{"id":18355,"date":"2026-09-04T11:35:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T09:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/2023-en\/interview-with-perceptec-making-eye-diagnostics-more-efficient-and-more-accessible\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T11:35:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T09:35:45","slug":"interview-with-perceptec-making-eye-diagnostics-more-efficient-and-more-accessible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/2026\/interview-with-perceptec-making-eye-diagnostics-more-efficient-and-more-accessible\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Perceptec: \u201cMaking Eye Diagnostics More Efficient and More Accessible\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

The eye exam as we know it today has hardly changed in over 100 years. Bulky equip\u00adment, ded\u00adi\u00adcated exam rooms, and time-con\u00adsum\u00ading pro\u00adce\u00addures char\u00adac\u00adter\u00adize tra\u00addi\u00adtional eye diag\u00adnos\u00adtics. One per\u00adson who knows these processes not only from the per\u00adspec\u00adtive of a founder but also from every\u00adday expe\u00adri\u00adence is Dr. Markus Leicht. As an optometrist, he knows where the lim\u00adi\u00adta\u00adtions of the tra\u00addi\u00adtional eye exam lie. This is exactly where PERCEPTEC GmbH<\/a> comes in: The Jena-based medtech startup aims to rethink the eye exam using mod\u00adern 3D dis\u00adplay tech\u00adnol\u00adogy and an inno\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive test\u00ading con\u00adcept. In this inter\u00adview, Dr. Markus Leicht dis\u00adcusses the idea behind PERCEPTEC<\/a>, the devel\u00adop\u00adment of the tech\u00adnol\u00adogy, and the jour\u00adney from the ini\u00adtial vision to a func\u00adtional prototype. <\/p>\n

You are digitizing and automating eye diagnostics. What specific problem are you trying to solve with this? <\/strong><\/h4>\n

We are cur\u00adrently devel\u00adop\u00ading a vir\u00adtual eye exam that can effi\u00adciently deter\u00admine refrac\u00adtive errors. Such an eye exam is a key diag\u00adnos\u00adtic pro\u00adce\u00addure per\u00adformed by an optometrist or oph\u00adthal\u00admol\u00ado\u00adgist, the results of which lead to a pre\u00adscrip\u00adtion for glasses, con\u00adtact lenses, or pos\u00adsi\u00adbly even laser eye surgery. Tra\u00addi\u00adtional eye diag\u00adnos\u00adtics cur\u00adrently fol\u00adlow a two-step process: First, ini\u00adtial val\u00adues are auto\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcally deter\u00admined using a mea\u00adsur\u00ading device. These val\u00adues then serve as the start\u00ading point for sub\u00adjec\u00adtive refrac\u00adtion, dur\u00ading which a spe\u00adcial\u00adist presents the patient with var\u00adi\u00adous test lenses and asks them about their sub\u00adjec\u00adtive visual impression\u2014that is, whether they see bet\u00adter or worse with a par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar lens. In this way, a struc\u00adtured trial-and-error method is used to deter\u00admine the appro\u00adpri\u00adate cor\u00adrec\u00adtion to com\u00adpen\u00adsate for the refrac\u00adtive error. It is pre\u00adcisely this com\u00adpli\u00adcated process that we aim to replace, so that eye diag\u00adnos\u00adtics can be per\u00adformed more effi\u00adciently and quickly and offered in a sim\u00adpler and more wide\u00adspread manner. <\/p>\n

What is your solution?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Our solu\u00adtion con\u00adsists of two key com\u00adpo\u00adnents: First, we use state-of-the-art 3D dis\u00adplay tech\u00adnol\u00adogy to shift the eye exam from the real world to a vir\u00adtual space. The device is about the size of a shoe\u00adbox; the user looks through two eye\u00adpieces into the device and sees a vir\u00adtual space that allows test objects to be dis\u00adplayed real\u00adis\u00adti\u00adcally at both near and far dis\u00adtances. Within this vir\u00adtual space, we have devel\u00adoped a test\u00ading pro\u00adce\u00addure that no longer exam\u00adines the eye and its refrac\u00adtive error as a whole, but rather deter\u00admines the refrac\u00adtive error step by step in dif\u00adfer\u00adent sec\u00adtions of the eye, like indi\u00advid\u00adual pieces of a puz\u00adzle. The indi\u00advid\u00adual com\u00adpo\u00adnents are then assem\u00adbled using an algo\u00adrithm to deter\u00admine the eye\u2019s spe\u00adcific refrac\u00adtive error. This makes the test\u00ading pro\u00adce\u00addure very fast, sim\u00adple, and capa\u00adble of being per\u00adformed inde\u00adpen\u00addently by the per\u00adson being examined. <\/p>\n

