Application for support to apply for the H2020 project, SME Phase 1, feasibility study for a hardware platform for mobile Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) is set to change the way we interact with the digital world forever, by seamlessly merging the physical and digital. Mastering the link between the two worlds has led global actors such as Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Apple and others to invest billions of dollars in an attempt to create the next operating system of the future. In this race, for a market growing with more than 108% per year, developers and students face a massive barrier of thousands of dollars ($2000 - $5000) to buy the hardware necessary to get started with AR development. This barrier removes a vast potential of human creativity and independence. We aim to democratize AR, and we are therefore developing our Magi Platform; which combines unique technology in a new and innovating way. The platform consists of a new type of affordable Head Mounted Displays (HMD) for AR, open source- code and tracker objects optimized for computer recognition software. This technology has the potential of enabling independent developers and students to create, explore and learn about the interface of the future. This will consequently allow millions of users to experience their software creations. The object of this project is to conduct a feasibility study, to see how we can position the Magi Platform in a rapidly changing market. As the technology is evolving fast, and vastly different sectors are starting to implement AR, the market is becoming increasingly chaotic. With different AR niches emerging on a daily basis, and an increasing amount of sub-integrated solutions being introduced, it's challenging to find the perfect market fit. Though we got a market validation though Kickstarter (sold for $720,000 USD in 30 days in October), we need human and economic resources to build a viable business plan for further development of the platform. Getting the SME phase 1 funding could mean the difference of make it or break it, as it would allow us to gather the market information we need.