Magic Leap Alumni Unveil Innovative AR Experience Platform

Trace: Simplifying AR Content Creation for Enterprises

In the bustling world of augmented reality (AR), a new player has emerged from the shadows of the once-hyped startup, Magic Leap. Founded by former Magic Leap employees Greg Tran, Martin Smith, and Sean Couture, Trace aims to revolutionize the way businesses create and deploy AR experiences.

The Birth of Trace

Tran, Smith, and Couture joined Magic Leap in 2015, when the company was at the peak of its popularity. However, as the years passed, Magic Leap struggled to find its footing in the market. The trio eventually parted ways with the company between 2020 and 2021, leading to the birth of Trace in 2021.

“It’s really hard to make AR content,” Tran tells The Zero Byte. “It’s really early in the ecosystem. There were a lot of partners with Magic Leap. Whenever they wanted to make content, it would take three to six months to do, take experts in development and 3D art and whole teams of people. We saw an opportunity to make that process a lot easier.”

Modest Beginnings, High-Profile Partnerships

Unlike Magic Leap, which has raised over $4 billion in funding, Trace is starting small. The company recently announced a $2 million pre-seed round, co-led by Rev1 Ventures and Impellent Ventures. Despite its modest size, Trace has already collaborated with industry giants such as Qualcomm, Telefónica, T-Mobile, and Lenovo.

Image Credits: Trace

Simplifying AR Content Creation

Trace’s primary offering is a creator app that simplifies the process of adding AR content to real-world spaces. Tran compares it to a Squarespace for AR experiences, enabling businesses to create and deploy AR content without the need for extensive expertise or resources. Users can access the digital content through Trace’s app or a web browser.

Focusing on Enterprise Clients

While Trace’s creator app is currently in private beta, the company plans to open it to the public in the coming months. Trace will offer a subscription-based model for companies looking to produce AR experiences. Similar to Magic Leap, Trace is focusing primarily on enterprise clients.

“The partners that we’ve had so far have been some of these big brand companies,” says Tran. “We’re focused on some of those enterprise-level partners first […] This is a consumer-facing product, in a way, but we see there being more opportunity in the enterprise space right now.”

As Trace continues to grow and develop its platform, it has the potential to democratize AR content creation, making it more accessible and cost-effective for businesses across various industries.