Optical Enterprise Growth Hub
Build Your Optical Business.
Change Lives.
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About The Hub
The Optical Enterprise Growth Hub is built exclusively for retail optical businesses that intend to scale. Co-founded by EYElliance and scaling optical entrepreneurs Hugo Moreno of Ver de Verdad and Jérôme Lapaire and Louis Gascoin of Lapaire, it is an enterprise community grounded in real-world operator experience.
It unites sector-specific tools, operational discipline, peer exchange, and structured investment pathways helping transform strong stores into scalable, investment-ready enterprises that expand access to affordable eyeglasses.
If you are building for scale, or investing in those who are, explore what the Hub makes possible.
The Unmet Need For Eyeglasses Is History’s Longest-running Market Failure
Invented 700 years ago, glasses have unlocked learning and earning potential for hundreds of millions. Glasses are a simple, low-cost product that are affordable and readily available in developed markets.
Yet, 2 out of every 3 people in low-income countries who need eyeglasses, don’t have access to them.
If everyone who is currently living needlessly with poor vision received glasses the global economy would gain $410 billion per year in productivity and income generating gains. EYElliance's Optical Enterprise Growth Hub exists is transforming the eyeglasses market.
Join The Hub And Power Clear Vision.
Get started. Take the free enterprise assessment and receive your personalized pathway into the Hub.
From building the basics to leading the sector, the Hub supports optical entrepreneurs at every stage.
Helping you run better today, grow smarter tomorrow, and scale when the time is right.
Member Benefits
Member Benefits
The Optical Enterprise Growth Hub is designed exclusively for retail optical businesses selling affordable eyeglasses. It brings together industry expertise, operational guidance, peer insight, and structured investment pathways to help you turn strong stores into scalable, investment-ready enterprises.
Optical-Specific Tools That Work
Access proven playbooks, data workshops, and shared infrastructure built for retail optical businesses that help you improve store performance, refine pricing, strengthen systems, and grow sustainably.
Execution-Focused Guidance
Work through real growth decisions with experienced operators who understand optical retail — from staffing and operations to expansion strategy and performance management.
A Network of Builders
Engage with fellow retail optical founders who are actively scaling their businesses. Share insights across markets, test ideas, and accelerate learning through structured peer exchange.
Clear Routes to Capital
Strengthen your investment readiness through disciplined preparation and defined capital pathways, including investor discussions aligned with your stage of growth.
"Being part of this optical community of practice has created a powerful space for me to learn, collaborate, and grow. The shared insights, mentorship, and real-world perspectives have strengthened my business and accelerated my journeys toward sustainable, scalable impact in eye care."
Kelebogile Modutwane, Director and Optometrist at Kelzmo Eyecare, South African
Who The Hub Is For
Who The Hub Is For
The Optical Enterprise Growth Hub is designed for retail optical enterprises in low- and middle-income markets with strong operations and a clear ambition to scale. Hub members are committed to expanding access to affordable eyeglasses and actively contribute to shared learning, benefit from practical support, and help shape the future of the sector.
The Hub is a strong fit for enterprises that:
Operate at least one revenue-generating retail or hybrid optical business selling eyeglasses, lenses, and/or frames
Are impact-driven and access-focused — intentionally reaching underserved customers with affordable options
Are early-growth stage or early-stage with solid operational foundations and actively working toward expansion
Are led by founders or leadership teams with strong business acumen, or the openness to strengthen it
Use technology and data to strengthen operations and decision-making — tracking customers served, first-time wearers, stores, and growth
Aspire to grow quickly and thoughtfully, with an appropriate appetite for risk
Are open to preparing for investment and engaging with capital over time
Demonstrate adaptability, transparency, and integrity
The Hub is built for entrepreneurs who see their retail optical business as more than a single storefront and are working toward building scalable, high-performing enterprises that expand access to affordable vision.
"Going through the EYElliance training programme is like 'lighting a candle in the dark', it helped me to understand my business deeply. With high devotion, continuous encouragement and strong support this programme acted like a compass to guide me in the right direction of growth and impact."
Serey Huy, Owner and Optometrist at Sun Heng Optics, Cambodia
Your Path Into The Hub
Your Path Into The Hub
Enter where you are; grow over time. From building the basics to leading the sector, the Hub supports optical entrepreneurs at every stage—helping you run better today, grow smarter tomorrow, and scale when the time is right. Our support fosters sustained performance and growth, not just temporary results. There’s no single “right” way to engage with the Hub. It’s designed as a set of tools and opportunities, not a fixed program. Get involved where it makes sense for your business today and move across offerings as your needs evolve. The Hub offers many possible paths for growth from strengthening fundamentals to connecting with peers or testing new ideas.
Start
Start
Build strong foundations.
Access the Optical Business Basics Playbook. The Playbook is proven and based on expansion from 3 to over 130 profitable optical retail stores that positively impact lives.
Use self-guided tools and resources tailored to optical retail
Participate in introductory learning sessions and assessments
Start with the essentials - clear business fundamentals, trusted guidance, and early peer connections tailored to optical retail.
Run
Run
Strengthen day-to-day operations.
Access retail-optical-specific Enterprise Resource Planning software (Beta)
Improve inventory, sales, reporting, and operational discipline
Continue using your own systems if preferred
Run your business more smoothly with better systems, clearer data, and practical operational support.
Grow
Grow
Improve performance and prepare for expansion.
Join data workshops and practical learning sessions
Engage with the coaching bench as specific needs arise
Apply insights directly to pricing, operations, staffing, and growth decisions
Grow with intention by improving performance, strengthening decision-making, and implementing practical learning designed for scale.
