Garmin: The Gary-and-Min GPS 100, the G1000 Cockpit and Autoland

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In 2023 the U.S. Space Force gave over 6,000 smartwatches to its Guardians to test whether wearable data could replace fitness tests, choosing Garmin models because their GPS could be disabled. Gary Burrell recruited engineer Min Kao from a defense contractor in 1983, and in 1989 they founded ProNav in Lenexa, Kansas, later renamed Garmin from their first names. The GPS 100 for boaters drew 5,000 orders at $2,500 each at a Chicago marine show in 1990. The U.S. Army became the first major customer, using its handheld receivers in the 1991 Gulf War, and by 1995 sales reached $102 million with a $23 million profit.

The StreetPilot car navigator arrived in 1998, Garmin listed on the Nasdaq in December 2000 at $14 a share, and the nüvi line followed in 2005. The GNS 430 in 1998 and the FAA-certified G1000 glass cockpit in 2004, aided by the 2003 purchase of UPS Aviation Technologies, made Garmin an aviation original equipment maker. When smartphones made car units obsolete, it moved to the wrist, building on the 2003 Forerunner 201, the 2012 Fenix and the 2014 Vivofit, and by 2022 led the market for smartwatches over $500. Revenue reached $7.25 billion by 2025.

• Garmin often uses transflective memory-in-pixel displays, giving the Vivofit over a year of battery life.
• In July 2020 WastedLocker ransomware shut Garmin's systems, blocking pilots from downloading the 28-day navigation database updates aircraft need to fly legally.
• Hackers reportedly demanded $10 million, which experts speculate Garmin paid.
• Autoland, which can land a small plane at the nearest suitable airport after one button press, won the Collier Trophy in 2020.
• In July 2026 Garmin launched a screenless, subscription-free smart band alongside its purchase of TrainingPeaks.