For patients in parts of Germany, a routine check for glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy can mean a wait of months, not weeks. The bottleneck is structural, a slow-motion collision of demographics and geography. Roughly 30% of the country's ophthalmologists are over 60 and nearing retirement, while demand for their consultations only grows [EUTechFuture, November 2025]. Mirantus Health, a Berlin-based startup founded in 2022, is betting that the answer isn't just training more doctors. It's about moving the diagnostic front door out of the specialist's office and into the community.
Its platform, called 'mira', turns an optician's shop or a nursing home common room into a standardized screening point. Using connected devices, staff can capture retinal images, measure intraocular pressure, and test visual acuity. That data is then digitally transmitted to a network of more than 400 partner ophthalmologists for remote review, with results typically returned within 24 to 48 hours [EUTechFuture, November 2025]. The company calls this 'diagnostics-as-a-service,' a triage layer designed to flag abnormalities early and route only those who need it into the strained specialist system.
The Wedge: Opticians as the Access Point
Mirantus's core insight is pragmatic. It leverages the existing, high-trust infrastructure of local opticians,over 200 locations in Germany so far,and integrates its software directly into their workflow [EUTechFuture, November 2025]. For the optician, it's a value-added service that deepens patient relationships. For the health system, it creates a distributed, low-cost access network without requiring a single new clinic to be built. The model is particularly targeted at underserved regions and populations, like elderly residents in care homes, who face the greatest mobility challenges.
To reach these groups, Mirantus also operates mobile screening units, dubbed 'Augenmobile' (eye mobiles), which travel to rural communities and nursing homes [EUTechFuture, November 2025]. This hybrid approach,embedding in existing retail and going mobile,allows the company to scale access points rapidly. The stated goal is to be in more than 1,000 locations across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland by 2027 [EUTechFuture, November 2025].
The Team and the €5.5 Million Vote of Confidence
The founding team blends medical and operational expertise, a necessary combination for navigating Germany's regulated healthcare landscape. Dr. med. Claus Gruber serves as CEO and Medical Director, providing clinical credibility [ATLAS, 2026]. Dominik Pederzani, listed as founder and CEO in other sources, leads strategic direction and partnerships [Clay.earth, 2026]. Philipp Deutschen heads business development [The Org, 2026]. The team's composition,physicians, software developers, and business professionals,is explicitly built to bridge the gap between care delivery and technology rollout [Mirantus Health, 2026].
In November 2025, the company secured a €5.5 million seed round from a syndicate of European investors including Revent, Redstone, and Entrepreneur First, with angel backing from telemedicine pioneers Kai Eberhardt (Oviva) and Katharina Jünger (TeleClinic) [Startbase, November 2025]. The capital is earmarked for scaling the 'mira' platform across the DACH region.
Seed Round (Nov 2025) | 5.5 | M EUR
Navigating a Regulated Pathway
Crucially, Mirantus is not positioning itself as a replacement for the doctor's visit. It is a pre-diagnostic sieve. The platform is designed to complement existing referral channels through Germany's Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, with screenings typically covered by statutory insurance [EUTechFuture]. This cooperative, rather than disruptive, posture may smooth its regulatory path. The service does not provide a final diagnosis; it provides a data packet and an expert opinion that helps determine who needs urgent care, who can wait, and who is clear.
This focus on workflow integration over flashy AI is a deliberate choice. While many digital health startups lead with algorithmic detection, Mirantus's initial public claims center on connectivity and standardization,getting reliable data from point A to specialist B. The clinical judgment remains firmly with the human ophthalmologist in the loop, a conservative approach that may accelerate adoption within a cautious medical community.
The Competitive and Operational Landscape
The market for tele-ophthalmology and remote diagnostics is not empty. Berlin-based Ocumeda is a noted competitor. The broader risk for Mirantus is less about a single rival and more about the execution complexity of its two-sided model. It must continuously recruit and retain its network of hundreds of ophthalmologists, who need to find the platform efficient and financially worthwhile. Simultaneously, it must onboard and support thousands of optician partners, ensuring consistent, high-quality data capture.
The company's near-term traction suggests it is managing this balance. Its reported metrics point to a focused execution:
- Network scale. Over 400 partner ophthalmologists and 200+ active locations create a foundational ecosystem [EUTechFuture, November 2025].
- Strategic partnerships. An integration with optical giant EssilorLuxottica hints at the potential for enterprise-level distribution [Mirantus Health, 2026].
- Capital runway. The €5.5 million seed round provides fuel for the aggressive 1,000-location expansion target [Tech.eu, November 2025].
The absence of publicly named, large-scale optician chains as customers is a standard opacity for an early-stage company in this sector, not an immediate red flag. The planned expansion itself is the primary traction signal.
The Patient Reality and the Road Ahead
The closing argument for Mirantus is written in patient outcomes. The disease states in its crosshairs,glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy,are leading causes of irreversible vision loss. Their progression is often silent until significant damage is done, making early detection through regular screening paramount. For the aging population in nursing homes and rural communities, access to these screenings is the primary barrier.
The standard of care today for many in these groups is episodic, often triggered by a noticeable problem. It involves securing a specialist appointment, which can take months, and traveling to a clinic, which can be burdensome. This system misses too much, too late. Mirantus is betting that by placing the screening step in the path of daily life,at the place you get your glasses, or in your own care home,it can catch degenerative eye diseases earlier, preserving vision and reducing long-term treatment costs.
The next twelve months will be about proving the model at scale. The move from 200 to 1,000 locations will test the company's operational playbook and its ability to maintain quality across a rapidly growing network. Success will be measured not just in site count, but in the volume of patients triaged, the speed of specialist follow-up, and, ultimately, in the visual acuity preserved for a population that has been hard to reach.
Sources
- [EUTechFuture, November 2025] Mirantus Health: Company Overview, Funding, Leadership and Technology | https://eutechfuture.com/health-tech/mirantus-health-company-overview-funding-leadership-and-technology/
- [Startbase, November 2025] Mirantus Health raises 5.5 million euros | https://www.startbase.com/news/mirantus-health-sammelt-55-mio-euro-ein
- [Tech.eu, November 2025] Mirantus Health lands €5.5M to bring faster eye screening to 1,000+ locations | https://tech.eu/2025/11/20/mirantus-health-lands-eur55m-to-bring-faster-eye-screening-to-1000-locations/
- [ATLAS, 2026] Dr. Claus Gruber profile | https://www.atlas.dz/company/mirantus-health-gmbh
- [Clay.earth, 2026] Dominik Pederzani profile | https://clay.earth/company/mirantus-health
- [The Org, 2026] Philipp Deutschen profile | https://theorg.com/org/mirantus-health/org-chart/philipp-deutschen
- [Mirantus Health, 2026] Mirantus Health website and blog | https://www.mirantus.com/
- [Mirantus Health, 2026] Partnership with EssilorLuxottica | https://www.mirantus.com/blog/die-eye-health-plattform-mira-und-eine-neuen-partnerschaft-mit-essilorluxottica-sollen-betrieben-neue-perspektiven-als-gesundheitsdienstleister-eroffnen