Dr.William Mapham, developer of the Vula Mobile app.
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LONDON—An innovative app connecting primary health care workers in remote areas with on-call specialists has been awarded the inaugural Clearly Vision Prize, a competition to accelerate the ventures tackling the global problem of poor vision. The competition for $250,000 in prize funding is part of a campaign called Clearly that is spearheaded by James Chen, a Hong Kong-based entrepreneur and venture philanthropist.

At a private event held in London this week, Sir Mark Walport, the British government’s chief scientific advisor, crowned Vula Mobile as first place winner, alongside four other ventures ranging from open-source eye-screening tools and education initiatives to emergency and last-mile transport. The app’s developer, Dr. William Mapham, was awarded a share of $100,000 in prize funding for demonstrating the potential of its solution to help the 2.5 billion people around the world suffering from poor vision, without a means of improving it.

The second place prize of $50,000 was awarded to Folding Phoropter, a business developing a cost-effective eye-screening device. Built using origami, the simple, open-source and disposable device is easy to use.

The third place prize of $25,000 went to Essmart, a last-mile distribution company delivering affordable reading glasses to local shops across India, supported by educational tools and materials.

In addition, two runner up prizes of $10,000 were awarded to Maza Transport, a venture that has developed a transport network of affordable leased vehicles, providing urgent transport to remote rural communities, and Smart Focus, a high-growth health care company providing low-cost eye exams and eye glasses to millions in China, with a focus on rural, school-age and underserved populations.

Dr. Andrew Bastrawrous, founder of Peek, was also awarded the Clearly Lifetime Achievement Award, to recognize “unparalleled achievement in tackling the global problem of poor vision.” Peek has innovated groundbreaking technology helping to detect cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetes and glaucoma.

“I would like to congratulate the winner, Vula Mobile, and finalists of the Clearly Vision Prize,” said Chen, founder of Clearly. “Each of these brilliant breakthrough innovations have the potential to revolutionize how we detect, deliver and supply eyecare across the world. They help bring us closer to the Clearly campaign’s mission: to help the whole world see within the next 20 years. In this era of electrifying progress, the world has the talent, technology and capability to ensure everyone can see clearly. It can and must be done. I am looking forward to working with all involved in the Clearly Vision Prize final to transform the lives of millions of people.”

The Clearly Vision Prize garnered over 100 applications from 21 countries across the four key areas which provide the most common barriers to universal access to vision:
• Improving reliable detection – regardless of where people live, their age or gender.
• Using technology for training – to identify the conditions that lead to poor vision.
• Enhancing supply networks – to give access to basic solutions like glasses.
• Harnessing insights and data – to help eyecare providers work more efficiently.

Chen will award a further nine “Innovation Awards” of $5,000 to ventures demonstrating particular potential, as well as a Lifetime Achievement award of $10,000.