The LVT Story
The Seed of an Idea
In 2005, the seed of Ryan Porter’s idea took root. While working in construction financing, he had the idea to put a live camera on construction sites so homeowners could watch the progress of their home being built. He quickly realized this type of product didn’t exist, so he approached his colleague, Bob Brenner, with the idea. From this point on, Ryan and Bob began to create a new product and take it to market.
The Aha Moment
Ryan and Bob set up the first camera unit on a construction project in Deer Valley, Utah. For Ryan it was an “aha” moment. He thought, “There’s something here. This is an opportunity.”
Ryan’s and Bob’s cameras quickly became a staple on over 200 construction sites and things seemed to be going well.
DOTs Save the Day
In 2008, the infamous market crash affected LVT’s business in the construction sector. Luckily, before long, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) showed interest in LVT after seeing one of the cameras. They were searching for a more efficient way to track road conditions during the winter months for their snow removal crews. The only problem was that UDOT needed these cameras all over the state, including remote areas with no power source or internet connection.
In a short time, Bob and Ryan figured out how to integrate solar panels into the LVT Unit to shift from line-of-sight radios to cell towers in order to provide internet. And guess what? It worked. Soon, camera units were installed all over the state of Utah. Rather than sending drivers out into the storm to determine if roads needed to be plowed, UDOT was now able to determine which areas needed to be plowed simply by checking a camera. In the year following, six more states adopted LVT’s technology in their departments of transportation.
Time for Mobility
After a couple of years filled with long road trips to move and repair the wooden poles that the cameras were mounted to, the LVT team decided they needed to make their product mobile. Eventually, in Bob’s very own driveway, the team manufactured the first mobile trailer containing a metal mast, a rigid box, and the mounted cameras.
New Partners, New Tech, All Hands On Deck
In 2011, David Studdert and Steve Lindsey came on the scene. David officially joined the company as a consultant in order to expand the company’s clientele. Soon, he was appointed as LiveView Technologies’ Chief Business Development Officer. Steve joined soon after as the Chief Technology Officer.
Steve Brings the Cloud to LVT
Between 2011 and 2015, Steve’s work catapulted LVT into a new sphere of explosive technology. This technology was a new, innovative, solution-based software paired with custom-made hardware.
What’s more, Steve brought the cloud to LVT. He created the video management software (VMS) and surveillance command center that powers every LVT Unit and allows clients to manage their cameras and alerts from their smartphone or desktop. He turned a singular live camera management service into a full-blown security system capable of self-diagnosis and communication with the ability to process and store data remotely, all thanks to the edge controller.
The edge controller is the brain inside an LVT mobile security unit. It uses edge computing to process video and collect data directly on-site, allowing it to instantly detect threats. The controller manages the unit's power, sends critical alerts, and controls system components like cameras, speakers, and lights to make it fully autonomous.
Entering the Security Sphere
In 2015, with V1 of the edge controller under their belt, the partners knew they could make more improvements to prepare the unit for the security sphere. They wanted to make it smarter, more efficient, and even more powerful. With the collaboration of both software and hardware engineers, the D3 Unit was born.It was time to show off this new and improved product. In 2017, David suggested to Ryan that they enter the International Security Conference (ISC) West trade show in Las Vegas. On the first day of the ISC West trade show, a major big box retailer approached the LVT exhibit, was impressed by the technology, and signed up to have LVT Units on hundreds of their properties.
Our Period of Hypergrowth (Hint: We’re Still In It)
From this point forward, the LVT product caught on like wildfire in the security space. In 2019, LVT was recognized among the top 1,000 fastest-growing companies in America and was #15 in the security industry. They began a mass-scale deployment of units to multiple big box retailers.
The next year, 2020, LVT experienced a period of hypergrowth. In this one year alone, LVT tripled the size of their workforce and hired many more necessary professionals to keep the momentum going.
In 2021, LVT became the leader in the remote security space and grew ten times in value. From 2018–2022, we saw an average annual recurring revenue year over year growth rate of 120%. On par with this crazy momentum, LVT received more funding in 2022—Series B Funding of $50 million to be exact.
LVT is Making Communities Safer
The ACCESS Taskforce decreased overall crime in Opelika, Alabama and Paducah, Kentucky.
Opelika saw a 40% decrease in shoplifting, a 15% decrease in property crime, and a 10% drop in overall crime rates. Paducah saw a 43% decrease in trespassing, a 54% drop in burglaries, and a 10% drop in overall crime rates.
Thanks to LVT, cities like these are experiencing a reversal of year-over-year crime increases. Not only is LVT seeing major success in terms of business, but we’re making a noticeable difference in real communities, affecting real people.
We proved this through LVT’s ACCESS Taskforce. Local retailers, governments, and police departments worked with LVT to collect and share data in order to track and prevent retail crime.
LVT + Utah Jazz
In 2023, LVT became the official jersey patch sponsor of the Utah Jazz. We care about safety and security including defending our home state. When you see our logo on the jerseys, know that our mobile security units are doing their job while you sit back and enjoy the game.
As part of its partnership with the Utah Jazz, LVT also serves as the official jersey patch partner for Junior Jazz, the largest and longest-running youth basketball league in the NBA with more than 60,000 players across six states.
An Ongoing Story
In 2024, LVT moved into a 110,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Springville. Roughly 30% of all LVT employees are in a manufacturing position, so this will impact a large part of the company and allow us to continue our explosive growth.
In 2023 alone, employee headcount grew from 377 to 548 professionals—that’s a 45% increase and is helping us achieve our mission to make the world safer and more secure, one LVT Unit at a time.
Interested in joining us? Check out our careers to find the role that’s right for you.
Test Out the Best Security Strategy
We offer a free consultation and a custom end-to-end security strategy for your unique situation. Connect with an LVT specialist to see if you qualify for a risk-free trial.
