What Qwake Tech does

Qwake Technologies, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, develops the C-THRU platform, an integrated augmented reality system purpose-built for firefighting in zero-visibility, high-heat environments. The platform comprises two core products: the C-THRU Navigator, a helmet-mounted AR device combining a US-made 320x240 LWIR thermal camera with proprietary Edge Detection technology and a heads-up display offering four vision modes (Edge View, Raw Thermal, Edge & Hotspots, and a triple-overlay "Predator" mode); and the C-THRU Command Tablet, a remote viewing console that streams live POV video from Navigator units, enables two-way visual communication, supports remote MAYDAY activation, logs tactical milestones, and records incident footage for after-action training. Together the two products deliver real-time situational awareness between firefighters inside a structure fire and the Incident Commander outside, a workflow previously impossible with handheld thermal cameras alone. The system is NFPA 1971- and NFPA 1801-compliant (surviving 815°C flame contact for 10 seconds), protected by 27 original patents, and supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

Qwake monetizes exclusively through its Pioneer Program, a direct enterprise sales motion that sells bundled three-year packages — Navigator AR hardware, Command Tablets, software, support, and training — to U.S. municipal and federal fire departments. The company reports deployment across 80+ departments, with onboarding running at one to two new departments per month. Reported customer outcomes include a 2.5x reduction in primary search times, 81% improvement in spatial awareness in zero-visibility conditions, and 68% improvement in training and after-action reviews. Major named customers include Chicago, Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Orange County (FL), Mesa (AZ), Menlo, Roswell (GA), Raleigh, Carmel (IN), Corpus Christi fire departments, and Eglin Air Force Base. The company was awarded Fast Company's 2025 World Changing Innovation Award and received specific Congressional appropriations language in the FY26 federal budget. In March 2026, Qwake announced a strategic collaboration with webAI to layer predictive AI onto the C-THRU platform, with an explicit roadmap to extend intelligent infrastructure beyond fire services into broader city operations.

Name

Qwake Tech

Legal name

Qwake Technologies, LLC

Website

https://qwake.tech

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Qwake Technologies builds the C-THRU platform, a helmet-mounted augmented reality system with proprietary Edge Detection and a Command Tablet that gives fire departments real-time situational awareness and navigation in zero-visibility environments. It sells bundled three-year hardware, software, and training packages to U.S. fire departments via its Pioneer Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Safety AR Hardware and Software

NAICS

Computer Terminal and Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (334118)

SIC

Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Fire Alarm & Life Safety Systems Integration (BPAKAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Safety, Compliance & Risk Training Simulations (EHS, OSHA, Hazard Response) (EDAFAJAD)

Keywords

• Augmented reality firefighting
• Thermal imaging helmets
• First responder situational awareness
• Fireground navigation systems
• Incident command software

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. C-THRU Hardware and Software Systems: Qwake sells comprehensive C-THRU systems including AR devices (Navigator helmets), remote viewing consoles (Command Tablet), and bundled software, support, and training for three-year terms to fire departments via Pioneer Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Qwake Technologies designs, manufactures, and sells the C-THRU platform — an end-to-end augmented reality system for firefighters that pairs the helmet-mounted C-THRU Navigator (with proprietary Edge Detection technology, LWIR thermal imaging, and an AR heads-up display) with the C-THRU Command Tablet (a real-time remote viewing console for Incident Command). Systems are delivered to U.S. fire departments through the multi-year Pioneer Program bundle that includes hardware, software, support, and training.

