Frameri is a technology company.
Frameri has raised $30K across 1 funding round.
Frameri has raised $30K in total across 1 funding round.
Frameri has raised $30K in total across 1 funding round.
Frameri's investors include Health Wildcatters.
Frameri is a Cincinnati-based eyewear startup founded in 2013 that designs interchangeable prescription glasses and sunglasses, enabling users to buy lenses once and swap them between multiple frames without tools.[1][2][3][5] It serves fashion-conscious glasses wearers frustrated by high costs, limited styles, and inconvenience, solving these by making eyewear a customizable accessory like jewelry—frames start at $99, lenses from $50 (single vision) to $250 (progressive), with features like polycarbonate construction, anti-reflective/scratch-resistant coatings, and tint options.[3][4] Early growth included Brandery accelerator refinement, a Notre Dame business plan win, Shark Tank appearance, and a distribution deal with Hoya Vision Care for 500 U.S. retailers, though funding stalled at ~$970K seed-stage and assets were auctioned by 2019.[1][2][4]
Frameri was founded by Konrad Billetz, who conceived the idea during his MBA at Notre Dame, winning a $5,000 McCloskey Business Plan Competition prize in April (year unspecified).[1] Motivated by lifelong glasses-wearing frustrations—high prices, inconvenience, and style limits—Billetz assembled a team of four founders, including industrial designers and engineers, for a year of R&D.[1][3] The concept emerged from Billetz's vision to treat glasses as permanent wardrobe investments, refined at Cincinnati's Brandery accelerator with innovations like epoxy-locked "frictionless click" lenses.[1] Pivotal early moments: Indiegogo campaign for Italian frame production, Shark Tank pitch, in-house optical lab launch in July (year unspecified), and consultants from Luxottica.[1][2][3]
Frameri rode the hardware startup wave in accelerators like Brandery, which expanded into manufacturing innovation amid Cincinnati's legacy, disrupting the $10B+ Luxottica-dominated eyewear market where ~10% of 2015 purchases were lens-only upgrades.[1][2] Timing aligned with e-commerce optical growth and consumer demand for personalization, positioning it as a "bridge" between online retail and independents—encouraging opticians via novel multiple-pair potential without cannibalizing sales.[3] It influenced the ecosystem by proving physical product viability in tech accelerators and patenting eyewear modularity, though its 2019 asset auction amid stalled funding highlights challenges for hardware ventures against giants.[1][4]
Frameri's core innovation—interchangeable eyewear—pioneered sustainable, customizable glasses but faltered post-2019 auction of patents and IP, marking it "Dead" at seed stage with $970K raised.[4][5] Revival could stem from acquirers leveraging its granted patent in a market shifting toward direct-to-consumer personalization and eco-friendly accessories, amplified by AR/VR eyewear trends. Its legacy endures in challenging Luxottica's dominance, potentially inspiring successors as consumers prioritize versatile, affordable vision tech—echoing its origin as a simple MBA idea turned industry disruptor.[1][2][4]
Frameri has raised $30K across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $30K Seed in September 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2017 | $30K Seed | Health Wildcatters |