Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye ended 2025 with nearly $87 million in cash, providing funding well into 2028 [4] - GAAP net loss for Q4 was $7.3 million, or $0.17 per share, an improvement from a net loss of $9.3 million in Q3 [16][17] - Non-GAAP net loss for Q4 was $6.8 million, or $0.15 per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $5.4 million in the prior quarter [17] - Cash burn increased to $7.5 million in Q4 from $6.4 million in Q3, primarily due to increased engineering costs [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye shipped the highest number of Apollo units in its history during Q4, with active customer count growing from 12 to 16 [15] - Active engagements increased over 40%, and active quotes rose more than 30% quarter-over-quarter [15] - The company launched multiple products, including OPTIS and Stratos, enhancing its competitive position in the lidar industry [6][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye is seeing increased engagement in both automotive and non-automotive sectors, with significant traction in commercial and ground mobility [9] - The Physical AI market is estimated at $5 billion today, with potential growth to $1 trillion by 2035 [10] - AEye received multiple new RFQs and entered a strategic partnership with a distributor to unlock opportunities outside the U.S. [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - AEye aims to convert customer engagements into deployments and build a durable revenue ramp [22] - The company is focused on maintaining a capital-light operating model while investing in sales and marketing to support growth [18][20] - AEye's partnership with NVIDIA is deepening, enhancing its commitment to quality and safety in the automotive sector [28][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the growing customer base and increasing engagement activity, indicating a strong foundation for future growth [4][22] - The company expects 2026 to show increasing momentum towards a revenue generation inflection point as technical engagements translate into volume commitments [21] - Management highlighted the importance of their technology in addressing new use cases and enhancing visibility in various applications [83] Other Important Information - AEye's supply chain is globally diversified, providing flexibility to mitigate geopolitical risks [12] - The company has secured dedicated manufacturing capacity of 60,000 Apollo units annually through a partnership with Lidong [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the jump in your customer base this quarter? - Management noted that the increase to 16 active customers reflects growing activity and business opportunities, particularly in the non-automotive pipeline [25] Question: Any new developments on the NVIDIA partnership? - The relationship with NVIDIA is deepening, with AEye showcasing Apollo integrated with NVIDIA's latest platform at CES, indicating strong collaboration in the automotive space [28][29] Question: What kind of CapEx range are you modeling for 2026? - Expected CapEx for 2026 is projected to be under $1 million due to the capital-light business model [41] Question: Can you provide a percentage split between hardware and software revenue? - Currently, revenue is predominantly hardware-based, but there is a shift towards software with opportunities for customization and upselling [44] Question: What applications does the Helios ecosystem partnership with NVIDIA address? - The partnership focuses on enhancing robustness and safety in the automotive space, contributing to the broader Hyperion initiative [51] Question: What is the expected revenue contribution from the $30 million global transport win? - Initial deployments are expected in the second half of 2026, with meaningful revenue likely in 2027 [55] Question: Were any of the new customers related to OPTIS and Stratos? - The new customer numbers include contributions from OPTIS, with expectations for Stratos to open additional opportunities in 2026 [58][60]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye ended 2025 with nearly $87 million in cash, providing funding well into 2028 [4] - GAAP net loss for Q4 was $7.3 million, or $0.17 per share, an improvement from a loss of $9.3 million, or $0.30 per share in Q3 [17] - Non-GAAP net loss for Q4 was $6.8 million, or $0.15 per share, compared to a loss of $5.4 million, or $0.17 per share in the prior quarter [18] - Cash burn increased to $7.5 million in Q4 from $6.4 million in Q3, primarily due to increased engineering costs and other expenses [18][19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye shipped the highest number of Apollo units in its history during Q4, indicating increased customer readiness [16] - Active customer count grew from 12 to 16, with active engagements up over 40% and active quotes up more than 30% quarter-over-quarter [16] - The company launched multiple products, including Optis and Stratos, enhancing its competitive position in the lidar market [5][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye is seeing broader market interest, including new RFIs and strategic partnerships, particularly in autonomous trucking and defense sectors [4][8] - The Physical AI market is estimated to represent a $5 billion market today, with potential growth to $1 trillion by 2035 [10] - AEye received multiple new RFQs and entered a strategic partnership with a distributor to unlock opportunities outside the U.S. [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - AEye aims to convert customer engagements into deployments and build a durable revenue ramp [23] - The company is focused on maintaining a capital-light operating model while investing in sales and marketing to support growth [19][20] - AEye's partnership with NVIDIA is deepening, enhancing its commitment to quality and safety in the automotive sector [29][52] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the growing customer base and engagement activity, indicating a strong foundation for future