We are cur\u00adrently work\u00ading on addi\u00adtional fea\u00adtures designed to improve the user expe\u00adri\u00adence of the vision test. Specif\u00adi\u00adcally: a hap\u00adtic input device tai\u00adlored to the test con\u00adcept, as well as auto\u00admated, voice-con\u00adtrolled user inter\u00adac\u00adtion. In the future, we plan to opti\u00admize our test algo\u00adrithm using anonymized health data in com\u00adpli\u00adance with legal require\u00adments, mak\u00ading the vision test even faster and more accu\u00adrate. This is a very excit\u00ading time for us right now. <\/p>\n

Who benefits from this product?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

First and fore\u00admost, the end con\u00adsumer should ben\u00ade\u00adfit from the prod\u00aduct. That includes all peo\u00adple with vision impair\u00adments worldwide\u2014a total of 2.2 bil\u00adlion peo\u00adple. Of these, only 36% world\u00adwide have access to appro\u00adpri\u00adate diag\u00adnos\u00adtic ser\u00advices. Cer\u00adtainly, the sup\u00adply sit\u00adu\u00ada\u00adtion in Ger\u00admany is more favor\u00adable, yet even in Ger\u00admany there are gaps in care, par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlarly in rural areas. <\/p>\n

To ensure that our vision test is acces\u00adsi\u00adble to peo\u00adple with vision prob\u00adlems, we are tar\u00adget\u00ading estab\u00adlished providers in the first phase: opti\u00adcians, oph\u00adthal\u00admol\u00ado\u00adgists, and occu\u00adpa\u00adtional health physi\u00adcians alike. Spe\u00adcial\u00adists in par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar are cur\u00adrently very busy, and patients some\u00adtimes have to wait a long time for an appoint\u00adment. Our solu\u00adtion offers the abil\u00adity to quickly and accu\u00adrately diag\u00adnose vision prob\u00adlems. What pre\u00advi\u00adously took about 15 to 20 min\u00adutes can now be com\u00adpleted in a five-minute exam\u00adi\u00adna\u00adtion using our tech\u00adnol\u00adogy. Ini\u00adtial val\u00adi\u00adda\u00adtion shows that our vision test not only matches the cur\u00adrent gold stan\u00addard for pre\u00adci\u00adsion and reli\u00ada\u00adbil\u00adity but may even be supe\u00adrior, even at this early pro\u00adto\u00adtype stage. This is, of course, also of inter\u00adest to opticians\u2014especially large chain stores that want to stream\u00adline their tightly sched\u00aduled work\u00adflows. But even smaller opti\u00adcal shops can ben\u00ade\u00adfit, for exam\u00adple, by flex\u00adi\u00adbly address\u00ading staff short\u00adages or han\u00addling peak demand on week\u00adends. We also see great poten\u00adtial for occu\u00adpa\u00adtional health physi\u00adcians who must trans\u00adport heavy and bulky equip\u00adment from one loca\u00adtion to the next to per\u00adform a wide range of tests. Thanks to its com\u00adpact design, our sys\u00adtem offers a whole new level of flex\u00adi\u00adbil\u00adity in use. Because it is auto\u00admated and can there\u00adfore be used inde\u00adpen\u00addently, the vision test can be con\u00adceived as a low-bar\u00adrier, wide\u00adspread ser\u00advice offered at a later stage to com\u00adple\u00adment exist\u00ading health\u00adcare services\u2014for exam\u00adple, in drug\u00adstores, phar\u00adma\u00adcies, or sim\u00adi\u00adlar loca\u00adtions in both urban and rural areas. <\/p>\n

Where did you turn first with your business idea?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The idea orig\u00adi\u00adnated as part of my doc\u00adtoral dis\u00adser\u00adta\u00adtion, which was com\u00adpleted through a col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtive Ph.D. pro\u00adgram at TU Ilme\u00adnau and EAH Jena in part\u00adner\u00adship with a com\u00adpany work\u00ading on 3D dis\u00adplays in the auto\u00admo\u00adtive sec\u00adtor. At that time, I had already con\u00adsid\u00adered the pos\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adity that this tech\u00adnol\u00adogy could also be applied to diag\u00adnos\u00adtic appli\u00adca\u00adtions. After com\u00adplet\u00ading my doc\u00adtor\u00adate, I sought out col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtors and con\u00adtin\u00adued to develop the con\u00adcept together with Dr. Ilka Urban and Nico Trinks. Ini\u00adtially, we received sup\u00adport from the \u201cREAHLIZE\u201d project at EAH Jena, which pro\u00advided us with both ini\u00adtial fund\u00ading and access to space in the StartUpLab. <\/p>\n

