I created Vela One as a project that I launched on Kickstarter in 2014. I had been investigating the use of LEDs for high-speed photography, and had a theory that LEDs could be driven many times brighter than rated if it was for very short pulses. I created prototypes to test my theory, which proved correct. I then hired industrial designers to design the enclosure, and an electronics engineer to create the production circuit. I produced the Kickstarter campaign, including running media outreach and producing the video. The campaign was a success, achieving 200% of its goal. I set up the supply chain, finding factories and suppliers, and shipped the product to the first backers in 2015.
It remains the fastest commercially-available photo flash, beaten only by one off, custom builds.
Since then, I have continued to develop the product, and have released updated versions and multiple production runs, including hundreds of units. It now mainly sells to research labs and industry, with customers including SpaceX, FBI Labs and dozens of universities and research institutes around the world.