Vuzix

Founded Vuzix in 1997 (originally Interactive Imaging Systems), making it one of the longest-running companies in the head-worn display industry. Prior to Vuzix, Travers worked in consumer electronics at Eastman Kodak, where he gained experience in digital imaging and optical systems. He holds a degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. Over nearly three decades, he has steered the company through multiple technology cycles—from early video eyewear to today's waveguide-based enterprise smart glasses—while also building a licensing business around the company's optical IP. Travers is noted for his unusual longevity as a founder-CEO in a sector that has seen many entrants flame out, maintaining a deliberately pragmatic, enterprise-first posture rather than chasing consumer hype.