Glidance has successfully closed an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round, raising $1.5 million USD to accelerate the development of Glide, a pioneering solution aimed at enhancing independence for the blind and visually impaired.
Glide is an intuitive, affordable mobility aid that combines AI and navigational robotics to help individuals with visual impairments navigate their surroundings safely. This innovative technology adapts to the user's pace, avoids obstacles, and provides detailed audio and haptic feedback to offer a comprehensive understanding of their environment.
The funding round saw participation from prominent investors, including Grep VC, Prota Ventures, Greenwood & Cavalier, St. Johns Community Service, Alliance of Angels, TiE Oregon Angels, and other notable angel investors and groups. Their support highlights a strong belief in Glide’s potential to revolutionize mobility for the blind and visually impaired community, addressing a significant market need.
Paul Willard, Managing Director of Grep VC, commented, “Glidance confirms the technology optimist in us all. Great founders can apply cutting-edge tech to improve lives so powerfully that they also create powerful value propositions for business and investors.”
Glidance is committed to addressing the critical issue of safe and independent navigation for the visually impaired. Currently, 98% of blind individuals in the US do not leave home alone due to inadequate navigation options. Despite there being 7.3 million visually impaired people in the US, access to mobility aids like white canes and guide dogs is limited by available programs, training, and funding. Glide aims to bridge this gap by providing a smart, easy-to-use device that physically guides users, enabling confident and independent movement.
Amos Miller, co-founder & CEO of Glidance, shared his personal motivation and the company’s vision:
“We have closed and even oversubscribed our pre-seed funding round, placing Glidance on a solid financial footing for our next phase of work. Glide is deeply personal to me. After losing my sight in my 20s due to a genetic eye condition, I understood the challenges faced by the visually impaired community. This personal experience motivated me to create Glide—a solution I needed and wished for myself. As a former product executive at Microsoft Research and Chairman of the Board at Guide Dogs for the Blind (UK), I dedicated my career to leveraging technology to break down barriers. Glide, powered by cutting-edge AI and robotics technologies, demonstrates that when such technologies address meaningful human needs, they can create a venture-scale business with a substantial impact. We are deeply grateful to our incredible investors, who continue to challenge and guide us in shaping our business model and strategy.”
The raised funds will be used to expedite product development and launch Alpha and Beta tests in late summer and early fall across Canada, the US, Europe, and the UK. The funding will also support the expansion of Glidance’s core engineering team and community engagement initiatives, including a demo day series that allows users to experience Glide firsthand. This approach ensures that user feedback is integral to the development process.
Glidance’s mission represents both an opportunity and a significant responsibility. The company extends its gratitude to its early investors for their belief and support, as well as to the passionate community of users, or “Gliders,” whose excitement and insights continue to shape the development of Glide.
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