TDK InvenSense designs the tiny MEMS sensors that let machines feel the physical world - motion, sound, pressure and ultrasound. Founded in San Jose in 2003 and acquired by Japan's TDK Corporation in 2017, it pioneered the integrated 6-axis IMU and ships motion, microphone and ultrasonic sensors into smartphones, wearables, drones, cars, robots and industrial systems. Its work pairs CMOS-MEMS hardware with proprietary fusion firmware and increasingly edge AI, turning raw physics into usable signals for billions of devices.
LISNR is a Cincinnati-based technology company that moves data through sound. Its Radius ultrasonic SDK lets ordinary speakers and microphones transmit inaudible 'Smart Tones' between devices, enabling secure proximity detection, identity verification, and contactless transactions without Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or QR codes. Founded in 2012 out of a 72-hour Startup Bus ride to SXSW, LISNR has grown into a data-over-audio leader backed by Visa, Mastercard, and Intel, serving payments, retail, mobility, and live-event clients.
Eric Allen is the CEO and President of LISNR, the Cincinnati-based company turning ordinary sound into a secure data channel. A self-described product guy with 30-plus years in software, he previously ran a $250M audio-fingerprinting business unit at Gracenote and helped win two Emmy Awards for interactive television. Since taking the helm in 2018, he has steered LISNR's pivot into contactless payments and proximity verification, attracting investment from Visa and pushing data-over-audio as a software alternative to NFC, Bluetooth, and QR codes.