The bearishness Clark_kent is bringing to the thread is quite welcome. There’s at least some slight “copium” noticeable in this thread, and bears are shot down quite aggressively ![]()
I used to be bullish on Optomed too. Now I’m watching from the sidelines.
If you think about, say, a health center (or a similar facility) anywhere in the world. One high-quality fundus camera is enough for them. Will they take Optomed’s “camera as a service” camera on a monthly billing basis, or will they buy a Zeiss retinal camera or something similar? Patients from the surrounding area then go there to have their eyes imaged. Right now, for instance, in many health centers in Finland, a truck with massive imaging rigs visits for eye imaging.
Surely there’s a use for Optomed’s handheld camera, e.g., in emergency rooms and also for screening in some places. But will it become mainstream? I’ve started to doubt it a bit. For example, here in Oulu, where Optomed originates, I haven’t heard of any plans to start using these. Not even in the emergency room. This would probably take off a bit faster if it really were such a great thing.
I’m also wondering about Optomed’s moat. Is there a moat? AI can be integrated into images from other cameras too. Anyone can manufacture cameras. Optomed’s investment story is based on two hopes: that some company would buy it out at a premium, or that healthcare would start using these on a mass scale. You can hope for mass use, but there are no signs of it yet. I haven’t seen or heard of anyone using this camera in actual work yet. Not even in Oulu, where Optomed is from. Instead, iCare is completely routine and found everywhere.