Anyone in OUST?

LIDAR seems super important and it appears that the TAM will continue to grow.
I’m also reading where OUST is the best non Asian option for competition in this space, which in my mind could make it a strategic asset.

I. THE FUNDAMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
LIDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges or variable distances to the Earth. It acts as the eyes for autonomous systems, allowing machines to perceive the world in three dimensions with extreme precision.

II. THE MECHANICAL PROCESS: HOW IT WORKS
The operation of a lidar system follows a four-step cycle that happens thousands of times per second:
1. EMISSION: The system emits a rapid laser pulse (usually in the infrared spectrum) toward a target.
2. REFLECTION: The light hits an object—whether it is a car, a tree, or a pedestrian—and bounces back.
3. DETECTION: A sensor on the lidar unit detects the returning light pulse.
4. CALCULATION: The system measures the time it took for the light to travel to the object and back. Since the speed of light is a known constant, the device can calculate the exact distance using the formula:

III. DATA OUTPUT: THE POINT CLOUD
Unlike a standard camera that produces a flat 2D image, lidar produces a 3D "Point Cloud." This is a dense collection of millions of individual data points that represent the exterior surface of every object the laser hits.
Because lidar provides its own light source, it is unaffected by ambient lighting conditions. It works with the same level of accuracy in pitch-black darkness as it does in bright sunlight, which is a significant advantage over camera-based vision systems.

IV. CORE COMPONENTS OF A LIDAR SYSTEM
A standard lidar unit consists of four primary sub-systems:
1. THE LASER: Typically 600 to 1000 nanometer lasers for non-automotive use, or 1550 nanometer lasers for long-range automotive applications to ensure eye safety.
2. SCANNER AND OPTICS: Mirrors or rotating assemblies that sweep the laser across the field of view to create a wide perspective.
3. PHOTODETECTOR: A highly sensitive silicon component that "catches" the returning photons.
4. POSITIONING SYSTEMS: For mobile lidar (like those on planes or cars), the system integrates Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) to determine exactly where the unit is in space at the moment of each pulse.

V. PRIMARY APPLICATIONS IN 2026
Lidar technology has moved far beyond experimental labs and is now integrated into several major industries:
1. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES: Used for obstacle detection and collision avoidance. It provides the "spatial envelope" that allows a self-driving car to know exactly how many centimeters it is from a curb or another vehicle.
2. INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION: In warehouses, automated mobile robots (AMRs) use lidar to navigate around human workers and moving forklifts without the need for magnetic floor strips.
3. SMART INFRASTRUCTURE: Cities use lidar mounted on traffic lights to monitor pedestrian flow and vehicle speeds to optimize traffic patterns in real-time.
4. TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING: Mounted on drones or aircraft, lidar can "see" through dense forest canopies to map the actual ground surface, making it invaluable for archaeology and flood modeling.

VI. TYPES OF LIDAR ARCHITECTURE
1. MECHANICAL SPINNING LIDAR: The classic "bucket" on top of a car that physically rotates to see 360 degrees.
2. SOLID-STATE LIDAR: These have no moving parts. They are more durable, smaller, and cheaper to produce, making them the preferred choice for mass-market consumer vehicles and smartphones.
3. DIGITAL LIDAR: As seen with companies like Ouster, this architecture puts the entire sensing array onto a single silicon CMOS chip, similar to how digital cameras replaced film.

From Reddit:
$OUST – The Nvidia of Lidar? My 10x thesis

Hey everyone,

I know Lidar has become a capital graveyard and plenty of people got burned on stocks like $LAZR, but if you haven't been tracking Ouster ($OUST) over the last few weeks, you’re seriously missing out on what is probably the most successful pivot in the entire sector.

Looking at their Q4 2025 results, things are getting very interesting. They reported a net profit of $4 million for the first time. Now, let’s be real – most of that came from a one-time $21 million licensing payment – but that’s exactly the point. It proves just how much their IP and those 800+ patents are actually worth. While the competition is bleeding cash on every sensor they ship, Ouster has gross margins that spiked to 60% in some segments. They’ve got over $200 million in cash and zero debt, which gives them a massive runway for the next few years.

What really sets Ouster apart is their digital architecture. Most lidars are analog systems—complicated to build and expensive to scale. Ouster turned that into "Lidar-on-a-Chip." They use just two chips, meaning as silicon scales, their costs drop while resolution goes up. It’s Moore’s Law in practice. On top of that, the Stereolabs acquisition from February was a genius move. They aren't just selling sensors anymore; they’re selling a whole platform that merges Lidar, cameras, and AI. This is literally the brain for every autonomous forklift or smart intersection.

That’s where the 10x growth potential comes in. Investors hate hardware, but they love software subscriptions. The Ouster Gemini platform is growing at a crazy rate. They sell the hardware once, and then cities and warehouses pay a monthly subscription for AI analytics. We're talking 80% margins here, and that’s what will launch the stock once the market realizes this isn't just a company that assembles boxes.

Of course, it’s not without risk. Chinese players like Hesai are trying to dump prices, and there’s always Tesla with their lidar-free approach. But Ouster is smart – they’re focusing on Western infrastructure and robotics where the Chinese are facing bans and where Tesla doesn't even play.

With a current valuation around $1.4 billion, I think a path to $10-15 billion by 2030 is genuinely realistic if they become the standard for autonomous infrastructure. Even if someone like Nvidia or Qualcomm decides to scoop them up just for the patents, the premium will be huge.

Disclaimer: I’m not a financial advisor. I just follow the numbers and I’m long $OUST.

Hmmm…

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I still like the idea of the company, but it trades wildly. The long term story makes sense though

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I’ve got no problem with volatility if the thesis makes sense.
I think they could be profitable soon.
I like the cash on hand, growing revenue, the tech, the applications, the strategic asset.

They are clearly the leader in the West now as many LIDAR companies have failed. OUST even bought one of them.

Here we are five years after de spac and they are looking healthier than ever with a large market in front of them. Yet they are down 75% all time.

It seems like the time to strike.
I’m in.

The one problem with OUST is they are targeting non automotive verticals. The winner of western LiDAR will have to dominate auto OEMs.

MVIS is the better bet. Spinning LiDAR is not the future of LiDAR. It will be FMCW and photonic based.

Buying MVIS today will be like buying OUST 3 years ago. Only MVIS has better connections to the auto industry and better assets after acquiring LAZR, Scantinel, and Ibeo.

Oust merged with Velodyne and that is why they have the head start. It’s basically been the only option. MVIS is about to start announcing deals this year. Movia S will start eating into OUST market share next year.

They are currently talking with:
Caterpillar
Nissan
Volvo
Mercedes

MicroVision is also targeting non-automotive markets too and security and defense. There is also an augmented reality display component to MVIS that Anduril is playing with after acquiring IVAS from Microsoft.

The market caps are the only thing I'm looking at. One is fairly valued. The other is still waiting for validation. I always lean towards the more speculative play. I can see both succeeding though for nice gains. Good luck!