Silicon Valley-Backed SpotKwik Acquired by Omnia, Strengthening Ties with Tesla
US-based extended reality (XR) company Omnia has acquired SpotKwik, a Silicon Valley-backed augmented reality (AR) startup, marking a strategic move to expand its capabilities in spatial computing. While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, the acquisition is expected to bolster Omnia’s position in the XR space, particularly with clients like Tesla, AOI, and GM. SpotKwik’s co-founder and CEO, Mithun Adith, spoke with AIM to explain the significance of the deal, stating, “While SpotKwik’s AR technology serves today’s platforms—smartphones—we aim to build for the platforms of tomorrow: headsets like Apple Vision Pro, freeing apps from the boundaries of a display and enabling them to appear as if seen through our real eyes.” Adith said that Omnia, with its XR distribution expertise and notable clients such as Tesla, is the perfect partner to help them build the future. “Together, we are saying goodbye to mobile computing and hello to spatial computing,” he added. SpotKwik’s Journey and Tesla Partnership Founded in 2020, SpotKwik quickly gained traction, securing funding from Silicon Valley’s MARL 5G Accelerator and earning a spot among the World’s Top 5 AR startups. Initially focused on B2C social commerce, the company developed an AR platform that auto-tagged influencer posts with products, allowing virtual try-ons and purchases. With partnerships including Meesho and Amazon, the startup pivoted to a B2B model, collaborating with companies like Framekart and Click2Collab to enhance retail and influencer ecosystems through AR. Adith confirmed that Omnia played a key role in helping Tesla build a spatial showroom, with a proof of concept (POC) and demo already presented to the automaker. The integration of AR technology into Tesla’s retail experience signals a broader shift towards immersive digital commerce. Impact on the Indian Market The acquisition is expected to have significant implications for the Indian market. Omnia is in advanced discussions with Zee Productions to bring spatial experiences to Indian consumers, aiming to revolutionise industries such as automotive, jewelry, and cosmetics. “Our goal is to provide immersive experiences to the Indian audience,” Adith noted. He further emphasised that spatial computing could follow the trajectory of mobile adoption, becoming mainstream in India within the next five years. SpotKwik’s technology aims to templatise AR solutions, allowing businesses to seamlessly integrate spatial computing without starting from scratch. Omnia’s Vision for XR Expansion Omnia’s CEO, Aldo Petruzzelli, described the acquisition as a step towards bridging traditional web-based experiences with the spatial computing revolution. “By integrating SpotKwik’s capabilities, we’re enabling seamless conversion of web-based builds into spatial-ready applications, accelerating adoption across industries. This enhances content discoverability in AR and XR environments and allows developers to deploy their projects effortlessly.” Omnia, which started as a marketplace for AR creators, brands, and enterprises, has been transitioning towards a more product based model. SpotKwik’s R&D capabilities will fuel this transformation, reinforcing Omnia’s ability to offer scalable XR solutions. Future Prospects and Industry Impact While SpotKwik previously explored an acquisition by Karan Johar’s Tyaani Jewellers to create India’s first spatial jewellery showroom, the deal fell through due to unforeseen circumstances. However, its integration with Omnia is poised to redefine immersive commerce. Additionally, Omnia is offering Indian developers opportunities to contribute to its XR ecosystem through its platform, providing incentives and community support. The growing accessibility of spatial computing, coupled with Omnia’s technological stack, is expected to drive adoption across industries. Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Adith remarked, “I’m here today because of my early backers’ pat on my shoulders and sweat on the floor. I’m indebted to their efforts now on Earth and on Mars in the future, when we occupy it.” Looking ahead, he is expected to launch a new venture by early 2025, further pushing the boundaries of innovation in AR and spatial computing.
Through this acquisition, Omnia is offering Indian developers opportunities to contribute to its XR ecosystem through its platform, providing incentives and community support.
Omnia has acquired SpotKwik, a Silicon Valley-backed AR startup, marking a strategic move to expand its capabilities in spatial computing.
["Developers", "Mergers and Acquisitions", "Tesla"]
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["AI", "ML", "Aim", "CuPy", "R", "Go", "Scala", "Git", "innovation", "startup"]
Mohit writes about AI in simple, explainable, and often funny words. He's especially passionate about chatting with those building AI for Bharat, with the occasional detour into AGI.