EIC-backed .lumen credits CES 2024 for rapid commercial traction while raising questions about claim verification
- ›.lumen, an EIC Accelerator company developing smart glasses for people with visual impairment, says participation at CES 2024 produced close to 100 deals.
- ›The company reports new partnerships and visibility including connections with NVIDIA, AWS re:Invent speaking opportunities, and interest from the World Bank.
- ›The European Innovation Council supported .lumen through the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 with coaching, matchmaking and pavilion exposure.
- ›Company CEO Cornel Amariei credits meticulous outreach and press engagement for the results but admits the team went to CES without a precise objective.
- ›Claims of 100 deals and 80 articles need careful interpretation and follow up to distinguish signed contracts from leads, media mentions and memoranda of understanding.
.lumen at CES 2024: rapid visibility, headline claims and open questions
The Romanian deep tech company .lumen, which develops assistive smart glasses based on a technology it calls Pedestrian Autonomous Driving AI, reports substantial commercial momentum following its participation at CES 2024. Backed by the European Innovation Council through the EIC Accelerator and supported on site by the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0, .lumen says its presence at the Las Vegas event led to a burst of partnerships, investor interest and global media coverage.
What the company reports it achieved at CES 2024
CEO Cornel Amariei told the EIC Community that the company contacted press and partners extensively ahead of CES and used the EIC pavilion as a platform to meet distributors, developers and sales contacts in the United States. According to Amariei, the event seeded a US network of commercial contacts and led to strategic partnerships with large technology companies. He cites discovery by NVIDIA, subsequent invitations to open the AWS re:Invent conference 2024, and a connection with the World Bank as examples of post‑CES traction. Amariei also said chance meetings with investors resulted in '80 articles from 40 countries and numerous video interviews.'
The company says it will return to major U.S. events, presenting at AWS re:Invent and planning to exhibit at CES 2025 again under the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0. Amariei also indicated an investment round scheduled to close in December following the 2024 trade fair activity.
What the EIC provided and how the International Trade Fairs Programme works
The EIC has actively promoted a European Pavilion at CES and related investor events. In 2025 the EIC planned a delegation of 15 selected companies to exhibit at Eureka Park, Hall G booth 60633, with preparatory workshops and onsite matchmaking. The ITF 3.0 programme runs across multiple trade fairs between 2024 and 2026 and targets sectors including biotech, cleantech and new industrial technologies.
What .lumen makes and the technical claim to watch
Assistive hardware that integrates AI faces a distinct set of commercial and regulatory steps compared with software only products. Key practical barriers include reliable performance in varied real world conditions, user testing and clinical validation, product safety certification, production scale up, distribution channels and reimbursement or payment pathways in healthcare systems. These are not addressed by trade fair interest alone and will determine whether press attention and pilot partnerships convert into sustained revenue.
Assessing the claim of 'close to 100 deals' and media impact
The wording used by the CEO mixes terms that can mean different things in practice. 'Deals' at a trade fair can range from distribution agreements and commercial contracts to memoranda of understanding, expressions of interest, pilot projects, paid orders and informal commitments. Media coverage, investor meetings and speaking invitations are valuable signals but they are not equivalent to enforceable contracts. For readers and potential partners the distinction matters because conversion rates from leads to signed contracts vary widely.
| Reported outcome | What the source says | Verification and critical context |
| Close to 100 deals | .lumen CEO states nearly 100 deals resulted from CES 2024. | May include partnerships, LOIs, leads and service agreements. Public details on contract value, scope and signed parties are not provided. |
| Partnerships with large tech companies | NVIDIA discovered .lumen at CES and other large companies were engaged. | Public partnership announcements would clarify scope. Discovery at a trade fair can lead to pilots but not necessarily commercial integration. |
| Media coverage | CEO cites 80 articles across 40 countries and multiple video interviews. | Media reach is verifiable. Impact on commercial outcomes depends on follow-up sales and lead conversion. |
| Investor interest | Investor meetings at CES produced opportunities and visibility. | Investor conversations are common at CES. Actual funding terms should be confirmed through formal announcements or regulatory filings. |
Advice from the CEO and lessons for other startups
Cornel Amariei emphasized preparation, targeted outreach and maximal use of partners and the press. His practical counsel is familiar to trade fair veterans. He recommended rigorous pre-event contact lists, using partners to amplify presence and insisting on doing far more than average while accepting the physical toll of an intense trade fair schedule. These are practical steps but they do not replace the need for a clear commercial objective and a documented follow-up plan after the show.
Next steps for .lumen and broader implications
.lumen intends to close an investment round in December, to present at AWS re:Invent and to return to CES 2025 under the EIC pavilion. Those milestones will provide tangible checkpoints to evaluate whether early impressions and reported 'deals' at CES 2024 convert into pilots, revenue and scaled deployments. For the EIC, the example reinforces the value proposition of structured trade fair support, while also highlighting the need for public reporting to distinguish visibility from verifiable commercial outcomes.
Where to find more information
Readers can consult the EIC Community platform for programme details about the International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0, watch related videos produced by the EIC, and follow updates from .lumen and EIC channels for formal announcements on partnerships and funding closures. For stakeholders seeking to replicate the approach, the EIC runs preparatory workshops, matchmaking services and pre-departure briefings for selected awardees.