BOTHELL — The past few years have been a whirlwind at EagleView Technologies. Since 2013, the aerial imaging firm has executed a merger, been sold, then sold again after the first sale fell through, and then just recently welcomed a new CEO and new president.
“I don’t think it’s been a crazy ride for folks, but there’s been quite a bit of change,” CEO Bill Bunker said. “We’ve got a lot of innovations we’re looking at, so I don’t think it’s going to be an ‘ordinary’ ride for the next couple years. We’re looking to continue to grow the business very aggressively.”
EagleView has already grown to employ 464 people, 162 of them at its Bothell headquarters. It’s come a long way since 2006, when it all started with an idea and a birdhouse.
Brothers-in-law Dave Carlson, a roofing contractor, and Chris Pershing, a software engineer, came up with the idea of using aerial photography to measure roofs. Using his wife’s ornamental birdhouses as models, Pershing refined his software based on Carlson’s feedback from the field.
The duo soon patented their method of creating 3D models of roofs. They launched EagleView in 2008, and the company quickly won over roofing contractors by providing detailed measurements that had previously taken much more time and labor to gather.
The 2013 merger with Pictometry, a New York-based aerial imaging firm, gave the combined company a vast library of photos that covers 90 percent of structures in the United States and put it in position to dominate the market for aerial measurement services.
The company maintains a fleet of 100 planes stationed across the U.S. and Canada, outfitted with camera systems that capture images from every available angle. It uses the images to measure every aspect of a building, including walls, windows, doors and siding — and do so more accurately than measurements done by hand.
EagleView’s ability to quickly turn around a report on a house or a building is in demand among not only contractors, but insurance companies, solar panel installers, government agencies and utilities. It’s also been a resource after natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy, when it provided tens of thousands of reports that helped assess the damage after the storm.
Roofing contractors need the measurements to give accurate estimates and install new roofs, so they know exactly how big of an area they’re covering, what the pitch of the roof is, and even how many shingles they need. Other contractors use them to learn things like how much siding they need to cover a house, or what kind of sun exposure a house has for solar panel installation.
In January 2014, New Jersey-based Verisk Analytics announced a $650 million purchase of EagleView. The Verisk purchase fell through due to antitrust concerns, but the price tag opened some eyes to one of the Puget Sound region’s fast-rising tech firms.
The company was instead acquired last year for an undisclosed sum by Vista Equity Partners, a private firm that focuses on software and technology businesses.
The sale was followed by changes at the helm. Bunker joined the company in early June, succeeding Chris Barrow, who had led EagleView since shortly after it was founded.
Bunker has spent more than 15 years in leadership positions, most recently as CEO at ClarityHealth in Seattle. Meanwhile, Rishi Daga was promoted to president of EagleView after serving as its executive vice president of commercial sales.
Bunker, who has experience in Bothell’s technology belt as a past president of Vertafore Inc., said he was drawn to the chance to lead a successful enterprise that’s poised for further growth.
“I think what the team has built here is fantastic, but I think there’s a whole other chapter in front of us,” he said.
It takes a lot of flights to maintain EagleView’s photo library, but drones could one day be employed to help. Currently, the FAA places tight restrictions on commercial uses of drones, and all of EagleView’s images are captured using piloted aircraft.
However, that could change over time as technology improves and the political climate changes.
To prepare, EagleView is pursuing research on drone technology through Pictometry, which continues to operate as a subsidiary.
Along with the Rochester Institute of Technology, it recently established a netted outdoor laboratory where students can test and study unmanned flights. Daga, the new president, said there’s endless uses for drones.
“The use of drones in these applications can reduce the amount of time spent in the field and allow access to areas that may be challenging or dangerous on foot,” he said.
Bunker pointed out that there will continue to be advantages to relying on the expertise of people in the air, just as the company relies on attracting tech talent to Bothell.
To that end, you might see the historically low-profile company make an effort to get noticed in the coming months.
“We’re certainly trying to get the word out in this region that you don’t have to commute to Seattle or Redmond to find a great opportunity to grow your career and be part of an exciting company,” Bunker said. “It’s amazing how many really talented folks are up here, and we hope to tap into that group.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
