Ahura Scientific plans to be on the front line of homeland defense. Founded in 2002, the company makes FirstDefender, a handheld instrument that can identify thousands of chemicals using lasers and a specific optical analysis known as Raman spectroscopy. Consumers of FirstDefender include firefighters, police bomb squads, and first responders encountering unknown substances. Its TruScan instrument has similar applications, such as checking the content of medications overseeing the production of goods. Ahura also makes lasers, optical components, and optical subsystems used in medical diagnostics. The company was acquired in 2010 by Thermo Fisher Scientific for $145 million.