Get All Access for $5/mo

Merging the Digital and Real World Experience Blippar app was born out of a joke at a remote bar located in south-west England

By Sneha Banerjee

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Blippar

Ambarish Mitra often reminisces about how his augmented reality app Blippar was born out of a joke at a remote bar located in south-west England. Founded in the UK in 2011, Blippar app, the flagship product of Blippar, is the first augmented reality browser, bridging the gap between digital and real-world experiences using AI and AR. It allows users over time to "blipp' (scan) anything that they're curious about - from objects to buildings, animals and people - to unlock useful and entertaining content and AR experiences.

Speaking about the innovations explored by his company in the AR space, Mitra explained, "In the last few years, we have developed thousands of augmented reality campaigns and through this vast experience we have come to understand the importance of artificial intelligence in achieving scale. Before we augment the world, it is crucial that we understand the reality in front of us and as such, we have built our capabilities in the areas of artificial intelligence, computer vision and deep learning,"

When asked as to how Indian companies can better utilize this technology Mitra said, "AR provides a great combination of education, gamification, product visualization and content dissemination, which has potential use in every industry and particularly those mentioned above. It is very important for these AR experiences to move beyond the initial "wow'-factor and for companies to understand how to use this technology as a real-time channel to communicate."

As per Mitra, the categories which have immense potential for disruption by AR technology are education, social networking and communication, retail and commerce, healthcare and advertising.

When it comes to developing countries like India adopting this technology, Mitra strongly believes that as the second-largest smartphone market after China and the global leader in smartphone adoption with a net addition of 350 million connections in 2016-20, India will be one of the largest ecosystems for AR adopters and creators.

"Historically, India has been held-back by infrastructure issues and lack of connectivity - but with new 4G plans coming in with a goal to make "data' accessible to all - innovators across the board stand to benefit" he added. Blippar's AR technology has been used by global brands such as Porsche, Nestle, L'Oréal, GSK and General Mills to create exciting and award-winning experiences which deepen consumer engagement. Blippar now has offices across the UK, USA, India and Singapore.

Sneha Banerjee

Entrepreneur Staff

Former Staff, Entrepreneur India

She used to write for Entrepreneur India from Bangalore and other cities in South India. 

News and Trends

Battery Smart Raises USD 65 Mn in Series B to Boost EV Battery Swapping Network

Orios Venture Partners achieves a 29x return with a strategic partial exit from Delhi-based EV startup, enhancing early-stage investment success.

Science & Technology

Why We Shouldn't Fear AI in Education (and How to Use It Effectively)

Facing resistance to new technologies in the educational process is nothing new, and AI is no exception. Yet, this powerful tool is set to overcome these challenges and revolutionize education, preparing students and professionals for a future of unparalleled efficiency and personalized learning.

Business News

A Former Corporate Lawyer Now Makes Six Figures on YouTube — Here's How She Does It

Here are the secrets to starting and growing a successful YouTube channel, according to a YouTuber with millions of subscribers.

Business Culture

You'll Always Have Anxious Employees if You Don't Follow These 4 Leadership Tactics

Creating a thriving workplace environment hinges on the commitment of company leaders to nurture and inspire their teams.

Business News

Y Combinator Helped Launch Reddit, Airbnb and Dropbox. Here's What I Learned From Its Free Startup School.

The famed startup accelerator offers a free course on building a business — and answers five pressing questions for founders.