On an episode of the Category Visionaries podcast, Ned Hill, CEO and Founder of Position Imaging, shared with listeners his entrepreneurial journey, the strategic steps to driving a tech brand to success, and some predictions for the future of the company and the logistics space.
Entrepreneurial Journey:
Ned Hill’s entrepreneurial journey began in 1999. Passionate about technology and inspired by an entrepreneurship class he took in college, Ned ventured into the tech space by developing wireless point-to-point range detection technologies. This early venture, aimed at creating an “invisible fence” for dogs using innovative wireless patented range tracking, stemmed from a personal challenge he faced with his dog frequently escaping. However, differing visions and strategies with investors wanting to create a lifestyle company focused on only licensing, not innovation, led Ned to leave and start Position Imaging in 2006, focusing on his vision of creating new position tracking technologies. This strategic shift, guided by his resilience and innovative mindset, set the bar high for the company to succeed. Ned stated that tracking technologies provide visibility to unlock efficiencies because they “enable you to “see” your complete fulfillment chain which is critical because what you are not seeing in your process you can’t manage.” Therefore, providing extra visibility through tracking technologies allows companies to see whether those processes, assets, or people are moving and being managed efficiently.
Position Imaging was formed to create world-class position tracking technologies that could be applied to many different markets and use cases; image-guided surgery, gaming, and immersive interactive AR/VR applications. Over time, the company shifted focus to the logistics sector. Logistics is not only the biggest market in the world, but also a space that desperately needs innovation to keep up with the growing pressure from online sales growth. Position Imaging’s precision tracking technologies are a perfect solution for enabling better ways of managing the movement of goods and services; from production facility all the way to the customer’s doorstep.
The first sector that Ned and the team evaluated was the package management space. After seeing the struggle various apartment buildings across the nation were experiencing with the painstaking task of manual package fulfillment, he realized that precision tracking technologies could streamline package delivery and pickup efficiencies. Or, as he says, “We let technology automate mundane tasks like package management so people can focus on the important things, residents and customers!”
The company’s first product, Smart Package Room® (SPR), is a package management solution that automates the package delivery and retrieval process. Developed in 2017, the Smart Package Room was initially focused on the multifamily market but later expanded to offices and student housing communities. When asked about his decision to go with the multifamily market, Ned explained that his strategy was to start in a slow-growth, low-profile market to have a controlled environment that could quietly let the company stress-proof the solution before moving to extremely large, high-growth markets. The strategy was initially hard for investors to grasp. Still, Ned knew that the technologies’ innovative aspects and expansive potential would translate easily to other larger markets like logistics, retail, and travel. Eventually investors saw the logic behind Ned’s vision, giving him the money and time needed to develop and refine Smart Package Room. “I didn’t want to dive with both feet into the deep end without pressure testing this solution. We are the first company in the world that uses computer vision in this way for package management, so we needed to not only prove it works, we had to make it bulletproof,” Ned mentioned on the podcast.
After piloting the product with a few multifamily apartment buildings, the product’s effectiveness and value became quickly evident. In just 12 months, the package solution received ample positive feedback from residents, building owners, and staff, even winning the Multifamily Innovation Council’s “Technology Innovator of the Year” award in 2023. This success proved that the technology was an effective solution for the space and spurred eventual expansion into retail with the development of the iPickup Point™ (IPP), a self-service eCommerce fulfillment and shipping solution. Ned and his team knew that the existing Buy Online Pickup In Store (BOPIS) and Buy Online Return In Store (BORIS) experience was a challenge for retailers, who were losing out on capturing the loyalty of omnichannel customers by not investing in shopper-friendly solutions. Utilizing the same precision tracking technologies, Ned and his team showed that the retail sector could significantly improve a store’s order fulfillment and shipping processes. The true test came during a pilot with Tractor Supply Co., where Position Imaging’s iPickup Point dramatically improved BOPIS and BORIS processes. The product recorded a staggering 93 Net Promoter Score with Tractor Supply customers, clocking in the industry’s fastest transaction, staging, and pickup times.
Once this new solution and technology platform had proven itself, the time had come to find the right partners to help get it to market, a key part of Position Imaging’s go to market strategy. Strategic partnerships with larger companies have bolstered Position Imaging’s competitive edge, working with the biggest names in the residential and retail industry. In addition to collaborating with the right team, Ned emphasizes the importance of protecting your technology through patents to remain safe from competitor replication, stating, “If you are going to spend your life building something special, you better have some protection to guard all the innovations you have created.” Ned also explained that his strategy with his precision technology platform was to develop solutions with best-in-class performance using these unique, advanced technologies to establish a premium brand first position. Doing this would yield high returns, making it much easier to scale the company at the right pace for the technologies and product, which in turn would be best for the Position Imaging investors. Overall, the strategy has worked; to date, the company has raised over $75 million in funding.
Innovation is the lifeblood of Position Imaging. New funding rounds have allowed future product advancements in package management, eCommerce fulfillment, and travel spaces, ensuring the company’s longevity and competitiveness. To diversify the Smart Package Room solution, later developments came to fruition in the form of two volume-driving package solutions: Smart Package Room Lite™ and Package Valet™. For iPickup™, the implementation of out-of-home shipping for PUDO (Pick Up and Drop Off) helped capture different customers as well. The platform vs. single product focus has helped Position Imaging connect with valuable partners in various industries, as the technology supports many applications. “We have a pretty diverse suite of customers, partly because we have so many different product offerings and partly because we can hit multiple layers along the logistics process,” Ned stated.
Predictions for the Future:
When all is said and done, Position Imaging’s growth trajectory is impressive. As innovative technologies for applications in point-to-point logistics get closer to launch and partnerships continue to evolve, the company is set to make a big impact on the logistics market and beyond. The company’s Smart Package Room is establishing itself as “the dominant package management solution for college campuses, multifamily residences, and office complexes. As Ned says, “If it’s not a Smart Package Room, it’s probably a dumb room.” For iPickup, the goal is to broaden its reach with UPS, NCR, and other strong partners, transforming iPickup into a ubiquitous solution for eCommerce fulfillment and out-of-home shipping. Ned explained that his vision for iPickup is to become the “ATM of first and last mile delivery.” As the product continues its successful pilot phase in Europe and is planning its commercial launch in the EU and US next year, the company is poised to become a key player in shaping the future of first and last mile delivery.
Wrap Up:
Ned Hill’s journey with Position Imaging is a testament to the power of innovation, strategic planning, and resilience. From his early entrepreneurial days to driving a tech brand to success, Ned’s insights offer valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts. His strategic planning with flexibility, including the shift in focus to the logistics sector and the development of unique, protectable technologies and resulting products, has been instrumental in Position Imaging’s success. As the company continues to evolve and expand, it sets a benchmark for success in the tech industry, showcasing the impact of a visionary leader and an incredible engineering team that applies cutting-edge technologies to solve real-world problems.
To learn more about Position Imaging, contact us at or visit our website at www.position-imaging.com.
Check out the clip from the podcast: What Does Position Imaging Do?