Garmin Ltd. is a technology company best known for designing and manufacturing navigation, communication and information devices that leverage global positioning system (GPS) technology. The company serves a diverse set of markets including consumer fitness and wearables, automotive navigation, aviation avionics, marine electronics and outdoor handheld devices. Garmin’s products combine hardware, mapping and software services to deliver location-aware solutions for personal, recreational and professional uses.
Garmin’s product lineup includes wearable fitness and multisport watches (Forerunner, Fenix, Venu), cycling computers and accessories (Edge, Varia), handheld and handheld-mounted GPS devices for outdoor activities, automotive and portable navigation units, marine chartplotters and fishfinders, and certified avionics for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. The company also provides companion software and cloud services such as the Garmin Connect platform for activity tracking, route planning and data synchronization, and offers mapping, OEM and subscription services that support its device ecosystem.
Founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Dr. Min H. Kao, Garmin grew from early GPS receiver products into a global supplier of navigation and wearable technologies. The company has operations and distribution worldwide and targets both consumer and professional customers across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions. Garmin is incorporated in Switzerland and operates substantial business functions in the United States. The company’s leadership and organizational structure have evolved over time as it diversified product lines and expanded into new markets.