The Estonian startup 7Sense (Seventh Sense OÜ), founded by a team of engineers, has attracted the interest of both Deutsche Telekom and chip manufacturer Nvidia. Their groundbreaking technology, which translates digital information into tactile signals, promises to significantly enhance the lives of visually impaired people worldwide.
Currently, 7Sense employs ten full-time staff members, with seven on the technical team and three focused on business development. Most of the team holds engineering degrees or has experience in the health sector.
According to Madis Päev, 7Sense’s Sales and Marketing Director, the demand for engineering education is increasing as startups shift towards developing complex and physical products that generate valuable intellectual property. “This trend reflects both the natural evolution of technology, which is becoming more accessible to small companies, and growing investor confidence in these types of ventures,” says Päev. He adds that while five years ago the focus was predominantly on SaaS (Software as a Service) businesses, today such a business model is highly competitive, making it challenging to find a unique advantage.
7Sense has created unique product in the world
7Sense’s flagship product is a haptic “material” that they have both created and designed. “This technology can translate digital information into nuanced tactile output in real-time — for example, displaying a camera image, as our first product SuperBrain 1 does,” explains Päev.
“Our market is actually the whole of Europe, because aids for the blind are a niche market.”
Madis Päev, 7Sense’s Sales and Marketing Director
SuperBrain 1 is a head-mounted device for people with severe visual impairments, enabling users to perceive their surroundings through their senses. In simple terms, it allows users to sense objects around them, including movement, speed, and distance.
While the company is currently focused on developing SuperBrain 1, they have already begun experimenting with various other applications for their technology.
Aiming at all of Europe
“Our market is actually the whole of Europe, because aids for the blind are a niche market. However, despite its size, it is quite fragmented, with each country having its own approach. Therefore, we have had to select specific target countries,” Päev explains the commercial strategy for their product.
The main targets for the company are Spain, England, and Germany, as these countries are large enough and have well-financed aid acquisition programs.
According to Päev, Spain is particularly attractive due to ONCE, an association of the blind, which funds itself through businesses such as organizing lotteries and hospitality. “Since they oversee all activities related to the blind, from policy organization to rehabilitation and purchasing aids, manufacturers do not need to offer their products through national programs,” Päev elaborates.
In addition to market size, 7Sense has also identified strategically important partners in these countries who believe in its vision and help educate the local market. Since such a solution has not been done before, Päev considers active education and on-site explanation key to the company’s success.
Among nearby countries, the company is primarily considering Finland. Although the market is relatively small, the support measures are well funded, and there is significant interest in the device, similar to other welfare states.
Great need for a convenient product
Global competition is fierce in the realm of technological solutions, but 7Sense is currently the only company offering a functional telehaptic solution.
“There is no such technology on the market yet. Telehaptics has been extensively studied in universities and various projects have been undertaken, but at the moment, we are the only ones offering a solution that actually works,” says Madis Päev.
“Both companies (Deutsche Telekom and Nvidia) have said they haven’t seen anything this exciting in years. This recognition is very important for us.”
Madis Päev, 7Sense’s Sales and Marketing Director
According to Päev, all aids for the blind address the same problem, so the company competes with all products on the market, from white canes to smart glasses that provide feedback about the surrounding environment. The 7Sense product is unique because it is a self-contained, hands-free solution that does not rely on audio. “This leaves the user free for all other options, which are critically important for visually impaired people,” emphasizes Päev.
Introducing the first-generation device to the market is just the beginning. Although the current device is functional, its size may not be suitable for children or individuals with other physical disabilities. Future plans include developing smaller and lighter devices suitable for mass production. “The potential is immense with next-generation devices; we want to focus on discretion so that others may not even notice the device,” adds Päev.
Compared to industry giants like Meta or Google, a small startup needs to concentrate solely on essentials that deliver immediate benefits. “But this is a challenge, not an obstacle. We have been able to operate very efficiently with our team, and everyone contributes jointly to product development,” says Päev. He adds that they aim to keep product development and production in Estonia as much as possible.
International attention
7Sense works closely with local companies such as Balti Trafo and Incap, but the most significant attention has come from Deutsche Telekom and Nvidia. “Both companies have said they haven’t seen anything this exciting in years. This recognition is very important for us,” says Päev. The support of large partners gives 7Sense credibility and facilitates market entry.
In the case of Deutsche Telekom, the aim of the cooperation is to explore the use of telehaptics in various fields beyond the current product and to develop a market entry strategy. Working with Nvidia offers the opportunity to access their newest technology before it hits the market.
Päev also shares recommendations for other Estonian companies looking to expand into foreign markets. “When starting to export, you need to find strategic partners who are willing to invest their own resources so that the company can successfully enter the market,” he emphasizes.
Both in product development and in seeking international attention, the company has received state support, utilizing the development unit of the Enterprise and Innovation Foundation (EIS) and cooperating with EIS’s German export advisor.
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