Luciad

Luciad is an international supplier of geographic information system (GIS) tools and is recognised as the worldwide leader for high performance geospatial situational awareness. Mainly focusing on the aviation, defense and security markets,[2] Defence customers account for about 70% of its business.[3]

Luciad
TypePublic – NV
Industry
Founded1999 (1999) in Holsbeek, Belgium[1]
FounderDr. Lode Missiaen[1]
Headquarters
Leuven
,
Belgium
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • CEO: Marc Melviez
  • COO: Frank Suykens
  • CCO: Christoph De Preter
  • CMO: Lida Joly
  • CIO: Gunther Sablon
Websitewww.hexagongeospatial.com

In addition to its headquarters in Leuven (Belgium), Luciad has offices in the US, France, Germany, Mexico, Singapore, Spain and Turkey. It works with leading organizations such as Eurocontrol, Boeing, Airbus Defence and Space, Lufthansa Systems, NATO, Lockheed Martin and Thales.[4]

Since 2008, Luciad technology has been used in supporting SACT's objectives of furthering the interoperability between NATO and national C4I systems[5] and has 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 new partnership with Sc2 Corp and IBM to develop social media analytics for US Special Operations Command.[8]

Luciad has also 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.

Products

Luciad offers the following products for aviation, defense and security markets, as well as chemical, petrochemical, energy, vessel transportation, traffic control, and urban planning markets:

  • LuciadLightspeed: a software solution that enables users to develop their applications in mission-critical C4ISR and ATC/ATM systems
  • LuciadMap: a suite of software components for high performance visualization of situational awareness applications
  • LuciadRIA: a solution for the development of geospatial situational awareness applications in browser-based environments
  • LuciadMobile:, a solution that enables the development of geospatial situational awareness applications for Android mobile devices
  • LuciadFusion: an application to manage, fuse, and serve geospatial data
  • LuciadATCPlayback: a solution that enables users to replay, visualize, and analyze simulated and recorded traffic data

Additionally, the company also provides product training, consultancy and software development services.[10]

History

After he obtained his doctorate at the KU Leuven in 1991, Dr. Lode Missiaen worked as a senior scientist at the NATO C3 Agency in The Hague, the Netherlands, where he was responsible for the study, development, and application of modern software technologies in the field of Air Traffic Control and Airspace Management.

Together with his colleague Thierry Salvant, who built a career in France at Matra Aérospatiale in the world of air traffic, Missiaen recognized the lack of commercially available software to combine geographic information efficiently and with high precision with real-time aviation information.

To fill this gap, Missiaen and Salvant 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.[1]

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[14] to strengthen their ability to deliver smart digital realities. This made Luciad a fully owned subsidiary of Hexagon which now operates under its Geospatial division.[15]

Awards

Luciad won the 2016 Geospatial World Innovation Award for LuciadRIA, its 3D situational awareness app for browsers.[16]

Luciad User Conference

Luciad hosts an annual User Conference for geospatial professionals and developers in Europe, with +200 geospatial professionals from the Aviation, Defense, Maritime, Safety & Security and Utilities & Logistics domains.[17][18] It is hosted in Brussels.

References
  1. "Geografische Informatie Systemen: met Luciad de lucht in" [Geographical Information Systems: with Luciad into the sky]. KU Leuven (in Dutch).
  2. "The European Security & Defense Union".
  3. Vogel, Ben (16 May 2017). "Luciad broadens uses for geospatial visualization". Jane's Airport 360.
  4. "Homepage". Luciad.
  5. "Luciad plays central role at NATO CWID 2008" (Press release). Luciad. 16 September 2008.
  6. Chen, Stephen (November 17, 2018). "China matches Nato in information arms race with deal for 'Ferrari of war room software'". The South China Morning Post.
  7. "NC3A chooses Luciad software to visualize its Joint Common Operational Picture" (Press release). Luciad. 22 April 2008.
  8. "Luciad, Sc2 Corp and IBM announce new social media analytics partnership". ArmyTechnology.com. 19 December 2016.
  9. Ammerman, Mark. "Border Wars: The Arms Dealers Profiting from Europe's Refugee Tragedy" (PDF). Transational Institute.
  10. "Company Overview of Luciad NV". Bloomberg.
  11. "Lode Missiaen". Luciad.
  12. "Gimv investeert in software-ontwikkelaar Luciad" [Gimv invests in software developer Luciad]. HLN (in Dutch). 20 June 2013.
  13. "Gimv investeert in groei van Luciad" [Gimv invests in the growth of Luciad]. Engineeringnet.be. 20 June 2013.
  14. "Hexagon announces to acquire Luciad - Geospatial World". Geospatial World. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  15. "Luciad acquired by Sweden's Hexagon | Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  16. "Luciad Wins 'Geospatial Excellence Award'". GISuser. 31 May 2016.
  17. "Luciad User Conference 2016 starts off in Brussels". Geospacial World. 28 September 2016.
  18. "Luciad Kicks Off Global Seminar Series and Announces 4th Luciad User Conference". Directions Magazine.
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