Ouster, Inc.

A LiDAR is essentially a radar that uses light instead of radio waves: it emits laser pulses, measures the return time, and builds a precise three-dimensional map of the surrounding environment. For years it was an expensive, fragile technology limited to a narrow set of applications. Ouster changed this equation with a digital photonics approach that made it possible to produce high-performance LiDAR sensors at accessible prices and at industrial scale. Ouster's sensors are digital in the full sense: rather than using traditional analogue components, they leverage standard CMOS chips — the same technology behind smartphone cameras — to detect return photons. This not only reduces manufacturing costs but increases resolution, reliability, and the ability to operate in difficult conditions, including rain, fog, and direct sunlight. Applications span multiple sectors: industrial automation and robotics, where sensors allow robots to navigate unstructured environments; traffic management and smart cities, where LiDAR enables intelligent monitoring of intersections and vehicle flows; security and perimeter surveillance; and the automotive sector, where autonomous or assisted driving vehicles require high-resolution 3D perception to operate safely. Ouster targets OEMs, system integrators, and operators that integrate LiDAR sensors into their own systems, with a B2B model that encompasses both hardware sales and more comprehensive perception solutions. The merger with Velodyne, one of the sector's pioneers, created a player of significant scale in the global LiDAR market. In a technological ecosystem where environmental perception has become a prerequisite for automation, safety, and future mobility, Ouster positions itself as the reference supplier of the sensing capability on which tomorrow's intelligent systems are built.