Laser Safety Business Thrives While Protecting Vision and Expanding Globally

Innovative US of Sarasota County

Since 1993, Innovative US has focused on manufacturing cell-protective eyewear and safety gear used for lasers—an industry that has grown exponentially across sectors like healthcare, defense, manufacturing, and research.

Driven by a passion for safety and innovation, Andrew Barrows took over his father’s business to meet the rising demand for high-quality laser protection. “My dad started this company in our basement in Minnesota in 1993. So, we’ve been doing this longer than any other company in, well, possibly in the world, that I’m aware of. We started with a focus on the medical industry and the dental industry. About three years ago, I decided to expand into the industrial laser area,” Barrows said.

Looking to expand their reach, Barrows turned to the Florida SBDC at USF and business consultant and international trade specialist, Selma Canas. With Selma’s guidance, the company developed an export marketing plan that identified viable markets and targeted demographics.

This plan provided valuable insight into which countries had both the need and purchasing power for their specialized products. “We are located here in Sarasota County and we’ve been interested in exporting to other parts of the world, and our customer base is mixed of physicians and dental practitioners among other industrial users, but we didn’t know where we wanted to spend most of our time focusing because we didn’t know which countries had these types of professions. We didn’t know which countries had the income to be able to buy the products we’re looking for, so instead of going at it blind, we contacted Selma at the SBDC for a marketing review specifically for our customer base,” Barrows said.

The business now exports to multiple countries, with its biggest success being the ability to manufacture and sell directly in Brazil—a major milestone in the company’s international growth.

“After this report, we found that Brazil actually had the second largest amount of dermatologists after the United States per capita. We weren’t expecting that. We decided to target Brazil. We found a manufacturer in Brazil and we started to build a relationship with them. They’re now our customer base. We are now selling into Brazil. We’ve overcome some of the regulatory shipping into Brazil, and we have found a very nice market for exponential growth for years to come,” Barrows said.

Since partnering with the Florida SBDC at USF, Innovative US has seen steady growth and continues to refine its global strategy. “As we continue to grow our business, we’re looking to the SBDC to help us things with grants. So, for example, we want to do more trade shows and we’re gonna use some of the grant money that’s available to be able to attend trade shows that we think are gonna open up new export potentials in different parts of the world,” Barrows explained.

For other small businesses considering SBDC services, Barrows shares this advice: “You can rely on entities like the SBDC to help us with grant money, with market data. As a small business, we have to be very concerned with every dollar spent and working with the SBDC allows us to make that dollar go further and allows us to make more revenue based on some of the market, but also, do it in a smart way, making the right decisions.”

With a global vision and a strong support system, Innovative US is protecting more than just eyes—it’s securing a future built on innovation and smart strategy.