In 2020, Lumibird Limited acquired the Intellectual Property of Neptec Technologies Corp. Neptec Technologies Corp. was a spin-out of Neptec Design Group Ltd., which was an experienced space-flight engineering company. Founded in 1990, Neptec specialized in the development, integration, and support of intelligent sensors and payloads for the Space market. Customers included NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, the Canadian Department of National Defence, DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency), the Naval Research Laboratory, as well as leading commercial space-flight companies such as Orbital ATK, Inc.
Neptec Design Group was a NASA prime contractor since 1995. Systems developed by Neptec have flown on over 40 Shuttle missions and have won wide recognition for their performance, innovation and quality.
In 2011, NASA presented Neptec with the George M. Low Award, NASA’s premier award for quality and performance. This marked the first time a non-American company has won since the award was established in 1985.
For over 20 years, Neptec’s research and development activities in machine vision solutions for the Space market have yielded an extensive portfolio of patents and proprietary technologies. These include innovative 3D sensors, real-time 3D image processing algorithms, and robotics designs. Most of them have gone through multiple generations of development and been flown in Space on missions for NASA and the International Space Station.
In 2009, Neptec Design Group created a business unit to explore commercialization opportunities outside of the Space market. This strategy culminated in the creation of Neptec Technologies Corp. in 2011.