What Sapphire Technical Solutions does

Sapphire Technical Solutions (STS) designs, manufactures, and supports custom photometric measurement equipment used by automotive, marine, aviation/aerospace, and commercial lighting customers to certify compliance with FMVSS108, SAE, UN-ECE, and FAA/ICAO standards. Its core product line comprises Type A and Type C goniophotometers (AP-24, AP-48, AP-60), the VP-100 vertical photometer, camera-based and far-field photometry systems, the TDA/RITT platform for Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) track testing, an SP-100 integrating sphere, VTM-100 vibration test machine, spectroradiometers, and calibrated light sources - all built in-house at the Pineville, NC headquarters on a proprietary LabVIEW software stack with no SDK released.

Revenue is generated through three integrated streams: one-time sales of custom-built hardware (12-16 week lead times, quote-based enterprise pricing), recurring annual software subscriptions covering PhotoScale, BeamScale HF, Test Project Software (TPS), and the Strobe & Flashing Light Testing Package, and professional services including ISO/IEC-17025 accredited calibration and third-party testing (the only dual-accredited lab in the Optical Radiation field in North America), STS University training events twice a year, and bespoke consulting on custom electronic systems. Customers are predominantly enterprise OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in the automotive industry (25+ manufacturers globally), with additional exposure to aviation operators, boat manufacturers, and commercial lighting producers.

The go-to-market is exclusively direct enterprise sales led by a Business Director, supported by standards-body participation (SAE International committee seats and the first US GTB delegate role), hosted training, and a professional website funnel. All manufacturing, R&D, and the accredited lab operate from a single Pineville facility under founder/CEO Michael Piscitelli, who has 30+ years of industry experience and personally sponsors SAE J1330. No institutional funding, acquisitions, or external investors are reported in the source data.

Name

Sapphire Technical Solutions

Legal name

Sapphire Technical Solutions

Website

https://sapphirests.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sapphire Technical Solutions designs and manufactures custom photometric testing equipment - including goniophotometers, integrating spheres, and an ISO/IEC-17025 accredited lab - serving automotive, marine, aviation, and commercial lighting manufacturers needing FMVSS108, SAE, UN-ECE, and FAA/ICAO compliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photometric Testing Equipment

NAICS

Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)

Keywords

• Photometric testing equipment
• Goniophotometer manufacturing
• Integrating sphere systems
• Accredited light testing laboratory
• Optical measurement instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Pineville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Goniophotometers & Photometric Equipment: Custom-built photometric testing equipment including goniophotometers (AP-60, AP-48, AP-24), vertical photometers (VP-100), spectroradiometers, integrating spheres, vibration test machines, and light sources. Made-to-order with 12-16 week lead time.
2. Software Licensing & Maintenance Contracts: Annual subscription-based software licensing ensures customers have latest updates, patches, and access to developer support. Upgrades included in contract unless custom requests require additional implementation fees.
3. ISO/IEC-17025 Accredited Calibration Services: Third-party calibration and testing services for photometric and radiometric equipment. Includes onsite and offsite calibrations, system alignments. T-10 light meter calibration performed annually at STS lab.
4. Third-Party Testing Services: Contracted laboratory for FMVSS108/CMVSS108 Regulations, SAE, UN-ECE Type Approval and CoP, FAA/ICAO. Provides ADB track testing with full reporting of all 8 scenarios per FMVSS-108 ADB regulation.
5. Training Services: STS University training events (Spring and Fall) combining classroom and hands-on sessions. Covers system setup, calibration, testing procedures, photometry fundamentals, and regulatory standards. Private customer training also available.
6. Custom Equipment & Consulting Services: Consulting and project services for custom electronic systems including concept, prototyping, troubleshooting, and manufacturing. Covers hardware/software design, firmware, and system installation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sapphire Technical Solutions manufactures photometric testing equipment including goniophotometers, photometers, and integrating spheres. The company also operates an ISO/IEC-17025 accredited testing laboratory that provides certified photometric measurement services.

