A text reader for people with low vision needs to function without a screen, without internet, and without lengthy explanations. LUP solved this challenge with a pocket magnifying glass that photographs text and reads it aloud in a few seconds. In chapter 71 of “Toque de Ingenio,” Apurva San Juan and Eneko Calvo explain how they validated the idea with real users, why they decided not to limit themselves to a mobile app, and what they learned when choosing suppliers and industrializing accessible hardware.
Guest: Apurva San Juan and Eneko Calvo, who are presented in the episode as the founders of LUP. Interview published: December 17, 2025. Episode: 71. Duration: 1 h 8 min.
In this episode:
- How to validate a reading device with people with low vision before designing it.
- Why a mobile phone cannot replace hardware that was originally accessible.
- What went wrong with the initial technological partners, and how did the industrialization process prepare for it?
The interview was recorded during a trip by the founders, originating from the Basque Country, with the product already on sale – approximately 400 units had been produced – and an investment round scheduled for January.
Validate usage with people with low vision before designing.
Apurva San Juan recounts that the idea originated in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. She comes from business administration and began researching artificial intelligence without any technical training. At that time, she visited a center for people with low vision and listened to users who had stopped reading at night because nothing helped them.
According to his account, his primary focus was to assess the market before undertaking any construction. He organized focus groups with individuals experiencing various retinal conditions, to determine which products they had tried, what they were lacking, and how they used traditional magnifying glasses.
“There’s a saying that I really love: “Make mistakes quickly and cheaply.””.
Apurva San Juan 06:04.
The initial prototype did not include artificial intelligence. They disassembled a drone, connected its camera to a phone, and Apurva read the text from another room while a colleague accompanied the user. This test was sufficient to demonstrate that voice reading effectively addressed a real problem, and to gather suggestions for the format, such as a clip-on holder.
Eneko Calvo joined after receiving a message on LinkedIn: the team was looking for a technical co-founder in the Basque Country, and he was studying computer science. From there, the first prototypes, printed using 3D technology, were developed, incorporating user feedback.
Designing accessible hardware: simply having an app on a mobile device isn’t enough.
The question they receive every day, according to the founders, is whether this could be done with a mobile phone. There are apps, but Eneko argues that a physical device offers something different when the user is over 65 and is not accustomed to unlocking a phone and searching for an app.
“A mobile phone isn’t born immediately accessible”.
Eneko Calvo 25:41.
That principle translated into specific decisions. The device has no screen, doesn’t require internet access or a smartphone, and is operated using a large button marked with an eye, and four additional buttons similar to those found on an MP3 player. It automatically detects the language of the text and can translate it.
The founders are presenting it as a compact, intelligent magnifying glass, designed for ease of use. It features a magnification lens of around 12 diopters and a flashlight that can remain on, as many users continue to read prices or titles using a traditional magnifying glass, and simply need the voice function for longer texts.
Each button has a short and a long press, which provides access to additional functions, such as changing the speed of the voice or jumping between paragraphs on an invoice. Apurva added that a large part of the four years of development was dedicated to understanding the user and listening to them, because technology often requires people to adapt, and LUP wanted to do it in reverse.
Same hardware, three models, and a design specifically for the hand.
When the episode was filmed, LUP was selling three models with identical hardware and different software: a classic version that supports four languages, an advanced version with six languages and text navigation, and a Pro version that translates into over 30 languages and incorporates Bluetooth. The prices were €650, €700, and €800, and the company had produced approximately 400 units.
The physical design also evolved with use. Eneko explains that they were aiming for a pleasant feel in the hand, and they added a central, textured area because in previous models, the device would slip. This central piece is manufactured using industrial 3D printing, with an acetone treatment and a layer of paint.
They had previously tried machining ABS, but the mechanical design did not behave in the same way. With 3D printing, they made the magnifier’s closure more robust for the user. This is an example of how prototyping Conditions decisions that appear to be purely aesthetic.
According to reports, everything is produced in Spain, and the company has its own workshop where they assemble the devices and carry out final quality control before delivery.
