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§ Private Profile · Sydney, Australia
Visionary Machines is a technology company.
Visionary Machines develops advanced optical sensing technology, utilizing passive camera arrays to provide real-time 3D spatial awareness for machines. This proprietary approach enables systems to achieve super-human spatial vision, essential for autonomous functions and intricate navigation in complex environments. Their core capability lies in enhancing perception, allowing machines to accurately see, understand, and interact with their surroundings.
The company was co-founded in 2018 by Paul Schlusser and Samson Lee. Their foundational insight stemmed from the need to simplify automation and navigation challenges by equipping machines with robust, reliable vision. Both founders brought expertise to address critical gaps in spatial sensing, focusing on systems that ensure high fidelity and trust in machine perception.
Visionary Machines' products are leveraged across various applications, including drone detection, surveillance systems, and vehicle perception solutions. Their technology supports a broad range of industries where enhanced machine intelligence and safety are paramount. The company's long-term vision centers on making machines more capable and dependable through superior vision, ultimately improving community safety and operational efficiency globally.
Visionary Machines has raised $7.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Visionary Machines has raised $7.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Visionary Machines has raised $7.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Visionary Machines's investors include OurCrowd, Trivian Capital, Hannah Yan, In-Q-Tel, Our Innovation Fund, Significant Capital Ventures, Thorney Investment Group.
Visionary Machines has raised $7.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Series U in July 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2025 | $2M Series U | — | OurCrowd, Trivian Capital | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2022 | $5M Seed | Hannah YAN | OurCrowd, Trivian Capital, IN Q TEL, OUR Innovation Fund, Significant Capital Ventures, Thorney Investment Group | Announced |
Visionary Machines is a Sydney-based technology company specializing in passive camera-based 3D spatial perception systems powered by its patented Pandion™ technology, delivering real-time, high-fidelity, multi-spectral 3D digital twins for autonomy, inspection, and surveillance.[1][2][3][5] It serves industries including defence and aerospace, mining, agriculture, public safety, transport, and construction, solving challenges like GPS-denied navigation, drone detection, and asset inspection by providing trustworthy, measurable spatial awareness that outperforms legacy sensors in adverse conditions such as rain, fog, dust, or darkness.[1][3][4][5] Founded in 2019 at the seed stage, the company has raised $7.5M from investors like Significant Capital Ventures, Thorney Investment Group, and IQT (In-Q-Tel's Australian arm), with recent momentum from defence contracts, an MoU with Hanwha Defence Australia, NVIDIA Inception Program selection, and key hires like former Collins Aerospace MD Sonny Foster as CEO.[1][2][4][6]
Visionary Machines was founded in 2019 in Sydney, Australia, by computer vision experts Dr. Rhys Newman and Dr. Samson Lee, who identified a critical need for advanced 3D sensor technologies to enable machine autonomy, drone detection, and asset inspection.[1][2] The founders, drawing from their expertise in optical sensing and robotics, developed the patented Pandion™ platform using multi-camera arrays for superior 3D reconstruction beyond traditional stereo vision.[1][5] Early traction came from reinvestments by key backers and a $7.5M seed round three years ago, fueling technology acceleration in a market projected to reach $21B by 2028; pivotal moments include winning a major Australian Defence contract for counter-drone and RAS tech, partnering with Hanwha, and joining NVIDIA's Inception Program.[1][2][4]
Visionary Machines rides the explosive growth in machine perception and autonomy, targeting a $21B machine vision market by 2028 amid rising demand for reliable sensors in off-road, defence, and industrial applications where GPS and active sensors fail.[1][5] Timing aligns with global pushes for sovereign AI/tech (e.g., Australia's defence innovation), counter-drone needs amid UAS proliferation, and multi-spectral sensing for all-weather operations in mining/agriculture amid labor shortages and automation trends.[2][4] Market forces like defence spending, robotics adoption, and partnerships (Hanwha, NVIDIA) position it favorably; it influences the ecosystem by advancing passive 3D tech standards, enabling safer RAS deployment, and exporting Australian innovation globally.[3][4]
Visionary Machines is poised for scaled commercialization with Pandion Sentinel and Vanguard products entering defence deployments and commercial pilots, leveraging recent contracts and MoUs to capture share in autonomy and surveillance.[4][5] Trends like AI-driven robotics, sovereign defence tech, and multi-spectral sensing in edge environments will propel growth, potentially attracting Series A funding or acquisitions by primes like Hanwha. Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to key enabler of trusted machine vision, redefining safer autonomy worldwide—echoing its founding mission to empower machines that truly "see."[2][3]