The startup JigSpace, which was among the first apps to support ARKit and LiDAR for iPhone augmented reality apps, has capitalized on its early mover status by innovating within the space.
On Wednesday, JigSpace closed a $4.7 million Series A round of funding, led by Rampersand with Investible, Vulpes, and Roger Allen AM participating as well.
"Creating and sharing knowledge in 3D should be simple, useful, and delightful. We're on a mission to unlock the utility of augmented reality at massive scale and bring interactive 3D experiences into everyday life," said Zac Duff, co-founder and CEO at JigSpace, in a statement. "This round of funding will help us continue to deliver on our vision of Jigs everywhere and accessible to everyone. The opportunity for 3D knowledge is big—in the future, you'll be able to look at every object as a Jig."
Compared to the camera effects from Snapchat and Facebook, mobile AR apps built on ARKit from Apple and ARCore from Google haven't had quite the impact we expected them to when Apple originally announced ARKit.
JigSpace may be the exception, though. The company has amassed more than four million users and a 4.8-star rating worldwide. In 2020, Jigspace expanded its capabilities to support Apple's LiDAR sensor for iPad Pro and iPhone Pro models, with the Jig Pro platform featured in the iPhone launch event last fall. The company cites 40% user growth since launching Jig Pro in mid-2020.
Despite the success of its mobile app, the company has also managed to leverage Snapchat's AR capabilities, using the Scan function in conjunction with its own "How to Jig" Lens to serve up tutorials in Snapchat.
Having cut its teeth in the mobile AR realm, JigSpace is positioned to benefit from the coming smartglasses era. It's no wonder investors are excited about the company's prospects.
"JigSpace is changing the way people share ideas and knowledge 10x better than anything we've seen," said Paul Naphtali, co-founder and managing partner at Rampersand. "We rarely see a company with JigSpace's technical capability, growth trajectory, and opportunity ahead of it, and we are energized by a future where augmented reality improves people's lives."
Just updated your iPhone to iOS 18? You'll find a ton of hot new features for some of your most-used Apple apps. Dive in and see for yourself:
Be the First to Comment
Share Your Thoughts