IMEGO

IMEGO
Name	IMEGO
Type	Private
Industry	Sensor technology
Founded	2015
Headquarters	Linköping, Sweden
Key people	Magnus Strandberg, Johan Skoog
Products	Optical sensors, MEMS gyroscopes, motion trackers
Website	IMEGO AB

IMEGO is a Swedish company specializing in compact optical angular rate sensors and inertial measurement solutions. Founded in the mid-2010s, it develops microelectromechanical systems and photonic sensing technologies for navigation, stabilization, and motion tracking used across aerospace, defense, industrial automation, and consumer electronics. IMEGO's product line emphasizes low power consumption, high reliability, and performance in harsh environments, aligning the firm with firms and institutions active in precision sensing, avionics, and robotics.

Overview

IMEGO operates at the intersection of photonics, microelectromechanical systems, and signal processing, positioning itself among technology firms and research institutes focused on navigation and inertial sensing. Its work is relevant to entities such as European Space Agency, NASA, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Thales Group, and to academic centers like KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, Linköping University, and Royal Institute of Technology. The company competes and collaborates within markets alongside vendors such as Honeywell Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Safran, Analog Devices, and STMicroelectronics.

History and Development

IMEGO was founded by engineers and researchers who previously worked on photonic gyro concepts emerging from European research projects and testbeds connected to institutes like Fraunhofer Society, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and INRIA. Early milestones included prototype demonstrations at conferences and symposia hosted by organizations such as IEEE, OSA (Optical Society), SPIE, and academic workshops at University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The company secured seed funding and later rounds from venture investors and participated in accelerator programs aligned with EIT Digital and regional technology funds in Östergötland County. IMEGO established its headquarters in Linköping to leverage ties with local research clusters and defense suppliers that support projects for customers including Saab AB and regional integrators.

Products and Technologies

IMEGO develops compact optical angular rate sensors and inertial modules that integrate photonic ring resonators, fiber optic technologies, and microelectromechanical components. Its devices are based on principles demonstrated in literature from groups at NPL (National Physical Laboratory), University of Southampton, Delft University of Technology, and University of Twente. The product range targets both standalone gyroscopes and integrated inertial measurement units compatible with avionics buses used by General Dynamics, Textron, Rolls-Royce Holdings, and avionics integrators. Key technological elements draw on work in optical resonator gyroscopes, MEMS gyroscopes research from Imperial College London, and photonic integrated circuit advances from EPFL and TU Delft.

Applications and Markets

IMEGO's sensors find application across aerospace navigation systems deployed by operators such as Lufthansa, Ryanair, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and unmanned systems produced by firms like DJI, General Atomics, and Lockheed Martin. Defense and security customers include prime contractors and ministries associated with NATO, US Department of Defense, and European defense agencies. Industrial automation and robotics use cases align with companies such as ABB, KUKA, Siemens, and Fanuc, while automotive and autonomous vehicle programs from Volvo Cars, Tesla, Waymo, and Bosch evaluate high-reliability inertial sensors for navigation and stabilization. Other markets include maritime applications for shipboard navigation with firms like Kongsberg Maritime and scientific payloads for research institutions such as Max Planck Society and Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet.

Partnerships and Collaborations

IMEGO has pursued collaborations with universities, national metrology labs, and industrial partners to mature photonic sensing and scale production. Partner organizations include Linköping University, Chalmers University of Technology, Fraunhofer Society, Vinnova, and regional innovation clusters. Industrial alliances and supplier relationships tie IMEGO to semiconductor foundries and photonics foundries such as GlobalFoundries, STMicroelectronics, and research consortia involving EPC (European Photonics Consortium), as well as systems integrators like Saab AB and Thales Group. The firm has engaged in collaborative projects funded by the European Commission and participated in demonstration programs affiliated with ESA technology transfer and test campaigns with national defense laboratories.

Research and Innovation

Research at IMEGO builds on peer-reviewed work in optical gyroscopes, Brillouin scattering, ring resonators, and integrated photonics from groups at University of Oxford, Harvard University, Stanford University, and Princeton University. The company contributes to standards and metrology discussions alongside NIST, NPL, and PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt), and participates in conferences organized by IEEE Sensors Council, OSA, and SPIE. R&D focuses include noise reduction techniques inspired by research at Caltech and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, packaging and thermal stability addressed in cooperation with industrial partners, and algorithms for sensor fusion building on frameworks from Carnegie Mellon University and Oxford Robotics Institute.

Corporate Structure and Governance

IMEGO is organized as a Swedish limited company with a management team and board drawing expertise from industry executives, academic founders, and investors experienced with technology scale-up. Its governance practices reflect engagement with regional development agencies such as Tillväxtverket and compliance with European regulatory frameworks involving agencies like European Commission directorates related to industry and security. Strategic decisions involve partnerships with corporate entities and institutional investors familiar with high-reliability sensor markets, and corporate reporting aligns with expectations set by financial advisors and auditing practices common among Swedish technology enterprises.

Category:Technology companies of Sweden