Candy Lab
Mobile Augmented Reality Marketing.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
$20.0k | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Related Content
Candy Lab, Inc. operates as a specialized agency in the augmented reality (AR) sector, focusing on mobile marketing. The company was co-founded by Andrew Couch and Gilda Campos. The initial concept for the firm emerged at Comic-Con, inspired by observing large crowds interacting with their smartphones. Couch, who previously launched and sold an internet startup in 2010, drew upon his military experience with GPS and beacon technology, envisioning its application in the commercial marketing landscape. Originally established in San Diego, the company relocated to St. Louis in 2013 upon winning an Arch Grant and later participated in the BlueStartups accelerator program.
The core of Candy Lab's offering is its proprietary toolset, CandyBAR. This platform enables businesses to develop custom-branded, location-aware mobile applications. By integrating both GPS for outdoor navigation and beacons for indoor precision, the technology directs consumers to specific, hyper-localized destinations. Clients, primarily marketers and digital agencies, use this service to create interactive campaigns such as virtual scavenger hunts. These campaigns allow users to engage with digital content, promotions, and prizes overlaid onto real-world locations, effectively driving foot traffic and consumer engagement. The business model is centered on licensing this technology and developing these bespoke AR experiences for corporate clients and live events.
A significant project in the company's portfolio was the creation of a large-scale AR scavenger hunt for the 250th anniversary of St. Louis, which involved 250 virtual items hidden throughout the city. The company also garnered attention for its legal challenge against Milwaukee County over regulations pertaining to AR games, a case that had implications for the broader AR industry. Candy Lab has secured a $600,000 seed funding round and received investment from LDJ Futures to develop an AR experience for New York Fashion Week.
Keywords: augmented reality marketing, location-based AR, mobile marketing platform, Andrew Couch, Gilda Campos, CandyBAR, GPS marketing, beacon technology, interactive campaigns, AR scavenger hunt, digital advertising agency, experiential marketing, consumer engagement, brand activation, location-aware applications, mobile application development, AR for events, marketing technology, virtual promotions, customer acquisition