Ouster Completes Acquisition of Sense Photonics and Establishes Ouster Automotive

Ouster Acquires StereoLabs to Build Unified Physical AI Sensing and Perception Platform

February 4, 2026

AI & Machine Learning

Ouster, Inc. closed its acquisition of StereoLabs SAS on February 4, 2026. The deal combines Ouster’s digital lidar with StereoLabs’ ZED stereo cameras, AI vision software, and AI models to create a unified end-to-end sensing and perception platform for “Physical AI.”

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.

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.

Ouster and Velodyne Lidar Merge in All-Stock Deal to Accelerate Lidar Adoption

February 2, 2023

AI & Machine Learning

Ouster (NYSE: OUST) and Velodyne (NASDAQ: VLDR) agreed to merge in an all-stock “merger of equals,” with Velodyne shareholders exchanging each share for 0.8204 shares of Ouster at closing. The companies expect to improve scale and financial strength by combining product offerings, distribution channels, and operational synergies, including at least $75 million in annualized cost savings.

Luminar Technologies Acquires Freedom Photonics

March 21, 2022

Industrial Services

Luminar (Nasdaq: LAZR) announced it is acquiring Freedom Photonics, a high-performance laser chip and photonics components company used for lidar and other optical sensing applications. The all-stock deal follows years of collaboration and is expected to close in the second quarter, with Freedom Photonics’ leadership continuing to run and expand the business after closing.

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.