AI-powered retinal screening makes early detection of chronic diseases more accessible

Founded in 2022, CheckEye was launched just weeks before the onset of war in Ukraine. Working from shelters, doctors treated patients during the day and then annotated thousands of retinal images at night to help train the AI algorithms. Through bombardments, power failures and communication outages, the invasion of Ukraine created extremely challenging conditions for launching a new company. 

The CheckEye team realised there was no point waiting for perfect conditions. The success of their effort – using AI diagnostics to screen for chronic disease – demonstrated that the CheckEye solution was so robust even a war could not stop its successful launch. 

The CheckEye solution

The screening process developed by CheckEye uses a non-mydriatic fundus camera, a common tool for imaging the back of the eye (retina). The images are immediately uploaded to the CheckEye platform, where AI algorithms analyse them for early signs of pathology and generate an analytical report to support physicians in clinical decision-making.

This approach has potential for detecting signs of chronic diseases visible in the retina. Currently it has been validated for diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Diabetes affects more than half a billion people, and the World Health Organization estimates that after 15 years of living with the disease, 10% of patients will experience vision impairment and 2% will go blind. 

By identifying the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, CheckEye offers doctors, patients, healthcare systems and policymakers a new tool for early detection and prevention of diabetes-related complications. The startup has screened 10 000 individuals in Ukraine with a detection accuracy of over 93 %, demonstrating its readiness for international rollout.

Innovation ecosystems of Central Europe

"When we decided to scale into the EU, it was clear we needed a strong partner to help us integrate effectively into the new ecosystem. Enterprise Europe Network became exactly that– a crucial bridge allowing us to participate in European events, establish the right contacts, and quickly navigate the European healthcare market," said CheckEye CEO, Kyrylo Goncharuk.

The Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IOP), as representatives of the EEN-Ukraine Consortium, assessed the company’s international potential and recommended CheckEye for several initiatives supporting startup growth in the Baden-Württemberg region of southwestern Germany, a central European hub for innovation.

With the combined support of the Enterprise Europe Network Ukraine and Baden-Württemberg, CheckEye participated in the BW Summit, the Discovery Tour and the Metaverse Congress XR 2025. These events showcased cutting-edge applications of immersive technologies and opened doors to potential partners across Europe. 

The BW Summit in Stuttgart provided a dynamic mix of exhibitions, pitch sessions, key-note speeches and panel discussions, boosting CheckEye’s visibility on the international stage. The Discovery Tour complemented the BW Summit, introducing startups to the region’s innovation ecosystem, helping them explore business opportunities and establish strategic connections.

These delegations were implemented by the Steinbeis Europa Zentrum, a partner of the Enterprise Europe Network Baden-Württemberg, and were funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism Baden-Württemberg.

As a result of this support, CheckEye started up a new collaboration with Gesundheitskiosk24 by Aspilos GmbH, a German company offering self-test kits for a range of health concerns. The two partners share a common mission: to make preventive healthcare more accessible through innovation. 

Facilitating this connection was a team effort. "By bringing together expertise from Ukraine and Germany, the Network created a bridge that helped CheckEye access new markets, showcase its innovation, and secure a cooperation agreement,"said Olga Marschalek of Network partner Steinbeis Europa Zentrum. "It’s a great example of the Network’s strength - coordinated local action delivering tangible cross-border results."

CheckEye’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, innovation and the right support at the right time.