Bounce Imaging Receives Investment to Expand Defense Technology Manufacturing

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Brown & White Ventures has invested in Buffalo-based Bounce Imaging, a developer of tactical imaging technology used by military, law enforcement, and first responders, as the company looks to expand manufacturing and accelerate the development of its next generation of situational awareness products.

The investment will help Bounce Imaging increase production capacity and meet growing demand from U.S. law enforcement agencies and international defense organizations. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Founded through Harvard Innovation Labs and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bounce Imaging has developed rugged, throwable 360-degree camera systems that allow tactical teams to safely assess dangerous or confined environments before entering. The technology is designed to eliminate blind spots by providing real-time panoramic video and audio from locations that are difficult, or too dangerous, for people, robots, or drones to access.

Today, Bounce Imaging's technology is used by more than 800 public safety agencies and military organizations worldwide. The company's flagship throwable camera is a U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Program of Record and is deployed across every FBI field office in the United States, as well as by Army Rangers and elite military units globally.

The investment comes during a period of significant momentum for the company. Bounce Imaging has secured a $15 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and has been awarded more than $12 million in Department of Defense contracts to date. Company leaders believe those wins position Bounce Imaging to compete in a growing global market spanning defense, law enforcement, emergency response, and industrial safety.

"Brown and White Ventures invests in founders and companies solving critical, high-stakes problems with proven, scalable technology," said Jim Aroune, co-founder and general partner of Brown & White Ventures. "Bounce Imaging is a rare example of a company that has moved beyond the R&D phase to become a Program of Record for SOCOM."

Lauren Baynes, chief growth officer at Bounce Imaging, said the venture firm's investment aligns with the company's long-term vision of building advanced technology in Western New York.

"We're proud to welcome Brown & White Ventures as an investor and partner," Baynes said. "From our first conversations, it was clear they share our conviction that world-class technology companies can be built right here in Western New York."

Baynes added that the firm understands the challenges of commercializing deep technology while building sustainable, long-term businesses.

The investment also reflects the continued growth of Western New York's defense and aerospace economy, an industry that has quietly become one of the region's most important innovation sectors.

While Rochester has long been recognized for optics, photonics, and advanced imaging, those technologies increasingly overlap with national defense applications. Companies such as L3Harris Technologies, which maintains major operations in Rochester, and Lockheed Martin, which works with suppliers throughout New York State, have helped establish a deep ecosystem of engineers, manufacturers, software developers, and specialized suppliers supporting defense and aerospace programs.

That ecosystem extends across the Buffalo-Rochester corridor. Bounce Imaging's products are assembled in Buffalo using a U.S.-based supply chain, demonstrating how defense technology companies are increasingly choosing to build and manufacture in Western New York rather than relocating production elsewhere.

The opportunity is significant. According to the New York State Department of Labor, Monroe County ranked among the top five counties in New York for Department of Defense contract spending, while L3Harris received approximately $1.7 billion in Department of Defense contract awards in a recent fiscal year, underscoring the region's importance to the nation's defense industrial base.

The broader market continues to expand as well. Lockheed Martin estimates that the F-35 program alone supports more than 317,000 jobs across the United States, contributes over $79 billion annually to the U.S. economy, and relies on a network of roughly 2,100 suppliers, illustrating how major defense programs create opportunities for innovative manufacturers and technology companies throughout the supply chain.

For Western New York, investments like Brown & White Ventures' backing of Bounce Imaging represent more than venture capital. They reinforce the region's position as a place where advanced manufacturing, imaging technology, software, and national security intersect, creating high-paying engineering and manufacturing jobs while attracting additional investment into one of the country's fastest-growing technology sectors.

The announcement is another positive signal for Western New York's growing defense and advanced manufacturing ecosystem. While much of the region's innovation economy has historically centered around optics, imaging, and advanced manufacturing, companies like Bounce Imaging demonstrate how those strengths are increasingly translating into national security technologies with global applications.

For Brown & White Ventures, the investment reflects its strategy of backing early-stage companies operating at the intersection of technology, national interest, and real-world impact. The venture capital firm also commits 10% of its net profits to St. Bonaventure University, where its founders are alumni.

Bounce Imaging assembles its products in Buffalo and northern Massachusetts using a diversified U.S. supply chain designed to meet federal procurement requirements, further strengthening Western New York's role in domestic defense manufacturing.

As defense modernization and public safety agencies continue investing in technologies that improve situational awareness and reduce risk for personnel, Bounce Imaging appears well positioned to capitalize on increasing demand while expanding its presence as one of Western New York's emerging defense technology companies.

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