| Luciad | |
| Type: | Public - NV |
| Founded: | in Holsbeek, Belgium[1] |
| Founder: | Dr. Lode Missiaen |
| Hq Location City: | Leuven |
| Hq Location Country: | Belgium |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Key People: | |
Luciad is a supplier of geographic information system (GIS) tools. Their products are intended for geospatial situational awareness. The company mainly focuses on the aviation, defence and security markets.[2] Defence customers account for about 70% of the company's business.[3]
Headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, Luciad has offices in the United States, France, Germany, Mexico, and other international locations. It works with organizations such as Eurocontrol, Boeing, Airbus Defence and Space.[4]
Beginning in 2008, Luciad technology has been used to support SACT's objectives of improving interoperability between NATO and national C4I systems.[5] Luciad has also been contracted by the NATO C3 Agency to deliver the software components for the visualization capability in its interim Joint Common Operational Picture.[6] [7] In 2016, Luciad announced a partnership with Sc2 Corp and IBM to develop social media analytics for US Special Operations Command.[8]
Luciad has participated with Frontex, the European Organisation for Security (EOS) and the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) on border security and border control.[9]
Luciad is one of several spin-offs of the KU Leuven.[10]
Dr. Lode Missiaen worked as a senior scientist at the NATO C3 Agency in The Hague, the Netherlands after obtaining his doctorate at the KU Leuven in 1991. At NATO, he was responsible for the study, development, and application of modern software technologies in the field of Air Traffic Control and Airspace Management.
With his colleague Thierry Salvant, they founded Luciad on March 22, 1999, together with management company R2I (acted as business angels). Gemma Frisius Fund (GFF), a seed capital fund established in 1997 as a joint venture between the KU Leuven, KBC and BNP Paribas, provided further seed capital in September 2000.
Missiaen served as Group CEO from 1999 to 2012.[11] Investment company Gimv acquired a majority stake in Luciad in 2013.[12] [13] In October 2017, Gimv and the other shareholders sold their stake in Luciad to the Swedish-headquartered Hexagon, which rendered Luciad a fully owned Hexagon subsidiary under their Geospatial division.[14] [15]
Luciad won the 2016 Geospatial World Innovation Award for LuciadRIA, its 3D situational awareness app for browsers.[16]
Luciad hosts an annual User Conference for geospatial professionals and developers in Europe, with over 200 geospatial professionals from the Aviation, Defense, Maritime, Safety & Security and Utilities & Logistics domains.[17] [18] It is hosted in Brussels.