VSP Vision and MATTER Launch Second Innovation Challenge to Source and Advance Solutions Enhancing Eye Care

Finalists to be considered for investment opportunities by Topcon Healthcare, Inc. and a chance to pitch live at Vision Expo West

April 29, 2025, CHICAGO, IL — MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, and VSP Vision™, the leader in health-focused vision care, announce the launch of the second annual VSP Vision Innovation Challenge, a global competition to source and advance solutions enhancing the eye care experience.

The competition is co-hosted by MATTER and the VSP® Global Innovation Center (GIC), a hub for reimagining how eye care and eyewear are delivered to the world. Topcon Healthcare, Inc. is supporting the 2025 program, offering selected early-stage startups the potential to secure a $400,000 investment from their THINC Ventures capital arm, or for growth-stage startups to present directly to THINC Ventures.

“For 70 years, VSP has been helping people see. As next-gen technologies and research continue to elevate the role the eyes play in preventive care and overall health, it is essential that we continue exploring emerging solutions that can help scale access to care and enhance patient and provider experiences,” said Ruth Yomtoubian, Vice President and Head of the VSP Global Innovation Center. “We’re looking forward to year two of the VSP Vision Innovation Challenge, to continue to find ways we might we enhance the eye care experience for years to come.”

Toward this goal, VSP Vision and MATTER are calling on global innovators, with both early and late-stage solutions, to apply. In addition to the investment opportunity from Topcon Healthcare, Inc., finalists will present live on stage at Vision Expo West, one of the largest gatherings of vision care executives and professionals in the industry, and gain access to exclusive workshops and receive mentorship from leading vision care, venture capital and healthcare professionals.

“Winning the first VSP Vision Innovation Challenge had a dramatic impact on our company,” said Yair Yahav, CEO & Founder of RevitalVision, winner of the 2024 VSP Vision Innovation Challenge, “The entire process helped us to refine our brand story. The event also exposed our business solution to top industry leaders, which resulted in accelerating our commercialization into the U.S. market.”

Challenge Timeline:

  • April 28, 2025: Applications open for the VSP Vision Innovation Challenge
  • June 8, 2025: Applications close
  • July 25, 2025: 3 later-stage and 3 early-stage finalists are selected and notified; cohort is announced
  • August 11-September 5, 2025: Finalists participate in a 4-week startup bootcamp to enhance and refine their pitch
  • Week of September 15, 2025: Finalists present their solutions in person at Vision Expo West in Las Vegas, Nevada

Who Should Apply:

  • Early and late-stage vision care companies enhancing the eye care experience.
  • Digital health companies that have recently launched a new vision care feature, functionality or vertical.
  • Startups and technologies with a connection to a trend in VSP Vision’s ‘Future Eye: 10 Vision Trends Transforming Healthcare’ report, such as a digital therapeutic addressing myopia or smart eyewear with built-in health tracking.

For more information and to apply, please visit the VSP Vision Innovation Challenge website.

About VSP Vision
At VSP Vision™, our purpose is to empower human potential through sight. As the first national not-for-profit vision benefits company, this is what drives everything we do. For 70 years, VSP has been the leader in health-focused vision care. Every day, the people that power our complementary businesses across vision benefits, eye care services, eyewear solutions, and practice solutions, work together to create a world where everyone can bring their best vision to life. That means providing affordable access to eye care and eyewear for more than 85 million members through a network of more than 42,000 doctors. It also means expanding access to vision care to those disadvantaged by income, distance, or disaster through VSP Vision™ Eyes of Hope®. To date, more than 4 million people in need have received access to no-cost eye care and eyewear through one of our Eyes of Hope programs. Learn more about how we’re reinvesting in greater vision, health, and opportunities for all at vspvision.com.

About MATTER
At MATTER, we believe collaboration is the best way to improve healthcare. The MATTER collaborative includes more than 1,000 current and alumni startups from around the world, working together with dozens of hospitals and health systems, universities and industry-leading companies to build the future of healthcare. Together we are accelerating innovation, advancing care and improving lives. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.

About Topcon Healthcare, Inc.
Topcon Healthcare, Inc. is part of Topcon Corporation (TSE 7732). We are a leading provider of digital healthcare solutions whose vision is to improve access and quality of healthcare while decreasing the cost of care. To achieve this vision, we created Healthcare from the Eye™, the strategy of applying AI models to imaging data from the eye to facilitate earlier detection and better management of disease. Healthcare from the Eye™ is powered by Harmony®, a cloud-based, vendor-inclusive digital health information platform enabling a connected care ecosystem.

A truly global business, Topcon Corporation is focused on developing solutions to solve societal challenges in the mega domains of healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure. In healthcare, these challenges include increasing eye disease, rising medical costs, physician shortages, and unequal access to healthcare. By investing in value-driven innovations, Topcon Corporation works to help people enjoy good health and a better quality of life.

About Vision Expo
Vision Expo East and West are trade-only conferences and exhibitions for eyecare and eyewear presented by co-owners RX and The Vision Council. Vision Expo is the most comprehensive event for the entire Vision community, built for the industry by the industry. The only balance of conference and exhibition to learn from industry pioneers, explore cutting-edge advancements, and gain a new perspective on the future of eyewear. In the Vision Expo Exhibit Hall, eyecare providers can discover fashion trends, interact with new technologies and access innovative products and services. The Vision Expo education program is driven by the profession, offering content of the highest quality and relevance to enhance overall patient care. For more information on Vision Expo, visit visionexpo.com and follow Vision Expo’s social media channels, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.