Lynred

What Lynred does

Lynred is a French privately-held infrared (IR) detector manufacturer, formed in its current structure through the 2019 merger of legacy firm Sofradir (founded 1986) and ULIS, and headquartered in Veurey-Voroize, France. The company designs and manufactures high-performance IR detector arrays and thermal imaging modules spanning the full infrared spectrum — SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR — using five distinct semiconductor technologies: Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT), Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs), InGaAs/GaAsSb (IGN), Type-II Superlattice (T2SL), and Microbolometer. With a portfolio of 44 product families protected by 500+ active patents, Lynred serves eight strategic markets: defense, space, drones/UxS, security and surveillance, hunting and leisure, environment, automotive and mobility, and machine vision.

The company's core product line consists of IR detector arrays and imaging modules that system integrators and OEMs embed into thermal cameras for defense, aerospace, automotive, and industrial applications. Lynred maintains end-to-end manufacturing capability at its Veurey-Voroize headquarters, with quality management systems certified to ISO 9001, EN 9100, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949. The company allocates approximately 15% of revenue to R&D annually and has developed AI-adjacent assets including the LYNRED Mobility Dataset, the LYNRED Toolbox for IR system developers, an automotive digital twin, and an LWIR-based pedestrian detection capability reporting a 36% improvement in average precision. It also partners with Université Grenoble Alpes through the Deep Red Industrial Chair on AI for infrared data.

Lynred operates a B2B enterprise hardware business model, selling IR detector arrays and modules to defense contractors, space agencies, automotive OEMs, and industrial system integrators. Pricing is quote-based and contract-negotiated, typical for specialized defense and aerospace components. Distribution is conducted through direct sales from the French headquarters and two wholly-owned subsidiaries: LYNRED USA in New Jersey, and NIT (New Imaging Technologies) in France for SWIR products following its October 2024 acquisition. Notable customer relationships include Thales Alenia Space, with whom Lynred completed a 20-year space program contract in 2024 representing the company's largest space contract, and Z3 Technology for AI-enabled surveillance system integration. The company also maintains a Chinese subsidiary presence (lynred.cn) for regional distribution.

Name

Lynred

Legal name

LYNRED

Website

https://lynred.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Lynred is a French infrared detector manufacturer formed from the 2019 merger of Sofradir and ULIS. It produces IR sensors spanning SWIR to VLWIR for defense, space, automotive, and industrial OEMs, supported by 500+ patents and 15% R&D reinvestment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infrared Detection and Thermal Imaging

NAICS

Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Optical & Light Sensors (Photodiodes/ALS/Color/UV) (HDAHALAE)

Keywords

• Infrared detectors
• Thermal imaging modules
• Uncooled microbolometers
• Cooled MCT sensors
• SWIR imaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Veurey-voroize

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Infrared Detectors and Modules: LYNRED designs, manufactures and sells high-performance infrared detectors and modules for thermal imaging systems. Product families include cooled detectors, microbolometers, and camera cores sold to defense, aerospace, and commercial customers worldwide.
2. R&D Investment: The company invests 15% of its revenue in R&D annually, developing next-generation infrared technologies. This supports continuous product innovation and maintains technological leadership in the infrared sensor market.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lynred designs, manufactures, and sells infrared (IR) detectors and thermal imaging modules, including cooled MCT detectors, uncooled microbolometers, and SWIR sensors. The company serves integrators and OEMs across defense, aerospace, automotive, security, and industrial machine vision markets with 44 product families backed by over 500 active patents.

Product overview

LYNRED offers an end-to-end range of infrared imagers spanning the entire infrared spectrum (SWIR, MWIR, LWIR, and VLWIR) through five different technologies (MCT, InGaAs, IGN, T2SL, and Microbolometer). The product portfolio includes three main families: cooled detectors, microbolometers/uncooled detectors, and modules/cores. Key product lines include the PlugUp platform (GALATEA MW SL, SEEGNUS MW SL, ARGO MW SL, DRACO MW SL, ATI variants), ATI modular cores (ATI640, ATI640S, ATI320), the YOCTO family of compact microbolometers, SIROCCO SWIR detectors, and specialized products for space, optical gas imaging, and defense applications. The company serves eight strategic markets: Defense, Space, Drones, Security & Surveillance, Hunting & Leisure, Environment, Automotive & Mobility, and Machine Vision.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YOCTO: Ultra-compact microbolometer family - YOCTO1024 offers compact thermal sensor with high-resolution image
• DRACO
• ARGO
• SIROCCO
• GALATEA
• EOLE
• SEEGNUS
• DAPHNIS
• ATTI
• EYESENTIAL
• ATTO
• PICO
• NIT (New Imaging Technologies)
• PlugUp

