BITS Pilani-founded assistive technology company showcases Annie and upcoming AI-enabled refreshable braille display Tactera on Vande Bharatam.
Bengaluru, India | September 2026: Thinkerbell Labs, an Indian assistive technology company building technology for people who are blind or visually impaired, made it to the Top 50 of Vande Bharatam, earning a badge for 10 days of mentorship with the Adani Group and
the opportunity to pitch before a panel featuring Pratham Mittal, Vijay Kedia, Ankur Dahiya, and Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma.
For millions of people who are blind, braille remains essential for literacy, education and independent learning, yet access to effective braille learning and digital braille technology remains limited. Thinkerbell Labs built Annie, a Made-in-India, world’s first braille literacy
device, to address this gap and make learning braille more accessible, engaging and independent.
The company’s appearance on Vande Bharatam comes at a particularly relevant time, with the UN General Assembly recently adopting its first-ever resolution on access to assistive technology, recognising the importance of assistive technology in areas including education,
employment and independent living.
The company showcased Annie, its braille literacy device, and Tactera, its upcoming AI-enabled 32-cell refreshable braille display, with the pitch focusing primarily on Tactera and Thinkerbell Labs’ vision for making digital braille technology more accessible.
From BITS Pilani to Vande Bharatam
Thinkerbell Labs was founded by four engineers from BITS Pilani with a vision to make assistive technology more accessible and affordable.
What started as a team building technology for braille literacy has since grown into a company with Annie deployed across 490+ centres across India, reaching thousands of children.
The journey has taken Thinkerbell Labs from its beginnings at BITS Pilani, to investment from Anand Mahindra, recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of India, an appearance on Shark Tank India, being named among the Top 20 at the AI for All Summit, and
now the Vande Bharatam Top 50 and a pitch before the Adani Group. The company has also received recognition from organisations including TIME, MIT Solve and UNDP.
Tactera: The Next Chapter
At Vande Bharatam, Thinkerbell Labs placed the spotlight on Tactera, its upcoming refreshable braille display designed to put an entire digital library in a child’s hands. Annie helps children build foundational braille literacy through interactive, audio-guided lessons.
Tactera takes the next step by bringing digital books, documents and other content directly to users through refreshable braille.
The 32-cell, AI-enabled device is designed with a focus on intuitive navigation and easier access to digital information, allowing users to access books, documents and other digital content in braille. Tactera represents Thinkerbell Labs’ expansion from braille literacy into broader digital
accessibility and independent learning. The Vande Bharatam pitch stayed with the panel as Thinkerbell Labs continues to build towards its next phase of growth. The company’s current fundraise round is open, with a focus on geographic expansion and product development as it scales its assistive technology across India and international markets.
Watch the Full Vande Bharatam Episode
Watch Thinkerbell Labs’ full Vande Bharatam episode, including the pitch and presentation of
Annie and Tactera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA2t9sJlF1o
