VastVision CEO Named Los Alamos National Laboratory LEEP Fellow

Albuquerque, NM — Kyle Guin, CEO and Co-Founder of VastVision, has been appointed as a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) LEEP Fellow, joining an elite cohort of entrepreneurs working to commercialize breakthrough technologies developed at one of the nation's premier research institutions. The appointment, effective January 28, 2025, provides VastVision with direct access to LANL facilities, researchers, and advanced instrumentation as the company scales its battery-free sensing platform for defense and energy infrastructure applications.

What is the LANL LEEP Fellowship?

The Laboratory Entrepreneurship & Economic Partnership (LEEP) program is LANL's flagship initiative for accelerating technology transfer from national lab research to commercial markets. Unlike traditional tech transfer programs that focus on licensing intellectual property, LEEP embeds entrepreneurs directly into the lab ecosystem, providing:

Facility Access: Use of specialized equipment and testing capabilities unavailable in commercial settings—from radiation testing chambers to advanced materials characterization tools.

Researcher Collaboration: Direct partnership with LANL scientists and engineers who are world experts in their fields, available for consultation and joint problem-solving.

Validation Credentials: DOE and national lab validation that signals technical credibility to customers, investors, and partners in risk-averse sectors like defense and critical infrastructure.

Network Effects: Connection to other LEEP Fellows, LANL technology transfer professionals, and the broader Los Alamos entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The program runs for approximately two years, with Fellows presenting milestone updates to demonstrate progress toward commercialization goals.

Why VastVision Was Selected

LANL receives far more LEEP applications than available slots. Selection criteria emphasize:

1. Technical differentiation — Technology that solves problems commercial vendors can't address
2. Market validation — Evidence of customer demand and willingness to pay
3. Scalability potential — Path to significant economic impact and job creation
4. Team capability — Demonstrated ability to execute on commercialization roadmap
5. New Mexico connection — Commitment to building the company in-state

VastVision's selection reflects the company's unique position at the intersection of national lab innovation and commercial deployment. The core sensing platform is built on four U.S. patents exclusively licensed from Sandia National Laboratories, demonstrating proven ability to translate lab research into field-deployable systems. Active commercial deployments (Jump Trading) and pending multi-million dollar proposals (ENEL Group) validate market demand.

What This Means for VastVision's Technology Development

The LEEP Fellowship accelerates VastVision's R&D roadmap in several critical areas:

Advanced Materials Testing

National labs possess instrumentation that doesn't exist in commercial facilities. For VastVision's magnetoelastic sensors, this means access to:

- Radiation testing: Validate sensor performance in nuclear environments (critical for DOE applications)
- Extreme environment chambers: Test operation at temperature extremes, high humidity, corrosive atmospheres
- High-precision metrology: Characterize sensor response with sub-nanometer resolution
- Electromagnetic compatibility: Assess performance in high-EMI environments like substations

This testing capability is essential for qualifying sensors for deployment in harsh environments where commercial systems fail—exactly where VastVision's technology offers the greatest value proposition.

Sensor Physics Optimization

LANL researchers are pushing the boundaries of sensing physics across multiple domains. VastVision's collaboration focuses on:

- Signal processing algorithms: Extracting maximum information from passive sensor responses
- Multi-modal sensing: Combining magnetoelastic with other sensing modalities for richer data
- Noise rejection: Improving signal-to-noise ratio in electrically noisy environments
- Miniaturization: Reducing sensor form factor while maintaining performance

Integration with National Security Applications

LANL's mission includes national security R&D, creating natural synergies with VastVision's defense market focus:

- Nuclear material tracking: Battery-free sensors for tamper-evident monitoring (MC&A automation)
- Critical infrastructure protection: Passive sensing that can't be remotely compromised
- Supply chain security: Tracking high-value or sensitive assets through contested environments
- Underground monitoring: Sensors for tunnel detection, seismic monitoring, subsurface tracking

These applications align directly with VastVision's technical capabilities and market strategy, positioning the company for DOE and DoD contract opportunities.

The National Lab Ecosystem Advantage

VastVision now operates at the center of a unique ecosystem:

Sandia TRGR Program: $150,000 in hands-on technical assistance from Sandia scientists through biweekly collaboration sessions, focused on commercializing the four licensed patents.

LANL LEEP Fellowship: Access to Los Alamos facilities, researchers, and validation for defense and energy applications.

New Mexico EDD Support: FY25 Advance Energy Award funding energy sector R&D and commercialization.