Product overview

Sapphire Technical Solutions is a manufacturer of custom photometric measurement systems comprising hardware equipment and proprietary subscription-based software. The core product portfolio centers on goniophotometers (Type A: AP-24, AP-48, AP-60; Type C models), photometers (VP-100), camera-based photometry systems, integrating spheres (SP-100), spectroradiometers, vibration test machines (VTM-100), light sources, and the TDA/RITT System for ADB track testing. Supporting the hardware are proprietary software packages including PhotoScale (standard AP series control), Test Project Software (TPS for consolidated data management), BeamScale HF (automotive beam pattern analysis), and Strobe & Flashing Light Testing Package. All products are designed and manufactured in-house since 2005, with customizations available for aerospace, automotive, and commercial lighting industries. The company also operates an ISO/IEC-17025 Accredited laboratory providing calibration and third-party testing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Goniophotometers

Quantifiable outcome

• Can resolve 0.001 candela at 100 feet - highest sensitivity in the market
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• GTB (The International Automotive Lighting and Light Signalling Expert Group)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTS is the first US delegate to participate in GTB Photometry Group. Hosted the 135th GTB session in Charlotte, NC in June 2024. Trusted voice in UN regulations in Europe for automotive lighting standards.
• SAE InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly North American manufacturer of automated photometric test equipment belonging to SAE International. CEO Michael Piscitelli serves as Vice Chair of SAE International Cooperation Committee. Chair of Lighting Standard Practices Committee and Test Methods and Equipment Committee. Sponsor of SAE J1330 Photometric Laboratory Accuracy Document.
• FAA/ICAOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContracted laboratory for FAA/ICAO aviation lighting testing. Equipment suitable for aircraft navigation lights, runway lighting, and VASI & PAPI systems testing.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Radiant Vision Systems: Radiant Vision Systems (now part of Cyberoptics) supplies imaging colorimeters and photometers for display, automotive interior/exterior lighting, and sign/illumination test. Directly comparable to STS's camera-based photometry and BeamScale offerings for automotive beam pattern analysis.
• TechnoTeam Bildverarbeitung: TechnoTeam specializes in imaging photometry and colorimetry for automotive forward lighting, including goniophotometry and ADB analysis — the same niche STS targets with Type C goniophotometers, VOA, and BeamScale HF. Strong European competitor in the same regulatory regimes (UN-ECE).
• Admesy: Admesy makes spectroradiometers, colorimeters, and integrating spheres for display, LED, and lighting test applications. Comparable to STS on the measurement instrument side (especially spectroradiometers and integrating spheres) for shared automotive/display customers.
• Labsphere: Labsphere is a direct competitor in photometric and radiometric test equipment, particularly integrating spheres (STS's SP-100 competes head-to-head) and light measurement systems. Like STS, Labsphere supplies test equipment plus calibration services to lighting OEMs and standards-compliant test labs.
• Instrument Systems (Konica Minolta): Instrument Systems builds spectroradiometers, photometers, and goniophotometers used in automotive, display, and general lighting test applications. Direct overlap with STS in spectroradiometer (Spectro100) and automotive lighting test equipment, targeting the same OEM/Tier 1 customers.
• Gamma Scientific: Gamma Scientific manufactures light measurement instruments including spectroradiometers, integrating spheres, and goniophotometers, with strong US presence in calibration and test services for lighting OEMs. Direct head-to-head with STS in photometric instruments and accredited lab services.
• JETI Technische Instrumente: JETI builds high-precision spectroradiometers and photometric measurement instruments used in lighting R&D and production. Comparable to STS's Spectro100 and broader photometric equipment portfolio, primarily serving European and Asian OEMs.
• Everfine Corporation: Everfine is a large Chinese manufacturer of goniophotometers, integrating spheres, spectroradiometers, and LED/lighting test systems, with broad global reach. Direct competitor to STS across essentially the full photometric test equipment product line, typically at lower price points.

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Intertek is a global testing, inspection, and certification giant offering automotive and lighting compliance testing services. While STS is a contracted laboratory that competes with Intertek's lab services, Intertek also serves as a broader one-stop alternative for OEM compliance needs — a structural threat and partner-like alternative to STS.
• TÜV SÜD: TÜV SÜD is a global testing and certification organization that provides automotive lighting homologation and photometric compliance testing. Competes with STS's accredited lab services in automotive and aviation verticals, and sets/influences standards STS equipment must satisfy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/mikepiscitelli

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 Sapphire Technical Solutions