Deepnight co-founders Lucas Young and Thomas Li, childhood friends and former Google software engineers, aimed to tackle a long-standing challenge in U. S. military technology: advanced digital night vision. Traditional night vision relies on analog systems, which are expensive, ranging from $13, 000 to $30, 000, and primarily focused on hardware improvements, like in the $22 billion IVAS project recently transferred to Anduril from Microsoft. With Young's background in computational photography and Li's expertise in AI and computer vision, they were inspired by a 2018 paper titled "Learning to See in the Dark, " which discussed using AI for low-light imaging. When advancements in AI accelerators made 90 frames per second processing possible, they co-founded Deepnight and joined the Y Combinator winter cohort. Seeking military customers, Young presented their concept at an industry event, leading to a connection with the U. S.

Army’s night vision laboratory. They developed a rudimentary night vision smartphone app and successfully secured a $100, 000 contract just a month into Y Combinator. Their efforts resulted in over $4. 6 million in federal contracts within a year, including deals with the Army, Air Force, and various firms. Investors were drawn to Deepnight, securing $5. 5 million in a funding round led by Initialized Capital and featuring notable angel investors, including the paper's co-author, Vladlen Koltun. Deepnight specializes in software that enhances visibility in low-light conditions, working alongside hardware manufacturers, and making their technology accessible through affordable smartphone cameras, targeting diverse applications in automotive, security, and more.