vivid Vision (San Francisco, CA): Virtual reality-based vision therapy for conditions such as amblyopia and strabismus.

• Reyedar (Groningen, Netherlands): Eye tracking AI designed for early detection of glaucoma, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

Early-Stage Finalists:

• Vitazi.ai (Santa Fe, NM): AI-driven decision support platform for early detection of diseases through retinal imaging.

• Soliddd (New York, NY): Augmented reality glasses for macular degeneration, aiming to restore full-field vision.

• Muse AI (Richardson, TX): AI-powered eyewear recommendation platform for optometrists and eyewear retailers.

“The VSP Vision Innovation Challenge showcases the future of eye care by elevating bold, next-generation ideas that have the power to elevate the industry,” says TVC CEO Ashley Mills. “With the debut of Launchpad at Vision Expo West, we’re strengthening our commitment to innovation, giving startups a dedicated platform to shine and bringing their disruptive technologies directly to the industry’s doorstep.”

The VSP Vision Innovation Challenge Awards will take place on Thursday, Sept. 18, from 4-5:30 p.m. on the Main Stage at Vision Expo West. The event will feature live presentations from the finalists, culminating in the announcement of the 2025 Challenge winner.