Editor’s Note: We are delighted to welcome Audra Dragza, President & Founder of Summit Path Advisory, to the APC Media team in a fractional leadership role, where she’ll be focusing on Go-To-Market strategy and broader company direction. Formerly with Energy Central, Audra brings deep, hands-on industry experience and strategic insight.

To kick off her work with us, we asked Audra to explore emerging technologies at DistribuTech that she sees as potential game changers in the energy and utility space. One of her standout discoveries was Looq AI, which we’re pleased to feature in the following showcase.

We’re thrilled to have Audra on board and look forward to the impact she’ll have as part of our leadership team.

DISTRIBUTECH 2025 was buzzing this year. You could feel the energy pulsing through the halls with new vendors, fresh innovation, and bold visions for what’s next in the power industry.

After nearly three decades in this field, I can confidently say we’re undergoing what I’d consider the second major transformation in our space. (The first? Deregulation — though some might debate that.) Today, the driving force is AI and exponential tech innovation. Tools are emerging faster than ever, giving the industry a major upgrade. Sure, adoption can be slower — but the technology is here, and the momentum is undeniable.

Meet Looq AI: From 2 A.M. Garage Build to AI-Enabled 3D Capture: Looq AI
Makes Survey-Grade Imaging Scalable

This year’s show wasn’t just about big names and legacy players — it was also a showcase for emerging innovators who are rewriting the rules of utility fieldwork. One company that stood out was Looq AI — a startup combining camera-based data capture and powerful AI to enable smarter, faster infrastructure insights.

I had the opportunity to not only learn about their technology firsthand but also to meet several members of their team, including a sit-down conversation with Dominique Meyer, Founder and CEO. His passion for solving real-world infrastructure challenges with smart, scalable tools was clear from the moment we started talking.

“I had a hypothesis: if we built the cameras and algorithms right, we could map environments without LiDAR — just with cameras,” Meyer shared. “It would be faster, more scalable, and more cost-effective.”

That hypothesis turned into a working prototype — built in his garage at 2 a.m. alongside co-founder and research partner Shreyas Niradi — and has since evolved into the Looq Platform, a comprehensive system for survey-grade, AI-enabled asset capture and modeling. Designed for speed, scalability, and seamless integration into existing workflows, the platform combines hardware, software, and AI to turn raw images into intelligent infrastructure insights — without the traditional bottlenecks of legacy tools.

The qCam: Precision in the Palm of Your Hand

Captured data is uploaded to the cloud, where Looq’s AI-based image-tomodel software kicks in. The output is more than just pretty pictures — it’s structured, intelligent data that can be shared with CAD and GIS platforms or integrated with tools for pole loading analysis, empowering utilities with insights across planning, operations, and compliance.

“The flexibility of having a human walk a site is huge. And the camera captures the detail that drones just can’t — especially in backyards, alleys, or FAA-restricted areas,” Meyer added.

Retiring the Measuring Tape

One moment in our conversation brought it all into perspective — and got a good laugh: the tape measure.

“Every engineer I talk to still pulls out a tape measure to double-check if a transformer will fit,” Meyer said. “We have the tech now to do all that virtually — and accurately.”

Retiring the Measuring Tape

One moment in our conversation brought it all into perspective — and got a good laugh: the tape measure.

“I’m excited to see the retirement of the measuring tape,” Meyer added.

Digital Twins + AI: From Reactive to Proactive

Perhaps the most transformative potential of the Looq Platform lies in its AIpowered digital twins. These aren’t just pretty 3D models — they’re decisionmaking tools. By layering geometry with historical data and asset conditions, Looq AI enables utilities to shift from reactive maintenance to proactive resilience planning.

“Which of the 100,000 poles in the Midwest do we upgrade before winter?” Meyer asked. “That’s the kind of question digital twins can finally answer.”

Digital Twins + AI: From Reactive to Proactive

It’s a major leap toward data-driven capital planning and smarter infrastructure investments.

A Different Kind of Competitor — and a Collaborative Future

Unlike many in the space, Looq AI isn’t trying to replace existing tools — they’re filling a gap. Their solution augments drones, software, and traditional survey methods by providing rapid, ground-level capture and AI-driven insight.

To that end, Looq partners with engineering firms, software platforms, and survey providers to inte-grate seamlessly into existing workflows — amplifying value without disruption.

“We’re not replacing anyone — we’re augmenting the whole ecosystem,” Meyer emphasized.

Final Thoughts: Powering the Industry’s Next Leap

Looq AI is one of those companies that reminds you just how much change is happening — and how quickly it’s accelerating. From a garage-born prototype to a cutting-edge AI platform, they’ve built a solution that’s faster, smarter, and more intuitive — not for some future use case, but for the way utilities work today.

They’re not chasing flashy innovation. They’re creating tools that solve realworld problems — with precision, speed, and scalability.

And yes, finally, they’re giving engineers a good reason to leave the measuring tape at home.