New technology from startup ventures is transforming the sports industry. The mission of this series will be to introduce startup companies in the sports technology space to a broader audience and allow Founders of promising new ventures to tell their story. Feel free to contact us if you know of a startup that should be considered for this series.
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Company: VNTANA
CEO: Ashley Crowder
Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
1. What is your elevator pitch?
VNTANA build’s the world’s only scalable and interactive hologram systems. We are creating new ways for brands to connect with consumers while tracking data for meaningful return on investment on experiential activations, which has never been done. VNTANA offers the most advanced hologram system on the market. From life-size celebrities to interactive products and logos, VNTANA’s technology creates the most engaging and realistic holographic experiences in the world.
2. Problem & Solution
Brands and advertisers spend billions of dollars every year on face to face marketing, but are unable to show how that investment affects their bottom line. Additionally, they may walk away from an event with thousands of “impressions” but they don’t have any deeper data about their consumers.
VNTANA’s technology offers the most affordable way to increase brand awareness, capture data and track consumers’ engagement through realistic holographic experiences. VNTANA builds the world’s first and only scalable and interactive hologram systems.
VNTANA’s hardware consists of a clear screen, a tension frame for the screen and a light source to project the image. Images are reflected into the clear screen, which is virtually undetectable to the eye, to appear as if they are actually existing in free space. The system was designed to be quickly setup by any live event production company and also fits into a single road case that is easy to ship and transport. The smaller units are completely self-contained and can be setup by two people in less than an hour.
VNTANA’s interactive hologram technology provides clients an engaging experience while collecting passive data on consumers such as demographic information. VNTANA’s software combines patent-pending, real-time holographic video capture with interactive ges
3. Market – your target market and the overall market
VNTANA’s interactive hologram technologies are applicable globally and across multiple industries including sports, education, advertising, retail, business communications, automotive, health care and entertainment. VNTANA’s technology has been used by many Fortune 500 brands including Pepsi, Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, Dell, NBC Universal, Virgin Atlantic, DJI, Nokia, Kia, TYLT, Universal Pictures, University of Southern California, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Social Media Week Los Angeles, Paul Oakenfold, Mike Rayburn, and Nicky Romero.
4. Business Model – how do you make money?
VNTANA’s target customers are brands and advertisers. Currently VNTANA has been working directly with brands or through agencies and has been working on an event based model. Going forward, VNTANA is working with the largest trade show management company in the world to offer its hardware and software solution to tens of thousands of clients across thousands of events. VNTANA will generate most of its revenue from a SaaS model, licensing its interactive software and selling data back to customers.
VNTANA is also focused on permanent installations and is working with several museums and sports stadiums.
5. Management Team – with titles
- Ashley Crowder- Co-Founder, CEO
- Ben Conway- Co-Founder, COO
- Natascha French- CMO
- Scott May- Creative Director
6. What else do you want the audience to know about your venture?
VNTANA is the first hologram technology company in the last two and a half decades to build an affordable hardware solution (90% cost-reduction); a scalable system that can be setup by anyone; and innovative interactive software with data collection capabilities. The scalable systems create ultra-realistic images in venues ranging from hospitals to sports stadiums to classrooms to nightclubs. Holographic technology gives people the chance to experience things that would otherwise only exist in the imagination. This is why VNTANA is building the platform that will power the augmented reality experiences of the future, from education to automotive.
In 2015, VNTANA introduced social media integration. This provided brands a new way to collect consumer data. VNTANA worked with Mercedes-Benz to capitalize on an endorsement deal they had with Roger Federer for the U.S. Open. Mercedes was looking for new technology to engage fans during the event and learn more about the consumers at the Open. VNTANA built an interactive, life-size hologram of Federer. Every consumer was able see their hologram LIVE next to Roger Federer’s hologram, take a photo with him and serve him a virtual ball. Immediately after the experience, users receive a branded email with a GIF, video or photo of the experience that they can share on social media for maximum user generated content. This carries on the experience to live long after an event. 8,000 fans went through the activation increasing consumer engagement by 20% from past years.
Bonus Questions:
1. If you were to invite any CEO to dinner who would it be and why?
Richard Branson because he’s started an array of successful businesses and it would be great to hear his life stories and advice.
2. If you could go to any sporting event, what would it be and why?
2016 Gymnastic Olympics in Brazil, I was a competitive gymnast growing up and always watched every year on TV, would be amazing to attend in person.