Ouster Acquires Sense Photonics and Launches Ouster Automotive

Ouster and Velodyne Complete Merger to Create Combined LiDAR Company

February 2, 2023

Automotive

Ouster and Velodyne Lidar completed a proposed merger of equals to form a combined lidar company, with leadership and board designees drawn from both firms. The transaction is intended to create a stronger financial position, broaden the product suite and commercial reach, and deliver operational synergies and cost savings to accelerate lidar adoption across automotive, robotics and infrastructure markets.

Ouster Acquires StereoLabs

February 4, 2026

AI & Machine Learning

Ouster, Inc. (Nasdaq: OUST) completed the acquisition of StereoLabs SAS on February 4, 2026, paying roughly $35 million in cash plus 1.8 million shares (0.7 million of which vest over four years). The deal brings StereoLabs' ZED stereo cameras, perception software, and ~10,000 customers into Ouster's unified sensing and perception platform to combine lidar, cameras, AI compute, sensor fusion and perception software and accelerate capability and market expansion.

Luminar Technologies Acquires OptoGration Inc.

July 19, 2021

Manufacturing

Luminar Technologies has acquired its exclusive InGaAs photodetector design partner and specialized fabrication partner, OptoGration Inc., securing chip IP and production capacity to support series production of its Iris lidar sensor. The deal brings OptoGration’s founders into Luminar, secures roughly one million InGaAs chips per year capacity (expandable), and deepens integration with Luminar’s Black Forest Engineering assets to accelerate production and reduce costs.

Groupe HLD Acquires Photonis (now Exosens) from Ardian

November 18, 2025

Aerospace & Defense

Groupe HLD (HLD Europe) acquired Photonis Group (rebranded Exosens) from Ardian in 2021 in a reported €370 million buyout. Under HLD ownership Exosens expanded through nearly ten add-on acquisitions, grew to roughly 1,600–1,900 employees with ~€394m turnover, and completed an IPO on Euronext Paris in June 2024.

indie Semiconductor Acquires EXALOS AG for $45 Million

September 27, 2023

Manufacturing

indie Semiconductor has completed the acquisition of Swiss photonics company EXALOS AG for about $45 million in stock, with up to $20 million of additional contingent consideration tied to 24-month revenue-based performance targets. The deal secures EXALOS' SLED and SOA technologies and a team of ~17 engineers to expand indie's laser and silicon photonics portfolio and accelerate its Autotech offerings to global tier‑1 suppliers and automotive OEMs.

Radius Global Market Research Acquires 7th Sense

December 9, 2024

Marketing & Advertising

Radius Global Market Research has acquired 7th Sense, a market research and insights firm headquartered in Bingham Farms, Michigan. The acquisition strengthens Radius's research and consulting capabilities—particularly 7th Sense's automotive expertise—and integrates qualitative, ethnographic, quantitative and blended-method capabilities; financial terms were not disclosed.