What started as a two-employee TV and projector repair business has grown into a global Pro AV powerhouse, as Lightware Visual Engineering turns 25 years old in 2023. Lightware celebrated this milestone at ISE 2023 by introducing new corporate and several other vertical market AV solutions.
Lightware will also strengthen its lines of educational, defense, and intelligence market solutions throughout the new year. The celebration comes at a time of rapid company growth, with Lightware strengthening the security profiles of its product range as collaborative AV-over-IP applications continue to soar in popularity across the globe.
New advanced security features incorporated into Lightware’s products—like isolated Ethernet networks and data diode technology—guarantee unidirectional signal data flow while maintaining the flexibility to design collaborative environments.
The 802.1X authentication protocol gives the Taurus UCX access to the protected network after authentication. Lightware separates sensitive data from Internet connectivity, allowing users to access the LAN without risking security breaches.
Furthermore, Lightware’s data diode option, available in the HDMI-3D-OPT-DD series extenders, guarantees data confidentiality while offering systems integrators greater flexibility to secure their network when connecting to third-party devices.
Lightware now serves customers in more than 30 countries, reinforcing its position as one of the leading global AV solutions providers.
“Since we started this journey, we have always been strongly focused on expanding the horizons of what is possible within the realms of signal management,” said Gergely Vida, Lightware founder and CEO. “Over the years, the pro AV industry has continually evolved, with customer needs changing with it. Our portfolio of networking and collaboration solutions, which includes numerous world-first technologies, is a dynamic family of flexible and scalable technologies that offers something for everyone and demonstrates our continued commitment to fully supporting integrators and their customers.”
From Small Beginnings
As the company continues to grow into new regions and markets, Lightware is continuously expanding its product development and sales teams. It’s a huge leap from 1998, when Vida and his friends created the company, repairing projectors and plasma TVs.
Since then, the company’s offerings have expanded from the traditional AV devices that brought the company its initial success—DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort matrix switches, signal distributors and signal amplifiers—to now include AV-over-IP, HDBaseT, and SDVoE solutions.
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2022: A Year for the Record Books
Lightware is entering the new year with plans to build on an incredibly successful 2022. Record-breaking increases in revenue, more than 150% over the prior year, were driven by a combination of manufacturing innovation and impeccable market timing.
In the face of parts shortages, Lightware managed to keep its supply chain moving by redesigning key products to work around missing alternative parts and ensuring continuous production. At the same time, the development of products like the Taurus UCX series coincided with a spike in demand for offerings that promote hybrid work and enable Bring-Your-Own-Meeting (BYOM) flexibility.
“Our mission has always been to deliver reliable and versatile, yet simple and consistent AV solutions that make life easier, ensuring that technology is not an obstacle but a powerful tool,” said Vida. “We focus on customers’ needs and deliver viable solutions with an uncompromising level of customer service and support. As we enter our next quarter-century, we will keep listening, inventing, and delivering.”
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In 2023, Lightware will prioritize delivering exceptional customer service by offering relevant and innovative products informed by customer feedback. While corporate remains the main vertical, education and defense are becoming increasingly important as the company grows.
