While virtual reality (VR) holds its place as a popular tech sector in Silicon Valley, an increasing number of companies are diving into augmented reality (AR). While the two realities may sound interchangeable, AR slightly differs from its more well-known counterpart. Those who remember the Pokemon Go craze that swept the globe have seen the effects of augmented reality firsthand. While VR offers a fully immersive digital experience, AR enhances the real world, adding images, text and other types of virtual information.
Throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, businesses from a wide range of industries from gaming to retail are investing in AR. Companies are adopting AR-powered apps to give shoppers the chance to see what products would look like in their homes before purchasing, while automotive companies are using the technology to facilitate the vehicle design process. The solutions are limitless at these 15 San Francisco AR companies, where reality takes on a whole new meaning.
AR Companies in San Francisco To Know
- Niantic
- Unity Technologies
- BVG Software Group
- Citrusbits
- DigiLens
- FS Studio
- Fyusion
Founded: 2003
Location: The East Cut
What they do: Unity Technologies gives content creators the tools to create 2D, 3D, AR and VR experiences. In addition to other services, the company creates immersive AR experiences for a variety of purposes including games, animation, film, architecture, gambling, marketing, automotive and edtech.
Who they work with: Little Mountain Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Soba Productions and Magic Design Studios.
Founded: 2011
Location: Financial District
What they do: Niantic is an AR tech company whose products are meant to inspire outdoor exploration, exercise and meaningful social interaction. The company is building a planet-scale AR platform for current and future generations of AR hardware. The platform includes a scalable engine for shared state and user interactions proven to support hundreds of millions of users. Niantic’s gaming titles include Ingress and Pokemon Go.
Who they work with: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company and Alsop Louie Partners.
Founded: 2011
Location: South San Francisco, Greater San Francisco Bay Area
What they do: BVG Software Group is a software development company that specializes in a wide variety of areas including AR and VR. The company creates immersive AR and VR experiences using cross-platform 3D engines like Unity and Unreal Engine, as well as tools for iOS and Android including ARkit and AR Core. BVG Software Group also offers native mobile app and cross-platform app development.
Who they work with: Medical professionals, hotels, corporations, social networking platforms, marketplaces and restaurants.
Founded: 2005
Location: Financial District
What they do: Citrusbits Inc. is a mobile app development company that leverages a wide range of mobile technology including AR and VR. The company helps startups and established businesses create immersive AR experiences, which encompasses services like 3D modeling and animation, computer vision and spatial audio. Citrusbits’ AR services can be applied to a variety of areas including gaming, e-commerce, medicine and entertainment.
Who they work with: ASUCLA, Harman, Leef, QuikSilver, Burger King, IrisVision, ChemoWave and JobFlare.
Founded: 2003
Location: Sunnyvale, Greater San Francisco Bay Area
What they do: DigiLens helps global brands and manufacturers power AR and VR products, empowering people to engage with their environment in a more meaningful way. The company develops waveguide HUDs for AR and VR applications and wearable devices, using their optical platform and photopolymer technology.
Who they work with: Global brands and manufacturers.
Founded: 2011
Location: Emeryville, Greater San Francisco Bay Area
What they do: Specializing in AR and VR, FS Studio creates IoT devices that are responsive, fast, reliable and integrated. The company brings AR and VR immersive experiences to life with high-quality visuals and engaging content and mechanics, using hardware like Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Hololens. FS Studio’s other services include natural language interface, machine learning, computer vision, firmware and hardware support.
Who they work with: New Balance, Google, LeapFrog, zSpace, Autopilot, Ruck.us, CampusQuad and Livescribe.
Founded: 2013
Location: Design District
What they do: Fyusion is a computer vision company that allows businesses to create immersive, interactive 3D images called “fyuses.” These images are viewable on any platform including AR, VR, web, mobile and mixed reality. The company combines computer vision with machine learning to make images as intelligent as they are attractive.
Who they work with: Businesses from a wide range of industries.
Founded: 2009
Location: The East Cut
What they do: Prolific Interactive is a mobile-focused product agency that specializes in AR and VR experiences. Working with companies from a wide range of industries, the company creates dynamic digital experiences that incorporate tutorials, videos and AR experiences, which are developed through ARkit for iOS11.
Who they work with: The Wing, The CrossFit Games, Sephora, Hibbett Sports, Saks Fifth Avenue and Lululemon.
Founded: 2014
Location: Union Square
What they do: Rokid specializes in the research and product development of AR, AI and robotics, driven by the aim to provide superior industrial design and superlative user experience. Rokid seeks to leverage voice and vision AI technologies to create smart assistants that improve daily life, offering products like Rokid Alien, Rokid Pebble and Rokid Glass.
Who they work with: Scientists, engineers and business leaders.
Founded: 2014
Location: Financial District
What they do: Backed by a team of designers, animators and modelers, Wow-How Studio offers solutions in all digital design areas including AR and VR. The company makes content for a wide range of purposes such as crowdfunding, market content support, corporate and HR videos, educational videos, commercials and more.
Who they work with: Mercedes-Benz, FocustApps, Etraveli Group, Rupa Software, EndoCare, Oettinger Davidoff and Hallmark.
Founded: 2010
Location: Theater District
What they do: Scope AR develops enterprise-class AR solutions and products for industrial clients associated with field maintenance, manufacturing and training. Their WorkLink Platform provides work instructions and remote assistance, so workers can get expert guidance when it best suits them.
Who they work with: Lockheed Martin, Unilever, Prince Castle, Makino, Toyota, P&G and Siemens.
Founded: 2017
Location: Western Addition
What they do: Sketchbox is a design tool for AR and VR, combining commercial technology with cutting-edge software to solve complex training problems. The company’s training simulations are built for stand-alone VR headsets. With a networked multiplayer and ability to ingest any 3D data, Sketchbox can simulate any scenario, boasting the ability to create VR training simulations substantially cheaper.
Who they work with: ExxonMobil, Stanford University, 3M, U.S. Air Force, IBM and Deloitte.
Founded: 2011
Location: San Jose, Greater San Francisco Bay Area
What they do: Focused primarily on the development of autonomous vehicles and robotics technology, moBack is a retail technology company that specializes in VR and AR. The company has made a variety of products for clients including an interactive visualization and collaboration for 3D files, a physics-based VR block-building game and an interactive visualization and simulation for automotive designers and decision makers.
Who they work with: Ford, Nokia, Google, UCSF Medical Center, Salesforce, Zynga, Verizon, Samsung and HopeLab.
Founded: 2017
Location: The East Cut
What they do: Ubiquity6 lets people turn any location into a space for real-time shared AR and VR experiences. Participants can invite others to join the space remotely or in-person and have the option to load and save immersive games and experiences on demand, allowing them to effortlessly edit their space.
