Thibault de Martimprey, Director of Campus Louis Braille: We want to become the reference place where visual impairment, innovation, and research meet

Imagined by four historical actors in the field of visual impairment, the Louis Braille Campus, located in the Parisian district of Duroc, aims to create a unique ecosystem in France and Europe. Its ambition is to foster dialogue between associations, institutions, researchers, startups, and companies to accelerate innovations useful to blind and visually impaired people. Thibault de Martimprey, the director, details the philosophy, functioning, and prospects.

Who is behind the Louis Braille Campus located in the Duroc neighborhood in Paris? Thibault de Martimprey: The Louis Braille Campus is primarily a collective project. It was initiated by four leading structures in the field of visual impairment, three associations recognized as being of public utility, and a national institute. These structures have different statuses, cultures, and modes of operation, but they share a common history and expertise: supporting blind and visually impaired people. The campus stems from this shared history, deeply rooted in the Duroc neighborhood, which is a highly symbolic place as it is where Louis Braille studied and developed the code that bears his name. Our idea is simple: to build on this exceptional heritage to create a tool oriented towards the future.

This project came to fruition more than a year ago now. Why now? T. de M.: Because we are experiencing a new revolution. In recent years, and even more so with the recent acceleration of artificial intelligence technologies, the opportunities for visually impaired people are considerable. In terms of autonomy, mobility, access to information, description of images, texts, or videos, we are at a pivotal moment. In my opinion, this is comparable, in its significance, to what the invention of braille or the white cane represented in their time. These innovations concretely change daily life. But faced with this profusion of initiatives, projects, and tools, there was a need for a place capable of filtering, connecting the right actors, and structuring an overall dynamic.

“The Louis Braille Campus plays the role of a one-stop shop. It becomes the gateway for innovation actors who wish to become familiar with visual impairment.”

So, the campus has a mission of coordinating innovation in the field of visual impairment? T. de M.: Exactly. Until now, companies or startups that wanted to work on visual impairment often encountered a difficult landscape to navigate. They would contact various structures without always knowing who to talk to, how to connect with the right people, or how to test their solutions with users. The Louis Braille Campus plays the role of a one-stop shop. It becomes the gateway for innovation actors who wish to become familiar with visual impairment, test their projects with real users, and establish solid partnerships. This connector function was missing: linking very rich but often scattered expertise to the business world, research, and institutions.

Can we talk about an unprecedented model in the field of visual impairment? T. de M.: Yes, clearly. This type of hub did not exist in France, or even at the European level, in the field of visual impairment. There are similar initiatives elsewhere, notably in Boston, around the Perkins School, but in Europe, we are pioneering a new path. The model can be compared to large thematic innovation campuses: creating an ecosystem where startups, researchers, companies, users, and institutions meet, but on the scale of visual impairment. We are obviously on a much smaller scale, but the logic is the same: breaking down barriers to emerge with more relevant solutions quickly.

Context: The Louis Braille Campus aims to bring together various stakeholders in the field of visual impairment to accelerate innovation and improve the lives of blind and visually impaired individuals.

Fact Check: The Louis Braille Campus is a collaborative initiative involving four established organizations working in the field of visual impairment. Thibault de Martimprey, the director, explains the origins and goals of the project.