Product overview

Qwake Technologies offers the C-THRU platform, a comprehensive augmented reality system specifically designed for firefighting operations. The platform consists of two primary products: the C-THRU Navigator (a helmet-mounted AR device providing hands-free vision through smoke and darkness using proprietary Edge Detection technology and thermal imaging) and the C-THRU Command Tablet (a remote viewing console enabling Incident Command to see real-time POV feeds from firefighters, coordinate operations, and track tactical milestones). The Navigator streams live video to the Command Tablet, enabling unprecedented situational awareness and coordination in zero-visibility fireground environments. Through a strategic collaboration with webAI, the platform is expanding from rapid response to predictive intelligence capabilities to help fire departments anticipate and prevent incident escalation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• C-THRU: Comprehensive augmented reality platform for firefighters including Navigator (helmet-mounted AR system) and Command Tablet (real-time viewing console for incident commanders).
• Navigator
• Command Tablet
• Pioneer Program

Products and services

• C-THRU Navigator Helmet-mounted augmented reality system for firefighters that layers thermal imaging, proprietary Edge Detection outlines, and navigational cues on a head-up display, with entry-side compass, two-way visual communication, MAYDAY activation, and live POV streaming back to Command. Designed for fire departments operating in zero-visibility environments.
• C-THRU Command Tablet Remote viewing tablet for Incident Command that receives real-time POV video streams from Navigator-equipped firefighters, supports two-way visual communication, remote MAYDAY activation, precise location data, tactical milestone tracking, and post-incident forensics playback for training. Built for fire department commanders.
• Pioneer Program Multi-year bundled subscription offering for U.S. fire departments that combines C-THRU Navigator and Command Tablet hardware with three years of software, support, and training as a single enterprise package.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.5x reduction in time to perform primary search
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• webAIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Strategic collaboration to develop predictive AI capabilities for emergency response. The effort pairs webAI's edge intelligence infrastructure with Qwake's critical operations platform (C-THRU) to help give incident commanders better information at critical moments. The collaboration aims to move AI from the lab into the field, creating a predictive edge intelligence system for the modern fireground. The partnership includes plans to expand from rapid response to prediction capabilities and extend intelligent infrastructure beyond fire services to broader city operations. The escalation prediction tool is the first step in a broader shared vision for intelligent city infrastructure.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scott Safety (3M Scott Safety / 3M): Scott Safety manufactures Scott Sight, an in-mask thermal imaging display for firefighters — the closest direct competitor to C-THRU Navigator, targeting the same fire-service buyer with hands-free situational awareness.
• MSA Safety: MSA sells the FireHawk M7 and integrated thermal imaging solutions to fire departments globally, competing head-to-head with C-THRU in firefighter situational awareness and incident command technology.
• Bullard: Bullard is a long-established thermal imaging camera (T3X, T4X) and fire helmet manufacturer; competes with Qwake on rugged thermal imaging hardware sold to the same fire-service customers.
• Dräger: Dräger produces UCF thermal imaging cameras and integrated firefighting solutions (e.g., Dräger UCF FireCore), offering comparable situational-awareness hardware to global fire services.

Broad incumbents

• Teledyne FLIR: FLIR is the dominant supplier of LWIR thermal imaging cores and firefighting TICs used across the industry; Qwake's US-made 320x240 LWIR camera competes with or sources technology adjacent to FLIR's product line.
• Microsoft (HoloLens / IVAS): Microsoft HoloLens and the U.S. Army IVAS program position Microsoft as the largest AR-headset platform player with active public-safety and military deployments — a potential competitor and/or ecosystem partner.

Emerging players

• RealWear: RealWear makes ruggedized, voice-controlled AR headsets for industrial and frontline workers, with deployments across utilities and field service — an adjacent first-responder-adjacent AR hardware competitor.
• Magic Leap: Magic Leap develops enterprise-focused AR headsets with spatial computing capabilities that could be positioned for public-safety and training use cases overlapping C-THRU.
• Argon Electronics: Argon designs CBRN and hazardous-environment training simulation systems for first responders; adjacent to Qwake's after-action review / training playback capabilities.

Regional players

• Avon Protection: Avon Protection supplies respiratory and tactical protective equipment to defense and first-responder customers globally — an adjacent safety-systems vendor with overlapping buyer relationships outside the U.S. fire service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qwaketechnologies
• Xx.com/qwaketech

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Qwake Tech