What VX does

VX Inc. is a privately held boutique product development firm headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, specializing in augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), and mixed reality (MR) hardware, with broader capabilities in wearable technology and ruggedized computing systems. The firm offers end-to-end services spanning industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, optical engineering, firmware development, and system integration, alongside in-house prototype manufacturing supported by advanced CNC machining compliant with ISO 2768 tolerance standards. To date, VX has designed 27 AR devices across commercial, defense, and industrial applications, with publicly disclosed projects including the ABOM AR (the first AR system with a MIL-PRF 32432A ballistics-rated lens), DAQRI Smart Glasses, DAQRI Smart Helmet (featured in Intel's CES keynote), and Atheer AiR (AWE Auggie Award winner for Best Enterprise Solution). The firm also markets reusable reference designs including the Blue*Shift Modular Headset Development Kit, EV1 Evaluation Kit, and CNED Compact Near Eye Display (CNED) optical modules.

VX operates a sales-led, direct-engagement go-to-market model targeting enterprise technology companies (including billion-dollar venture-backed AR startups), small businesses, consulting firms, and government research programs. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting custom project work. The firm explicitly limits the number of projects it takes on annually, emphasizing talent density and tailored execution over scale, and it holds consecutive Xometry (ThomasNet) Excellence in Manufacturing Awards for 2021 and 2022. Certifications across MIL-PRF, IP6X, Z87, DFARS, FCC, CE, UL, and RHoS enable engagement with regulated defense and industrial buyers. No external funding, management team details, or financial disclosures are available.

Name

VX

Legal name

VX Inc.

Website

https://vx-inc.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VX Inc. is a boutique hardware product development firm in Issaquah, Washington, specializing in end-to-end AR/XR/MR headset design, wearable technology, and prototype CNC manufacturing for enterprise startups, defense, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellevue

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Development Services: End-to-end design and engineering services for wearable technology and AR/XR hardware, including industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, optical engineering, and manufacturing consulting
2. Prototype Manufacturing: CNC machining and manufacturing services for prototypes, representing an expanded service offering

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

VX Inc. is a specialized product development firm that delivers end-to-end design, engineering, system integration, and prototype manufacturing services for AR/XR/MR and wearable hardware. The firm serves enterprise technology companies, billion-dollar startups, defense/industrial buyers, and government research programs, taking on a limited number of custom projects per year and also offering reference designs and modular development kits such as Blue*Shift, EV1, and CNED optical modules.

Product overview

VX Inc. is a product development firm offering end-to-end services including Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, System Integration, and Manufacturing (CNC Machining). The company specializes in Augmented Reality and Wearable Technology hardware development. Their portfolio includes award-winning AR devices such as ABOM AR (2019, first AR system with ballistics-rated lens), DAQRI Smart Glasses (2017, first professional-grade AR headset under 300g), DAQRI Smart Helmet (2016, featured at Intel CES keynote), and Atheer AiR (2016, AWE Auggie Award winner). VX has designed 27 AR devices to date. They also offer reference designs including the Blue*Shift* Modular Headset Development Kit, EV1 Evaluation Kit, and CNED Optical Modules (Compact Near Eye Displays). The company holds Excellence in Manufacturing Awards from Xometry (ThomasNet) for 2021 and 2022.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ABOM AR Augmented reality system featuring the first ballistics-rated (MIL-PRF 32432A) lens, designed to challenge the US ARMY's IVAS specification as an alternative to Hololens. Built for defense and rugged use cases.
• DAQRI Smart Glasses First professional-grade AR headset under 300g with spatial tracking, designed for enterprise hands-free work applications.
• DAQRI Smart Helmet AR helmet featured in Intel's CES keynote, designed for hands-free work applications with system engineering, industrial design, and optics integration.
• Atheer AiR Enterprise AR solution that won the AWE Auggie Award for 'Best Enterprise Solution', with mechanical, system, and optical engineering integration.
• Blue*Shift Modular Headset Development Kit Waterproof, rugged, and modular AR headset development platform and reference design for hardware developers building custom AR systems.
• EV1 Evaluation Kit Fully-featured modular AR reference design and evaluation kit for AR hardware development.
• CNED Optical Modules VX Compact Near Eye Display optical modules integrating micro display, optical engine, and projector in an impact-resistant, polymer, waterproof construction.
• Product Development Services End-to-end product development services spanning Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Firmware, and System Integration for AR/XR/MR and wearable hardware clients.
• Prototype Manufacturing (Advanced CNC) Domestic CNC prototype manufacturing with advanced machining capabilities meeting ISO 2768 tolerance standards, supporting AR/XR/MR and wearable hardware clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27 AR devices designed and delivered across multiple industries

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Xometry (ThomasNet)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorXometry (ThomasNet) awarded VX Inc. the Excellence in Manufacturing Award consecutively in 2021 and 2022. Xometry is a manufacturing marketplace that connects companies with manufacturing service providers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• DigiLens: Manufacturer of optical waveguides and display engines used in AR headsets across enterprise and defense applications. Comparable as a key component supplier in the AR hardware ecosystem whose technology VX integrates when designing near-eye displays (e.g., CNED optical modules).
• Lumus: Optical engine manufacturer specializing in reflective waveguide technology for AR and MR headsets, with deep defense and consumer applications. Comparable as an upstream component specialist whose optical engines VX evaluates and integrates into AR product designs.
• XREAL: Consumer-focused AR glasses maker producing lightweight tethered mixed-reality displays with growing OEM partnerships. Comparable as an emerging AR hardware player whose aggressive product cycle and optics partnerships define the pace of consumer AR hardware — a complementary customer base to VX's enterprise/defense focus.
• Osterhout Design Group (ODG): Pioneer of ruggedized AR smart glasses with a long track record in defense, industrial, and enterprise markets. Comparable as a specialized AR hardware maker whose focus on harsh-environment and MIL-spec optics directly mirrors VX's ruggedized design capability areas.

Broad incumbents

• Vuzix: Long-established manufacturer of enterprise and industrial AR smart glasses, including ruggedized models for defense and field service. Comparable as an incumbent building exactly the kind of AR hardware VX's customers design, and competing with VX's clients for similar procurement budgets.
• Magic Leap: AR headset maker focused on enterprise and mixed-reality hardware with substantial R&D and manufacturing capabilities. Comparable as a primary AR hardware manufacturer whose product ambition (headset-class devices for prosumer/enterprise) overlaps with the design challenges VX solves for its clients.
• Microsoft (HoloLens / IVAS): Industry-leading AR headset maker, dominant in defense AR via the US Army IVAS program that VX's customer ABOM AR was built to challenge. Comparable as the anchor incumbent whose roadmap and procurement decisions directly shape the addressable market for VX and its clients.

Direct peers

• Whipsaw: Industrial design and engineering firm in San Jose known for high-end consumer electronics, wearables, and AR/VR product design. Whipsaw is the closest direct comparable as another boutique, multi-disciplinary design house with notable hardware shipped across similar categories.
• Lunar Design: Premier product design firm working across consumer electronics, medical devices, and wearables, including AR-adjacent products. Comparable as a high-end boutique design partner serving enterprise hardware clients with a similar depth-across-many-projects model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 VX