Products and services

• YOCTO Family of Uncooled Microbolometers A range of uncooled infrared microbolometer detectors (e.g., YOCTO1024) optimized for size, weight, and power (SWaP) constrained applications such as drones, handheld thermal imagers, and OEM camera modules. Sold to system integrators and OEMs.
• PlugUp Platform - Cooled MWIR Detectors A platform of cooled mid-wave infrared (MWIR) detectors based on MCT technology including GALATEA MW SL, SEEGNUS MW SL, ARGO MW SL, and DRACO MW SL formats. Designed for high-performance thermal imaging in defense, space, and surveillance programs.
• ATI Thermal Imaging Cores

Quantifiable outcome

• 36% improvement in average precision for pedestrian detection in total darkness
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Z3 TechnologycoreTechnology or Integration · 11 March 2026Z3 Technology developed the CIB-ATI640 Camera Interface Board designed for seamless integration with LYNRED ATI640 advanced shutterless thermal imaging module. The board supports LVDS digital video and MIPI CSI-2 outputs and enables connection to Z3's low-SWaP embedded encoders with AI capabilities for surveillance and unmanned operations.
• Thales Alenia SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThales Alenia Space is a key space customer for Lynred's infrared detectors. Lynred concluded its largest space contract following delivery of final infrared detector flight models to Thales Alenia Space, marking completion of a 20-year program.
• Photonics21minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLynred is an active member of Photonics21, contributing to the goal of consolidating a sovereign photonics and infrared industry in Europe.
• ESA and CNEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLynred participates in programs spearheaded by European Space Agency (ESA) and French space agency CNES, contributing to European space infrared imaging capabilities.
• Université Grenoble Alpes INP FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLynred funds the Deep Red Industrial Chair in partnership with Université Grenoble Alpes' INP Foundation, focused on processing and analyzing infrared data with artificial intelligence. Chair is financing two theses on visible/infrared image fusion and AI-powered methods for analyzing infrared sequences.
• IPCEI on Microelectronic TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLynred participates in the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on microelectronic technologies with ambition of strengthening continental industrial independence.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris produces infrared focal plane arrays and integrated thermal imaging systems for military and aerospace applications, overlapping with Lynred in cooled MWIR/LWIR detectors and in space- and defense-grade IR sensing programs.
• Teledyne FLIR: Teledyne FLIR is the dominant Western manufacturer of cooled and uncooled infrared detectors and thermal imaging cameras for defense, industrial and commercial markets — directly comparable to Lynred across the same MCT and microbolometer technology stack and serving the same OEM integrator base.
• Xenics: Xenics is a Belgian SWIR sensor and camera manufacturer specializing in InGaAs and T2SL shortwave infrared modules — directly comparable to Lynred's NIT SWIR portfolio and competing for European machine-vision, security and hyperspectral imaging customers.
• Excelitas Technologies: Excelitas manufactures a broad portfolio of photonic sensors including thermal IR detectors and modules for defense, aerospace and industrial customers — comparable to Lynred in MWIR/LWIR thermal detection and OEM integration supply.
• Sensors Unlimited (Collins Aerospace / RTX): Sensors Unlimited is a US leader in SWIR InGaAs cameras and detectors serving defense and industrial markets — directly comparable to Lynred's NIT-acquired SWIR HD1080p product line and the closest US counterpart in shortwave infrared imaging.
• Leonardo DRS: Leonardo DRS designs and manufactures infrared sensors and detector arrays for US and allied defense platforms, directly overlapping with Lynred's cooled and uncooled detector portfolio for surveillance, targeting and naval applications.
• SemiConductor Devices (SCD): SCD is an Israeli specialist in cooled and uncooled IR detectors based on InSb, MCT and T2SL technology — directly comparable to Lynred's cooled MWIR/LWIR offerings and frequently a competitor on the same Western defense thermal-imaging programs.

Emerging players

• Infrared Integrated Systems (Irisys / Fluke): Fluke (including the Irisys thermal-imaging line) is a US-based emerging thermal-imaging player using Lynred-detector-class microbolometers for industrial condition monitoring, building inspection and gas leak detection — overlapping with Lynred's machine-vision, environment and OGI end-markets.

Broad incumbents

• Thales: Thales is both a key Lynred customer (Thales Alenia Space) and a broader defense-electronics prime that integrates infrared sensors into its own thermal imaging and surveillance systems, competing at the system level for many of the same defense programs.
• Hamamatsu Photonics: Hamamatsu is a Japanese photonics manufacturer producing infrared detectors (including InGaAs and MCT) for scientific, industrial and automotive use — a broad incumbent in the same IR sensor market that overlaps with Lynred's SWIR and MWIR detector product families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lynred

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lynred