Dutch startup Fectar realized 2 million app downloads during the Corona crisis
After 8 years of following the developments in the field of augmented reality, the time seemed right in 2019. Together with Rens Lensvelt, Eugène Kuipers started Fectar, a worldwide platform for augmented and virtual reality. From its launch in 2020, the startup has experienced extreme growth during the Corona crisis. The first content was placed in the app on 16 April and after 8 months the counter has reached almost 2 million app downloads worldwide, making Fectar’s growth path comparable to Instagram, for example, in 2010.
Augmented reality is on the rise
With a team of 11 people, the company is conquering the augmented reality market worldwide; this is a technique in which a virtual layer can be placed over reality and tech giants such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple are investing heavily in this technique. Currently, more than 1.75 billion consumers worldwide have access to augmented reality mainly through their smartphone, and glasses with augmented reality technology will be added in 2021. Both Facebook and Apple announced at the beginning of January that they will be launching their so-called “smart glasses” this year.
The Youtube for augmented reality
Fectar makes it easy for both companies and individuals to create and view augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences. Eugène Kuipers: “You can think of our platform as Youtube for AR and VR. If you want to share a video with colleagues or the rest of the world, choose Youtube, if you want to share content in augmented and virtual reality then choose Fectar “. The platform appears to be catching on all over the world; content is currently being created and viewed in some 64 countries. Kuipers: “We recently received a TikTok video of 2 boys in an Asian country who placed a helicopter in augmented reality on a sandy path somewhere in the inlands. How cool to see that Fectar is relevant all over the world!”.
Scaling up
Now that the number of app downloads continues to increase rapidly and user data starts is giving more and more insight, the best way to turn the platform into the standard in its field is also being sought. After an initial investment round in 2020, the company will continue to look for the right capital in 2021 to further realise the Fectar dream and who knows, the new Instagram or TikTok may just come out of the Netherlands.
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