Israeli company OrCam Technologies is teaming up with none other than the phenomenon himself, soccer legend Lionel Messi to promote OrCam’s life-changing AI-powered technology for the blind and visually impaired. In addition, the company and Messi will collaborate to achieve a goal more divine than merely pushing product, as the two game-changers will lead awareness of the challenges faced by the blind and visually impaired community globally.

Approximately 300 million people worldwide suffer from blindness or varying degrees of visual impairment. OrCam MyEye helps to dramatically change their quality of life. The company leverages AI-powered technologies to provide a read-to-text assist.  A little over a month ago, the Israeli MedTech company launched the small, easily attachable device’s newest feature, now enabling the blind the ability to read books.

As part of the partnership, OrCam will arrange encounters between the futbol legend with dozens of visually impaired people in an effort to raise awareness and make a dream come true for many. According to OrCam, Messi will engage with people who are visually impaired and provide them with the Israeli company’s device, gifting them more than just a one-on-one meeting with possibly one of the greatest athletes to ever grace the fields. These individuals will each become members of the "OrCam Dream Team," led by Messi.

The first of these meetings took place just before the coronavirus pandemic shook the world. The meeting was particularly striking for Messi, who said, "The emotion was incredible. Meeting with this amazing group of people from around the world was truly a magical and inspiring moment. Witnessing each of the members of the 'Dream Team' trying out the OrCam MyEye features, it was clear that this would be a life-changing device for each of them. I am proud to be an OrCam Ambassador to truly make a difference for so many."

The participants in the project are from various countries around the world and are blind or have varying degrees of visual impairment. The meeting with the soccer star – and the gifting of the OrCam device – comes as a complete surprise to them during the first meet and greet event.

"This is a particularly exciting point in time for me and for OrCam. The story of OrCam's founding is, first and foremost, a story of people – people who struggle with real problems and challenges in their lives. Our goal is to use sophisticated 'AI-as-a-companion' technology that helps people with disabilities in real-time, in the real world," explained Professor Amnon Shashua, co-founder and co-CEO of OrCam.

Shashua continued to explain that "during the performance of daily activities, the device offers independence, providing users with critical support to better integrate into society, especially within employment and educational settings. This technology supports users in amplifying their inherent potential. We are convinced that this collaboration with Messi – who is the embodiment of maximizing potential, and an individual who is admired worldwide – will allow us to reach millions of people in need."