AKASO Tech LLC makes accessible cameras and imaging gear for outdoor adventure, from compact action cameras to its AKASO 360 and Seemor full-color night-vision binoculars. The company’s distinctive focus is ease of use: its cameras are built for everyone from first-time creators to professionals, while its Team AKASO program supplies gear and support to people sharing real-life experiences. AKASO also says it incorporates sustainability into its business model and works with athletes and public-welfare initiatives.
Bounce ImagingBorn from work at the Harvard Innovation Laboratory and MIT after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Bounce Imaging builds rugged, low-cost 360-degree camera and sensor systems that let first responders and military teams see into dangerous or confined spaces before entering. Its throwable cameras capture stabilized video and audio in every direction at once, giving multiple users a shared view and the ability to review what happened behind them. The company says its systems are fielded by more than 800 public-safety and defense agencies worldwide, including U.S. SOCOM and federal law-enforcement teams.BUFFALO, NY
360Rize360Rize, a 360Heros Inc. company, builds and manufactures camera systems and related solutions for virtual-reality, 360-degree video and photography, and augmented-reality work. Its 360Penguin camera can capture up to 6K video and 7K still images, while the company also trains production teams in immersive-video shooting and post-production. The company’s work was featured in the 2015 Guinness Book of World Records after it helped create a high-quality 360-degree video on Mount Everest.OLEAN, NY
BowerSince Saul Bower introduced its first U.S. camera accessories in 1949, Bower has developed photography and content-creation gear, including smartphone tools and camera accessories. The company’s history spans specialty lenses, partnerships with Cisco and Energizer, and early lines for drone and action-camera photography, before expanding into products for today’s creators.LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
Awarewolf GearAwarewolf Gear makes mobility canes for blind and low-vision users, including the All Terrain Cane developed from its founder’s own hiking needs after vision loss in Sedona, Arizona. Designed by blind users for the blind and low-vision community, its titanium All Terrain Cane is built for rugged ground, while the Urban Xplorer adapts that durability to everyday streets. The company also supports mobility access through cane donations, veteran assistance and a monthly community gathering called A Call For The Wild.BALTIMORE, MD