On December 3, on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Louis Braille Campus officially opened its doors in the Duroc district, in the 7th arrondissement, in Paris. This center, dedicated to research, innovation and training, is welcoming 10 start-ups this January who will benefit from its support to develop technologies serving visually impaired people.
Directed by Thibaut de Martimprey, the campus was inaugurated at the National Institute for Young Blind People (INJA), one of its founding members with the associations ApiDV (Support, Promote, Integrate the Visually Impaired), AVH (Association Valentin Haüy) and See together.
Inspired by the legacy of Louis Braille, inventor of the famous tactile code, designed as a learning and accessibility hub, it brings together start-ups, researchers, students and people affected by visual disabilities to work together to the development of concrete solutions promoting autonomy and improving the daily lives of visually impaired or blind people.
The first 10 incubated start-ups
Among the 25 applications received, ten structures were selected to join the incubator. Their projects illustrate the campus’ mission: transforming the lives of people with visual impairments through innovation.
- GiveVision : A helmet optimizing residual vision for a better experience during sporting and cultural events;
- Connect by Ezymob : An all-in-one mobile application aimed at facilitating access to culture, leisure and sport in more than 40 cities in France;
- AlterMassage and LudAccess : AlterMassage trains for several professions: ergonomic massages, health prevention, sales and business management. Its LudAccess service develops a specific offer to make video games and escape games accessible;
- Virtuoz by FeelObject : Tactile and voice maps for autonomous navigation in the environment;
- All Services Access (ASA France) : Audio description for live shows;
- Touch2See : A touchscreen tablet with audio description to follow sports live;
- Artha France : A mini-camera fixed on glasses connected to a haptic lumbar belt which generates micro-pressures, allowing you to feel the environment in a tactile way;
- Sonar Vision : Ultra precise guidance via geolocation;
- Deritech : A device designed to improve the accessibility of embossed documents. It consists of a tactile surface on which rests an interchangeable embossed document;
- Go Sens : Improved mobility with a technological white cane that detects obstacles.
These companies will benefit from coworking equipment, collective workshops and targeted mentoring to accelerate their growth. New start-ups should be selected in March.
-A partnership with Sorbonne University
The Louis Braille Campus has also signed a strategic partnership with the Sorbonne University. This collaboration aims to develop research projects to remove barriers to inclusion in higher education. The objective is to combine academic excellence and accessibility, while making university practices more inclusive.
Allow people with visual disabilities to be fully involved on campus
Blind and visually impaired people play a central role in this initiative. By sharing their expertise and life experience, they help to co-create adapted solutions and change mentalities. Panels of testers will be formed to evaluate the products in development, making the innovation process even more participatory.
Economic and societal potential
With the global population of visually impaired people likely to double within 50 years (650 million according to the WHO), the development of inclusive technologies is emerging as a high-impact strategy. The Louis Braille Campus emphasizes that inclusion is not only a social responsibility, but also a major economic opportunity. Incubated start-ups do not only aim to fill a need, but to sustainably transform society.
