Michael Peres with Karthik Mahadevan — co-founder & CEO of Envision, the AI accessibility company behind Envision Glasses used by thousands of blind and low-vision people worldwide. Karthik shares how a master’s thesis visit to a school for the blind became a seven-year mission to build accessibility-first tech, why most products bolt on access as an afterthought, and how Envision’s Ally AI agent helps users understand and navigate the world with dignity.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• From thesis project to Envision: designing for independence, not compliance
• Why legacy assistive tech lags—and how to bring cutting-edge AI to accessibility
• Envision Glasses: what they do, who they help, and real-world use cases
• Accessibility-first product principles for builders and designers
• The future of AI agents (like Ally) for blind and low-vision communities
