Be My Eyes - Lend Your Eyes to the Blind
This week we’re meeting Thelle Kristensen, co-founder and CEO of Be My Eyes, an app providing crowd sourced help for the blind using video chat. After receiving 1.8 million DKK ($330 000) funding from the Velux Foundation last year, their distributed team (across Denmark) of 5 is now working hard to get the final iOS app ready.
Tell the story of how Be My Eyes got started. What are your next milestones and vision for the future?
Hans Jørgen Wiberg, being visually impaired himself, got the idea about a video service for the blind utilizing the great cameras in smartphones. He pitched it at StartUp Weekend Aarhus in 2012, which is where I met him for the first time. We were really passionate about the idea of a network helping the blind. Although we didn’t see a big business opportunity, the idea was too good to just let go completely. We kept in touch with regular Skype meetings with everyone chipping in voluntarily with the skills they had. We made a simple site about the concept, making prototypes to spread the idea and seeking funding.
In the summer of 2013 the Velux Foundations noticed our efforts, and they decided to back the project. Since the fall our distributed team of 5 have been able to put more energy into the project. We’re now beta testing with blind people in Denmark hoping to launch on iOS in the spring, which is the next big step. The big vision is being able to provide help for the blind ‘at the touch of a button’ from a global corps of volunteers.
Talk a bit about advantages or challenges faced by startups in your industry?
It’s always hard to realize an idea that doesn’t have a lot of immediate business value, but can provide a lot social value. I think it’s very positive that more and more services in the space of do-good initiatives comes from the people on the ground - people who have themselves experienced the problems that they are trying to solve. But it’s very challenging to raise funds for such projects. Here crowd funding has made a big difference, and it also provided some of the initial funds to Be My Eyes and proved to the foundation that funded us that people were genuinely interested in the project.
What is your biggest learning (so far) as a founder?
Vision provides a direction, money can make some things easier, but it’s all about the team. It’s a cliché, but very true!
Tell a story about a challenge you faced and overcame (somewhat related to BME or other ventures).
The initial plan in the case we attracted funding was that our first iOS developer should be able to go full time on the project, and I go part-time on the marketing side of things. At the time when we had the funding in place he had other plans - he was having a baby and pursuing another job. We had counted on him joining, and his change of plans had us a bit shook up. Not knowing many developers we had talks with a big app development company, but ultimately decided to have another iOS engineer to join the team and have been very happy about that decision.
What are you currently looking for (partners, employees, funding, other things etc)?
Right now we have the team in place and got funding to make it happen - tips on app launches or partnership proposals are appreciated.
Be My Eyes and it’s founders can be reached on Twitter @bemyeyes, @thellek, @hjwiberg, @simonbs, @khebbie.