Selecting technological partners and validating each stage of development.
For Eneko, the biggest challenge has been the lack of experience. He describes how a startup, when approaching established companies with decades of experience, sometimes receives less favorable treatment, receives poorly executed work, or finds that suppliers won’t accept orders of just ten units for testing purposes.
The most expensive case involved electronics. They worked for two years with a company, but when they attempted to implement the design in a factory for mass production, they were told that the design wasn’t suitable for industrial production and wouldn’t meet CE marking requirements. They had to redo it, losing almost a year and a significant amount of money.
From that experience, they draw a key lesson: to ensure that each stage of a project is fully completed and to anticipate who will produce each component and at what cost. This is the kind of support that a team needs Electronic engineering With experience in industrialization, I can contribute from the initial design phase.
Asked about their biggest mistake, both agreed that they had trusted people who ultimately caused financial problems. Apurva added a practical recommendation: to draft contracts carefully, or to hire someone who knows how to do so, in order to be able to claim compensation when a supplier fails to deliver.
Delaying industrialization until the product has been validated.
Edgar brought up a common issue with hardware: the true cost isn’t in the prototype, but in producing a large number of units to bring the price down. The founders responded that they had deliberately delayed that investment because they knew the product was going to evolve.
They opted to manufacture a more expensive version, placing the device in the hands of users and the ONCE organization to identify and correct any faults before committing to molds. At the time of the interview, they considered the product validated, had the molds designed, and only needed the capital to begin mass production.
Up until that point, they had been funding themselves through awards and grants, without seeking outside investment, in order to avoid dilution and maintain control over decision-making. The “Social Innovation” prize from the Mapfre Foundation in 2023 provided them with media exposure, which then led to an invitation to El Hormiguero. They were planning a funding round for January, combined with public funding from Enisa.
They also acknowledge that, had they invested earlier, they would have hired someone with prior experience who would have warned them of the mistakes. They also point to a common tension with investors who are used to software: hardware doesn’t grow at the same pace as SaaS, and this needs to be explained using metrics.
Selling through opticians: training and fewer returns.
LUP differentiates between a customer and a user. Often, family members or children make purchases on behalf of older people, which is why they maintain sales through their website. Furthermore, the device is offered as a service in libraries and day centers, including Ilunion centers.
The channel on which they focus most, according to their explanation, is the one related to optics. This is the one that leaves them with the least profit margin, but users receive a face-to-face explanation from someone they trust, which reduces the number of support calls. They report that spectacles sold through optical shops are rarely returned, while those sold online have a higher return rate.
Outside of Spain, they work with distributors who get the product to opticians. At the time of the interview, they had agreements in Argentina and had just opened in Uruguay, although their main objective remained to consolidate their presence in Spain.
What can another development team learn?
The LUP case offers four key lessons that can be applied to other products designed for users who are not technically proficient.
- Validate with a real user before designing. A camera and a human voice were enough to confirm that assisted reading was solving the problem.
- Remove rather than add. Without a screen, without internet, and with very few buttons, the product can be explained at an optician’s in just a few minutes.
- Checking the level of industrialization at each stage. A design that works in a laboratory may not meet the required CE marking or be suitable for mass production.
- Choosing a channel based on its suitability, not on its profit margin. Selling with in-person training reduces returns and support needs.
The episode covers the project’s status as of the end of 2025, with the device being available for sale through online channels and at opticians, while mass production is currently awaiting funding. Features and prices may have changed since.
In i-mas, we develop products that integrate product design, Electronics, prototyping and manufacturing, with industrialization and CE marking integrated from the initial design. If you’re working on a device for non-technical users and want to avoid having to redesign the electronics halfway through, Tell us about your project..
To continue reading: How to plan the transition from prototype to manufacturing..
Source of article: Interview with Edgar Guerrero featuring conversations with Apurva San Juan and Eneko Calvo on “Toque de Ingenio”. The excerpts cited link to the minute of the conversation. The project recommendations are an editorial summary from i-mas.
