augmented reality Startups

Loot is a platform helping brands engage customers through incentivized user-generated content at scale, enabling micro-influencer marketing. Founded in 2012 by Nicholas Haas at age 22, the company grew from $200 in first-year revenue to over $500,000 by 2015, using a usage-based pricing model where brands pay a multiple of the rewards given to users. Nicholas also experimented with e-commerce through a side project called Startup Drugs, which generated mid-five figures in monthly revenue through Facebook ads.

Blipper is a mobile visual browser powered by computer vision and image recognition that enables brands and advertisers to create interactive augmented reality experiences with physical products. Founded in 2011 by Jess Butcher, the company has raised over $100 million in funding, grown to 300+ employees across 14 offices globally, and achieved 60 million app downloads by working directly with Fortune 500 brands like Pepsi, Coke, and Nestlé on campaigns with average deal sizes in the six figures. The company is transitioning from brand-specific interactive campaigns to a broader visual search platform that recognizes and provides information about any object in the real world.

Pear 3D is an augmented reality app that lets consumers visualize home furnishings in their actual spaces before purchasing. Founded by Andrew Commendoni in 2015, the company pivoted from a B2B architecture model to a B2C consumer model with manufacturer partnerships, generating revenue through CPM and CPC advertising. With over 2,000 products in their catalog from 15 major manufacturers and ~20,000 monthly object placements, they project $1.5M in annual revenue.

Adlato Software is a vertically-focused SaaS platform for manufacturing sales enablement, using Unity gaming platform and AR technology to create visual sales experiences for complex products. Founded in 2014 and relaunched in 2016-2017 under CEO Mark Murphy, the company has grown from $150k/month to $400k/month ($5M ARR) with 250 customers, primarily OEMs buying seats for their dealer networks, achieving a healthy 90-100k CAC payback through upfront setup fees.

3Kit is a 3D and augmented reality visualization software platform that helps e-commerce brands and manufacturers show complex product configurations digitally. Founded by Ben Houston in 2012 with visual effects expertise, the company replatformed 3.5 years ago and now serves 220 enterprise customers like TaylorMade, Crate and Barrel, and others, with pricing from $18k to $500k annually. The company is on track to break $10M ARR in 2021 (doubling or tripling from ~$5M the prior year) and has raised $65M to date ($10M seed in 2019, $35M Series B in November 2020).