Altris AI and Captify Win 2026 VSP Vision Innovation Challenge at Vision Expo
Tuesday, March 17 2026 | 14 h 35 min | News
Vision Expo, produced by RX and The Vision Council in collaboration with VSP Vision™, has announced the winners of the 2026 VSP Vision Innovation Challenge, revealed live on March 13 at the show’s Innovation Stage in Orlando.
Following a four-week startup bootcamp and live pitches from four high-growth companies, Altris AI was named the Judge’s Winner. The company was recognized for its clinical impact, technological sophistication, and potential to transform the eyecare experience.
Captify received the Audience Choice Award, based on votes from Vision Expo attendees. The company was recognized for the strong response its smart eyewear solution generated among eyecare professionals on the show floor.
According to organizers, this year’s finalists reflected a broad range of technologies reshaping vision care, from AI-driven diagnostics and exam automation to digital education and accessibility-focused smart solutions.
Altris AI offers a clinical-grade SaaS platform designed to act as a “second set of eyes” for eyecare specialists. The company says its platform can identify more than 70 retinal biomarkers from OCT scans, helping providers match patients to appropriate treatments, devices, and clinical trials.
Captify, meanwhile, has developed prescription-ready, AI-enabled smart eyewear that provides real-time captioning for patients with hearing loss. The company positions the technology as a tool that can help independent optometrists offer accessibility-focused solutions that improve communication and quality of life.
The two other finalists were Alchemy Vision, a subscription-based digital training platform for eyecare teams, and EyeCareX, an AI platform founded by an optometrist that aims to automate and standardize core components of the optometric exam.
In addition to pitching live, finalists also exhibited in Vision Expo’s new Innovation Center, a dedicated space for emerging technologies featuring more than 20 startups working in areas including artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and advanced diagnostics.
The selected early-stage startups may also have the opportunity to secure a $400,000 investment from Topcon Healthcare’s THINC Ventures.
Vision Expo said more information about the 2027 VSP Vision Innovation Challenge and the application link will be released later this fall. Vision Expo 2027 is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas from March 10 to 13, 2027.
Source: Vision Expo
Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!