How was the startup ecosystem in Thuringia able to help?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Thuringian Startup Grant, which we received in 2023, was incred\u00adi\u00adbly impor\u00adtant to us. Thanks to that sup\u00adport, we were finan\u00adcially secure for over a year and were able to focus entirely on our project. In May 2024, we founded our com\u00adpany, PERCEPTEC GmbH. <\/p>\n

How did bm|t get involved? <\/strong><\/h4>\n

By pro\u00adfes\u00adsion\u00adal\u00adiz\u00ading the company\u2019s struc\u00adtures and processes, com\u00adplet\u00ading fur\u00adther devel\u00adop\u00adment steps toward a first func\u00adtional pro\u00adto\u00adtype, and refin\u00ading our busi\u00adness model, we were able to secure bm|t, Sparkasse Jena-Saale-Hol\u00adz\u00adland, and other busi\u00adness angels as investors in our com\u00adpany. In this seed round, we not only received finan\u00adcial sup\u00adport but also gained valu\u00adable tech\u00adni\u00adcal exper\u00adtise that has helped us make progress in var\u00adi\u00adous areas. In addi\u00adtion, a project pro\u00adposal with a sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant fund\u00ading amount was approved under the FTI Th\u00fcrin\u00adgen Tech\u00adnolo\u00adgie fund\u00ading pro\u00adgram. These funds have enabled us to expand our team to six employ\u00adees and to fur\u00adther develop and val\u00adi\u00addate our inno\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive product. <\/p>\n

What is the current situation?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

We cur\u00adrently have a multi-award-win\u00adning, fully func\u00adtional pro\u00adto\u00adtype that is already deliv\u00ader\u00ading very promis\u00ading results at this stage. A Ger\u00adman patent appli\u00adca\u00adtion was filed in 2025, and an inter\u00adna\u00adtional PCT appli\u00adca\u00adtion has been pend\u00ading since 2026. Addi\u00adtional patent appli\u00adca\u00adtions are in the works. The team has devel\u00adoped into a strong unit, and the com\u00adpany is gen\u00ader\u00adat\u00ading its first sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcant rev\u00adenue. Fur\u00adther\u00admore, we are cur\u00adrently in dis\u00adcus\u00adsions with strate\u00adgic part\u00adners and are seek\u00ading addi\u00adtional strong part\u00adners to pre\u00adpare for mar\u00adket entry with a long-term perspective. <\/p>\n

We are cur\u00adrently prepar\u00ading another round of fund\u00ading for 2027 to move from the pro\u00adto\u00adtype to pre-pro\u00adduc\u00adtion and enter the mar\u00adket. If you are inter\u00adested in a more in-depth dis\u00adcus\u00adsion, please feel free to con\u00adtact<\/a> us. <\/p>\n

What is your vision for the future?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The pace at which new tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies are emerg\u00ading today is breath\u00adtak\u00ading. We\u2019d like to do our part. Cur\u00adrently, our focus is on a test\u00ading method for the effi\u00adcient detec\u00adtion of vision impair\u00adments. At the same time, there are many other diag\u00adnos\u00adtic meth\u00adods in the fields of optom\u00ade\u00adtry and oph\u00adthal\u00admol\u00adogy that can be reimagined\u2014always with the goal of mak\u00ading eye diag\u00adnos\u00adtics more effi\u00adcient and more accessible. <\/p>\n

Thank you very much for the interview. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

[The inter\u00adview with Markus Leicht was con\u00adducted by Tina Zim\u00admer\u00admann of the Th\u00fcringer Auf\u00adbaubank<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this inter\u00adview, Dr. Markus Leicht\u2014co-founder of the medtech com\u00adpany Per\u00adceptec GmbH\u2014explains how they plan to rev\u00ado\u00adlu\u00adtion\u00adize eye exams using mod\u00adern 3D dis\u00adplay tech\u00adnol\u00adogy and an inno\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtive test\u00ading concept. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18356,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[288],"tags":[176,177,229,210,159,168,171],"class_list":["post-18355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-288","tag-bm-t-en","tag-bmt-en","tag-interview-en","tag-investeepartner","tag-investment-en","tag-startup-fonds-en","tag-thuringia"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18355\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bm-t.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}