Why We Invested in the Next ‘Canva for 3D’

Throughout the history of computing, the pursuit of realism has been a key driving force. In the early days, graphics processing capabilities were limited, with games and applications relying on simple shapes and colours. However, as technology advanced, developers began creating graphics that closely resembled the real world.

Today, most data and content remain confined to two dimensions, primarily images and videos. Yet, our physical world is comprised of three spatial dimensions. We believe that spatial computing represents the next frontier, bringing additional depth and immersion to data and content. When coupled with artificial intelligence, spatial computing is poised to have substantial implications across many industries.

From Vision to Reality

One company that has made a name for itself in interactive 3D presentation software is the Australian success story, JigSpace. Founded by Zachary Duff and Numa Bertron in 2015. JigSpace lets users create and share stunning immersive augmented reality (AR) demonstrations in minutes.

At Aura Group, through our venture capital arm Aura Ventures, we are excited to announce our investment in JigSpace, as part of their US$4.5 million Series A raise. This round, which includes contributions from Breakthrough Victoria, Rampersand, and Investible, marks a significant step forward in pioneering the business usage of AR.

Understanding Spatial Computing and Why Now

It is critical to note that spatial computing is not merely a rebranding of the metaverse. While metaverse maximalists envision interconnected virtual worlds, spatial computing is firmly rooted in enabling applications today. We have a high degree of conviction that spatial computing can become the next major computing platform after smartphones.

Currently, we observe two distinct inflection points in spatial computing which will empower its adoption. Firstly, it can be viewed as immersive human experiences where extended reality (XR) devices provide a window into the digital world that overlays the physical. From this perspective, spatial computing is still in the innovators/early adopters stage, with pioneering products like Apple Vision Pro and Xreal offering a glimpse into the future.

The concept of dominant design is critical for understanding industry evolution. In the early days of mobile phones, a diverse range of designs existed. However, after the iPhone was introduced in 2007, phone designs began to converge. Similarly, while VR devices like MetaOculus and HTC Vive exist, their applications are limited.

We believe AR devices are the key to unlocking widespread adoption. The launch of the Apple Vision Pro was a giant leap towards meeting enterprise requirements. It is akin to what advancements in cameras on smartphones did for Instagram or GPS tracking chips in smartphones did for Uber.

Further, spatial computing can be thought of broadly as applications and infrastructure that utilise 3D data, localisation technologies, and time series data. From this perspective, we believe spatial computing is ripe for investment, with a large and increasing number of use cases being deployed. While challenges such as 3D stack standardisation exist, we believe these are solvable in the short term through engineering work.

Progress in internet connectivity, cloud, edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) are all necessities to deliver the 3D experience layer of the internet. With 5G connectivity, accelerating AI/ML sophistication, and cloud maturity, XR and spatial computing have finally crossed the chasm.

The Role of JigSpace in the Spatial Computing Revolution

Engineering drawings have always served two purposes: as a reference for experienced craftspeople and for presentation to patrons/customers. Until the late 20th century, knowledge sharing was predominantly facilitated using 2D presentations and sketches. The advent of the Internet and portable document formats (.pdf) by Adobe revolutionised file sharing.

Since the 1960s, computer-aided design (CAD) files have been produced to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, and optimisation of designs in 3D. However, CAD files are large and require high-end workstations, making them inaccessible for easy sharing or viewing on consumer devices. JigSpace aims to solve this problem by becoming a comprehensive technology platform that seamlessly enables the creation, sharing, and viewing of 3D presentations, known as Jigs, across any platform.

Without Jigs, sharing a CAD file in a presentable form is challenging. Manufacturing companies all have CAD files, which are not designed for easy sharing or viewing on consumer devices. JigSpace gives this 3D data new life, enabling it to run on any device without extra work, and allowing non-technical employees to create immediately from anywhere.

By democratising immersive and interactive presentations to non-technical people, JigSpace aims to become an integral element in the communication and transfer of knowledge. A market-creating solution, JigSpace is an early mover in pushing commercial utility with spatial computing. They have built the platform for sharing interactive 3D presentations with simplicity and accessibility, earning it the label: the “Canva for 3D.”

When it comes to 3D knowledge sharing in complex domains, we do not believe any competitor to date has an equal user experience that enables non-technical users to utilise 3D presentations across all stages of a product lifecycle like JigSpace.

JigSpace has developed proprietary IP around compression and formatting, which means presentations can be designed and viewed on any device and any operating system. They continue to enhance usability by incorporating AI (JigSpark) and accessibility (Jig SmartLink). We believe JigSpace has the most comprehensive product in the market today.

The Evolution of Computing Towards Realism

While it took time for the market to understand just how powerful JigSpace could be, it’s exciting that the best companies in the world now see what we’ve been seeing for a while. With a raft of Fortune 500 companies using the platform to build more compelling 3D presentations for marketing, sales, and service, there is mounting evidence AR applications are moving beyond the hype cycle into high-value business efficiency tooling. As the world’s most popular AR application, JigSpace is well on its way to defining this category, and we’re excited to be part of the journey.

Until next time,

Eric Chan

Managing Director, Aura Ventures

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