This triad—technology (Sandia patents), market access (LANL validation), and capital (state grants)—creates a defensible advantage for deep tech companies that can't be replicated by startups operating outside the national lab ecosystem.

Year One Milestone Update

VastVision presented its Year 1 LEEP update on September 23, 2025, demonstrating progress on:

Technology Maturation:
- Transition from lab prototypes to field-deployable sensor systems
- Development of manufacturing processes for scalable production
- Integration of sensors with standard communication protocols (LoRaWAN, UWB)

Customer Validation:
- Active deployment with Jump Trading (financial services, ultra-low-latency tracking)
- Proposal submitted to ENEL Group (utility-scale smart grid monitoring)
- Partnership discussions with BAE Systems (defense applications)

Team Expansion:
- Growth from founding team to 7 people with 39+ years combined Sandia experience
- Establishment of Vast Vision Labs facility in New Mexico
- Addition of specialized capabilities (PCB engineering, software development, materials science)

Intellectual Property:
- Four foundational U.S. patents licensed from Sandia
- Additional patent filings in progress on VastVision-developed innovations
- Trade secret protection for manufacturing processes and algorithms

Strategic Positioning for Government Contracts

The LEEP Fellowship strengthens VastVision's positioning for SBIR/STTR and prime contract opportunities:

Past Performance: LANL collaboration creates past performance narrative for government proposals, even before winning first contract. "We've worked with LANL on X" is powerful differentiation.

Technical Credibility: DOE validation through LEEP addresses the "can they actually deliver?" question that kills many small business proposals.

Security Clearance Pathway: LANL connections facilitate team clearance processes for classified work.

Teaming Opportunities: LEEP network includes other Fellows pursuing complementary technologies, creating natural teaming partnerships for larger programs.

Rapid Prototyping: Access to LANL fabrication capabilities enables fast-turnaround prototypes for demos and proof-of-concept work.

The Path from Lab to Market

Technology transfer from national labs is notoriously difficult. Most licensed IP never reaches commercial deployment. The challenge isn't just technical—it's the "valley of death" between lab demonstration and scalable product.

LEEP addresses this by keeping entrepreneurs connected to lab resources during the highest-risk phase of commercialization. VastVision can de-risk technical questions by consulting LANL experts, validate approaches using lab equipment, and maintain momentum through the inevitable setbacks of early-stage development.

The result: faster time-to-market, higher probability of success, and more capital-efficient development cycles.

What's Next

VastVision is leveraging the LEEP Fellowship to:

Accelerate DOE Opportunities: Target SBIR/STTR solicitations in nuclear security, grid modernization, and critical infrastructure monitoring.

Expand Defense Applications: Develop tamper-evident tracking solutions for defense supply chains and sensitive asset monitoring.

Scale Pilot Deployments: Transition from single-customer deployments to multi-site pilots in energy and defense sectors.

Raise Growth Capital: LANL validation strengthens investor narrative for Series A fundraising in 2026.

Build New Mexico Workforce: Hire additional engineers and scientists, with preference for candidates with national lab experience.

About the LANL LEEP Program

The Laboratory Entrepreneurship & Economic Partnership (LEEP) program was established to accelerate technology transfer from Los Alamos National Laboratory to the commercial sector, with emphasis on creating high-wage jobs in New Mexico. LEEP Fellows receive up to two years of direct support, including facility access, researcher collaboration, and commercialization mentorship.

Since inception, LEEP Fellows have raised over $100 million in follow-on funding, created hundreds of jobs, and brought dozens of lab-developed technologies to market.

Learn more: https://www.lanl.gov/partnerships/tech-transfer

About VastVision

VastVision is a New Mexico-based deep technology company building battery-free sensing solutions for extreme environments and high-value applications. The company holds exclusive licenses to four U.S. patents on magnetoelastic sensor technology from Sandia National Laboratories and is supported by the Sandia TRGR program, LANL LEEP Fellowship, and New Mexico Economic Development Department.

Founders:
Kyle Guin (CEO, LANL LEEP Fellow)
Jordan Zotts (COO)
Zach Kirch, MS (CTO)

Technology: Magnetoelastic sensors, UWB positioning, passive wakeup circuits, custom MEMS
Markets: Energy infrastructure, defense & national security, critical infrastructure
Team: 7 people with 39+ years combined Sandia experience
Status: Active commercial deployments, pending multi-million dollar proposals

Learn more: vastvision.io
Contact: kyle@vastvision.io

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The LANL LEEP Fellowship is administered by Los Alamos National Laboratory's Innovation and Partnerships Office and is part of the Department of Energy's mission to accelerate technology transfer for economic and national security impact.