growth [4][23] - The company expects 2026 to show increasing momentum towards a revenue generation inflection point as technical engagements translate into volume commitments [20][22] - Management highlighted the importance of flexibility and scalability in their technology to meet diverse customer needs [21][22] Other Important Information - AEye's supply chain is globally diversified, providing flexibility to mitigate geopolitical risks [12] - The company has secured dedicated manufacturing capacity of 60,000 Apollo units annually through its partnership with LITEON [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the jump in your customer base this quarter? - Management noted that the increase to 16 active customers reflects growing activity and business opportunities, particularly in the non-automotive pipeline [25][26] Question: Any new developments on the NVIDIA partnership? - The relationship with NVIDIA is deepening, with AEye showcasing Apollo integrated with NVIDIA's latest autonomous platform at CES [28][29] Question: What kind of CapEx range are you modeling for 2026? - Expected CapEx for 2026 is relatively low, likely under $1 million, due to the capital-light business model [41][42] Question: Can you provide a percentage split between hardware and software revenue? - Currently, revenue is predominantly hardware-based, but there is a shift towards software with opportunities for customization and upselling [43][45] Question: What applications does the partnership with NVIDIA's Helios ecosystem address? - The partnership focuses on enhancing robustness and safety in the automotive space, building on previous collaborations [51][52] Question: Will the $30 million global transport win contribute revenue in 2026? - Some revenue is expected in 2026, but significant contributions are anticipated in 2027 as the customer validates the technology [53][56] Question: Were any of the new customers related to Optis and Stratos? - Most sales in 2025 were driven by Apollo and Optis, with Stratos expected to open new opportunities moving forward [57][62]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye ended 2025 with nearly $87 million in cash, providing operational runway well into 2028 [4] - Q4 GAAP net loss was $7.3 million, or $0.17 per share, an improvement from a net loss of $9.3 million, or $0.30 per share in Q3 2025 [16] - Non-GAAP net loss for Q4 was $6.8 million, or $0.15 per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $5.4 million, or $0.17 per share in the prior quarter [17] - Cash burn increased to $7.5 million in Q4 from $6.4 million in Q3, primarily due to increased engineering costs and professional services [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye shipped the highest number of Apollo units in its history during Q4, with active customer count increasing from 12 to 16 [15] - Active engagements rose over 40%, and active quotes increased by more than 30% quarter-over-quarter [15] - The company launched multiple products, including OPTIS and Stratos, enhancing its competitive position in the lidar industry [5] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - AEye is seeing broader market interest, including new RFIs and strategic partnerships, particularly in autonomous trucking and defense sectors [4][6] - The Physical AI market is estimated to represent a $5 billion market today, with potential growth to $1 trillion by 2035 [10] - AEye received multiple new RFQs and entered a strategic partnership with a distributor to unlock opportunities outside the U.S. [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - AEye aims to convert customer engagements into deployments and build a durable revenue ramp [22] - The company is focused on maintaining a capital-light operating model while investing in sales and marketing to support growth [19] - AEye's partnership with NVIDIA is deepening, enhancing its commitment to safety and robustness in the automotive sector [27][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the growing customer base and increasing engagement activity, indicating a strong foundation for future growth [22] - The company expects 2026 to show increasing momentum towards a revenue generation inflection point as technical engagements translate into volume commitments [20] - Management noted that interest in lidar technology has surged, particularly among automotive OEMs and trucking companies [30][31] Other Important Information - AEye's Apollo sensor features near-infinite software programmability and a 1-kilometer detection range, driving increased customer engagement [6] - The company has secured dedicated manufacturing capacity of 60,000 Apollo units annually through its global tier one manufacturing partner [11] - AEye's diversified supply chain mitigates geopolitical risks and shifting trade policies, enhancing operational resilience [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the jump in your customer base this quarter? - Management noted that the increase to 16 active customers reflects growing activity and business opportunities, particularly in the non-automotive pipeline [25] Question: Any new developments on the NVIDIA partnership? - The relationship with NVIDIA is deepening, with AEye showcasing Apollo integrated with NVIDIA's latest autonomous platform at CES [27] Question: Can you discuss the pull-through from CES? - Management reported generating over 130 high-quality leads at CES, indicating strong interest in lidar technology across various sectors [32] Question: What is your capital raising strategy for 2026? - AEye is well-capitalized with sufficient runway into 2028, focusing on strategic optionality rather than immediate capital raising [34] Question: What is the CapEx range for 2026? - Expected to be relatively low, likely under $1 million, due to the capital-light business model [42] Question: What is the percentage split between hardware and software revenue? - Currently, revenue is predominantly hardware-based, but there is a shift towards software with the introduction of OPTIS [45]