Summary
Circle Optics recently welcomed leaders from the Department of Defense's Office of Industrial Base Growth to its Rochester headquarters as part of a regional visit highlighting companies strengthening America's Defense Industrial Base. The visit showcased how Circle Optics is transforming breakthrough panoramic imaging technologies into scalable products supporting defense, aerospace, autonomy, and Physical AI. It also underscored the critical role of Rochester's internationally recognized optics and imaging ecosystem in advancing innovation and manufacturing for national security.
When leaders from the Department of War’s Office of Industrial Base Growth traveled to Rochester, New York, they were engaging directly with the companies, technologies, and regional partnerships strengthening America’s Defense Industrial Base and accelerating the transition of emerging capabilities into operational use.
As part of the regional visit, Circle Optics welcomed Mr. James R. Mismash, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Industrial Base Growth and Director of the DoD Office of Small Business Programs, Mr. Khalil Mack, Deputy Director of the Office of Industrial Base Growth, Blake Linthicum, and Devlin Brown. Joining the federal delegation were Ana Liss, Monroe County Chief Economic Development Officer, and Anna Vulaj Fitzsimmons, Director of the Monroe County-Upstate New York APEX Accelerator, whose work continues to connect innovative companies with defense opportunities and strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem.
For Circle Optics, the visit was an opportunity to demonstrate how a company rooted in Rochester’s internationally recognized optics and imaging ecosystem is transforming years of research into advanced manufacturing. Building on a legacy that has shaped the fields of optics, imaging, and photonics for more than a century, Circle Optics is helping position the region as a leader in next generation technologies supporting defense, aerospace, autonomy, and national security.
“We are grateful to Monroe County and the Monroe County APEX Accelerator for opportunities like the Defense Logistics Roundtable and for coordinating today’s visit with representatives from the Department of Defense’s Office of Industrial Base Growth. Bringing government leaders together with companies like Circle Optics strengthens regional manufacturing, accelerates innovation, and helps advance our nation’s defense interests,” said Ian Gauger, Chief Operating Officer of Circle Optics.
During the visit, Circle Optics Chief Operating Officer Ian Gauger shared the company’s journey from an innovative optical concept developed at the University of Rochester into a growing defense technology company. “We’re a team of about 20 people headquartered right here in Rochester,” Gauger explained. “We’ve raised $2.5 million in private investment, secured another $15 million in government funding, and today have approximately $2.2 million in pending orders.” Over the past several years, Circle Optics has transformed an optical breakthrough into a portfolio of panoramic imaging systems supporting the Department of the Air Force, Space Force, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Army, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Enabling Physical AI
When machines need to see everything, they see with Circle Optics.
That simple idea has guided the company’s innovation from the beginning.
Traditional panoramic imaging systems rely on multiple cameras and software stitching to create a 360-degree view, introducing distortion, latency, and additional processing before images can be used.
Circle Optics took a different approach. Rather than correcting images after they are captured, founder Zak Niazi reimagined the optics themselves. The company’s patented panoramic optical architecture delivers seamless imagery at the moment of acquisition, providing cleaner data with less processing and enabling faster decisions. As autonomous systems and Physical AI continue to evolve, the quality of sensor data is becoming just as important as the algorithms analyzing it. Gauger summarized the relationship in one sentence. “All AI runs on data. The better data you have, the better your AI functions.”
Because the optical work is performed before the image reaches the processor, AI systems receive panoramic imagery with minimal latency and significantly lower computational demands. “We’re doing the hard work in the optics. We don’t need post processing to reassemble images. There’s none of that latency there, so you can run AI edge algorithms for detection and recognition in real time.”
Whether supporting autonomous aircraft, counter UAS missions, satellite imaging, or critical infrastructure protection, Circle Optics’ approach gives machines the high-quality visual data they need to understand their environment and respond in real time.
Following the presentation, the delegation viewed a comprehensive demonstration of Circle Optics’ technology portfolio, illustrating the breadth of the company’s work across defense, aerospace, and commercial applications.
The demonstration featured the evolution of the company’s panoramic imaging platform, from its flagship Pegasus™ and Hydra™ systems to advanced concepts in autonomous navigation, satellite imaging, NASA sponsored aviation research, high resolution telescopic optics, and next generation ultra compact panoramic sensors.
The team also demonstrated 3D environmental reconstruction generated from Circle Optics’ panoramic imagery, illustrating how the company’s optical architecture enables accurate digital mapping with significantly less processing than conventional approaches. Together, the demonstrations showcased a common technology foundation capable of supporting missions ranging from autonomous navigation and counter UAS to space-based sensing and critical infrastructure protection.
The discussion extended beyond technology to manufacturing. Circle Optics shared plans to expand its footprint, establish dedicated light manufacturing capability, and create new engineering and production positions in Rochester. “Our path forward in the next 18 months is delivering our initial production units,” Gauger said while outlining the company’s commercialization roadmap. The company also discussed plans to reduce production costs through economies of scale while expanding a resilient domestic supply chain capable of supporting future defense programs. Circle Optics is now entering its next phase of growth. Government funded research has evolved into commercial orders, manufacturing expansion, and a roadmap focused on scalable production for both government and commercial customers.
Strengthening America’s Defense Industrial Base
The visit reinforced a shared commitment between government, regional partners, and industry to strengthen America’s Defense Industrial Base by accelerating the transition of innovative technologies into production.
For Monroe County, organizations such as the Monroe County APEX Accelerator, NextCorps, and regional economic development partners continue creating opportunities for companies like Circle Optics to grow, manufacture, and contribute to the nation’s security.
For Circle Optics, the day marked another important milestone in the company’s evolution from a research driven startup into a manufacturing company delivering advanced panoramic imaging technologies for defense, aerospace, autonomy, and critical infrastructure. As production expands and new partnerships emerge, the company remains committed to developing optical technologies that help those who serve make faster, more informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.
About the Defense Industrial Base
The United States Defense Industrial Base (DIB) is the nationwide network of companies, manufacturers, research institutions, and government partners that develop, produce, and sustain the technologies supporting America’s national security. By strengthening domestic manufacturing, accelerating the transition of innovative technologies into production, and building resilient supply chains, the Defense Industrial Base ensures the U.S. Armed Forces have access to the capabilities needed to maintain a strategic advantage. Learn more https://www.businessdefense.gov/
Defense Industrial Base Accelerator (DIBX) 2026
August 25–27, 2026 | Pennsylvania Convention Center | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hosted by the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC), the inaugural Defense Industrial Base Accelerator (DIBX) 2026 will convene Department of War leaders, acquisition professionals, investors, prime contractors, manufacturers, startups, and emerging technology companies to strengthen America’s Defense Industrial Base. The three-day event focuses on technology transition, advanced manufacturing, supply chain resilience, workforce development, and connecting innovative companies with the government and industry partners needed to accelerate capabilities to the warfighter.
Learn more or register at https://www.dibconsortium.org/event/dibx/
