Arizona, home to the breathtaking Grand Canyon and the roadrunner, is now home to Longan Vision’s first U.S. operations in Tucson, Arizona, through the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) Soft Landings Program. The Forge client, developing smart technology for first responders, is headquartered in McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, Ontario.
Longan Vision has been working with firefighters across Canada, the United States, and Japan to bring the Fusion Vision System (FVS), a hands-free helmet-mounted thermal imager to the market. Designed to assist firefighters to locate people within a fire quickly and safely, the device uses Augmented Reality to display information to the user, as well as enhanced vision in dark and smoky environments.
In June 2022, Longan Vision was invited by the UACI to participate in the Global Advantage Soft Landings Program. The program is designed to assist innovative early-stage companies from around the world explore the U.S. market firsthand. Longan Vision received mentorship, met with various Tucson-based thought leaders and entrepreneurs, and formed connections with various potential clients and government officials. The support Longan Vision received from the Soft Landings program was instrumental in the decision to expand into the U.S. market via UACI and Tucson.
“UACI has provided us with an amazing opportunity to help build our U.S. operations, to help the Fire Service of Arizona, and of course, help save lives,” said Andrew Leaman, the Manager of Commercial Operations, who will relocate to Tucson to head their first U.S. office at the University of Arizona’s Tech Parks.