Connect
Connect
Learn with and from peers.
Participate in the Community of Practice
Monthly live events, learning labs, and expert sessions
Ongoing peer exchange and shared problem-solving between events
Connect to a network of optical entrepreneurs and experts to learn faster, solve real problems, and grow together.
Stretch
Stretch
Test new ideas and capabilities.
Participate in Innovation Challenges
Pilot new approaches, products, or business models
Gain visibility, feedback, and potential pathways to deeper support
Stretch beyond business-as-usual by testing new ideas, models, or approaches to refine what works before scaling.
Scale
Scale
Accelerate growth with targeted support.
Participate in co-incubation pilots with partner accelerators
Access Hub resources as an industry vertical alongside sector-agnostic acceleration
Prepare for investment and multi-market expansion
Take the leap from growth to scale with targeted support, more comprehensive coaching, and pathways to capital and new markets.
Lead
Lead
Shape the future of the sector.
Contribute to the Annual Convening and State of the Sector Report
Share lessons learned with peers and ecosystem partners
Help define and set the standards for what high-quality, affordable optical retail looks like in practice
Lead by example - contribute insights, influence standards, and strengthen the field.
Take the free enterprise assessment and receive your personalized pathway into the Hub.
2026 Pan-African Innovation Challenge
2026 Pan-African Innovation Challenge
The EYElliance Optical Enterprise Growth Hub invites revenue-generating optical enterprises across Africa to submit an evidence-backed innovation that can accelerate scale, whether a new retail model, operational breakthrough, or proven concept adapted to optical.
Compete for up to $100,000 in catalytic capital and access the Hub’s tools, coaching, and investment-readiness support.
Applications close 25 May 2026.
Become An Entrepreneur Member
Become An Entrepreneur Member
As an Entrepreneur Member, you gain access to:
Optical Business Playbooks
Optical Business Playbooks
Early access to retail-optical-specific playbooks covering core business fundamentals, growth strategy, and franchising models.
Performance & Data Learning Series
Performance & Data Learning Series
Build operational discipline through our pilot workshop series covering
What data to collect, why it matters, and how to use it
Inventory data for margin control and stock optimization
Operational data systems for early-stage enterprises
System upgrades and data requirements when scaling to multiple locations
Translating operational performance into investor-ready materials
Operational Coaching Bench
Operational Coaching Bench
Pilot access to targeted conversations with experienced operators in areas such as staff training and retention, store site selection, IT systems, marketing, equipment assessment, and store-level performance management.
Retail Optical ERP
Retail Optical ERP
Adopt a retail-optical-specific ERP built around real operator needs and designed to improve inventory management, financial clarity, performance tracking, and multi-store visibility.
Structured Investment Preparation
Structured Investment Preparation
Strengthen capital readiness through enterprise diagnostics, financial modeling support, diligence preparation, and curated introductions aligned with your stage of growth.
Active Community of Practice
Active Community of Practice
Monthly live sessions and structured peer exchange with retail optical founders actively building and scaling across markets.
Early Access Cohort
Early Access Cohort
For a limited time, selected enterprises may join the Hub’s Early Access Cohort and receive a complimentary one-year membership in exchange for active participation in testing new resources and providing structured feedback.
Future membership will be revenue-based to align cost with enterprise stage and scale.
Collaborate With The Hub
Collaborate With The Hub
For Investors
The Hub develops and curates a pipeline of retail optical enterprises building strong operations and pursuing scalable growth across low- and middle-income markets.
We work closely with enterprises to strengthen unit economics, operational systems, performance data, and investment readiness — connecting operational discipline with capital strategy.
Collaboration may include:
Visibility into growth-oriented retail optical enterprises preparing for expansion
Structured investment readiness diagnostics and financial modeling support
Curated introductions aligned with mandate and stage
Co-investment opportunities alongside the Hub where appropriate
Ongoing sector insights informed by enterprise-level performance data
We engage investors thoughtfully and selectively, with a focus on long-term alignment and disciplined deployment.
For Enterprise Support Organizations
If you are working with growth-oriented businesses in low- and middle-income markets, we welcome collaboration.
The Hub complements sector-agnostic incubation and acceleration by providing retail-optical-specific depth alongside broader business support. We are exploring partnerships that allow selected optical enterprises to access both general growth programming and specialized, industry-focused resources.
Collaboration may include:
Aligned support that integrates the Hub’s retail-optical expertise alongside your core programming
Coordinated pathways for enterprises preparing for scale and investment
Shared learning across ecosystems and markets
Visibility into capital pathways relevant to retail optical enterprises
Joint pilots that strengthen enterprise performance and readiness
We are building partnerships intentionally and would welcome a conversation to explore alignment.
For Donors & Foundations
The Hub strengthens the operational backbone of retail optical enterprises expanding routine, reliable access to affordable eyeglasses in low- and middle-income markets.
Rather than funding individual storefronts, we focus on building scalable enterprise capacity — strengthening systems, performance discipline, and capital readiness so growth is durable and impact compounds over time.
Engagement may include:
Supporting the development of sector-specific tools, research, and enterprise infrastructure
Advancing data systems that improve performance and impact measurement
Catalyzing investment pathways for growth-oriented optical enterprises
Contributing to sector-wide insights through the State of the Sector and shared learning initiatives
We work with funders who are interested in durable market-building and measurable improvements in access to affordable eyeglasses.
Ready to grow your optical enterprise,
and expand access to affordable glasses?
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