Imagine a world without screens, where 3D images float in the air, and virtual objects seamlessly blend with reality. That's the promise of holographic displays, and VividQ, led by co-founder and CEO Darran Milne, is working to make it a reality. Pulse 2.0 recently sat down with Milne to delve into VividQ's groundbreaking technology and its potential to revolutionize how we interact with the digital world.
Darran Milne's Journey: From Quantum Physics to Holographic Displays
"Could you share a bit about your background?" we asked Milne. He explained, "I'm Darran Milne, CEO and founder of VividQ. My journey began in academia, where I earned a PhD in theoretical physics, specializing in quantum information theory and quantum computation." After a brief stint as a post-doctoral researcher, Milne ventured into the world of finance, working as a quant analyst for a financial software company. "A few years later, I joined a startup that had connections with the photonics engineering department at the University of Cambridge," he continued. "While the startup's core idea was ultimately unviable, it led to valuable connections within the department, and we began exploring new display concepts that merged my math and theoretical physics background with their 3D display research."
The Genesis of VividQ: A Eureka Moment
So, how did the idea for VividQ actually take shape? Milne recounted, "The researchers were already experimenting with early-stage holographic displays. However, these were limited by interaction capabilities, image quality, and physical size due to the immense processing power needed to generate the holograms." He elaborated, "We dedicated a few weeks to exploring whether we could develop more efficient hologram generation methods. We achieved rapid progress, accelerating the process by thousands of times, and were able to create real-time, interactive holographic images for the first time."
"It was at that moment that we realized we had something truly special," Milne emphasized. "We envisioned a future where holographic displays would essentially replace all existing digital displays, offering immersive 3D experiences without the need for headsets or glasses, and unlocking completely new product categories. This is, quite literally, the technology that could bring us the 'Star Trek holodeck' or the 'Star Wars Leia hologram'." Driven by this vision, they secured pre-seed funding and spun out VividQ as its own company.
A Glimpse Inside VividQ: The Annual Hackathon
When asked about his favorite memory working at VividQ, Milne shared a unique aspect of the company culture. "Every year, we host an epic two-day hackathon where we divide our team into four-person groups and task them with inventing new things based on a specific theme. Unfortunately, my role as CEO keeps me from participating directly, but I thoroughly enjoy judging the projects. The level of ingenuity is truly remarkable, and the prototypes are often a delightful mix of hilarious and ingenious!"
VividQ's Core Offerings: Building Blocks for a Holographic Future
So, what exactly does VividQ offer? Milne detailed their core products and features: "We develop the fundamental building blocks of holographic display technology. This includes software, comprising core algorithms, APIs, render pipelines, and content plugins. We also offer hardware, including product/display module designs, hardware development kits, and complete display engine modules."
Essentially, VividQ provides the tools and technology that allow other companies to integrate holographic displays into their products, enabling truly immersive 3D visuals. They don't just sell a product; they sell the potential for a revolution in display technology.
Navigating Challenges: The AR/VR Landscape
Has VividQ faced any challenges in its sector? Milne acknowledged the volatility of the AR/VR market. "One of the initial target applications for our developer kits and display modules is in AR glasses and VR headsets. However, this market has been somewhat turbulent, with many companies making promises they couldn't deliver. This puts a higher burden of proof on new technologies like ours, which can slow down progress with both customers and investors. And with major players like Meta and Apple investing heavily, there's always the question of how a small startup can effectively compete. But here's where it gets controversial... VividQ believes its approach, which focuses on efficient algorithms and software, offers a more viable and scalable path compared to companies focused solely on reinventing display hardware."
Evolving Technology: From Software to Complete Display Architecture
How has VividQ's technology evolved since its launch? Milne explained, "Initially, we focused primarily on the algorithms and software aspects of holographic display. However, we've increasingly embraced the hardware challenges as well. Now, our offering encompasses the entire display architecture, making it applicable to a wider range of near-term products, including VR, AR, and automotive HUDs (Heads-Up Displays)." This strategic shift demonstrates VividQ’s commitment to providing comprehensive solutions for holographic display integration.
Significant Milestones: From Call of Duty to Floating Holograms
What are some of VividQ's most significant milestones? Milne highlighted key achievements on both the technology and business fronts:
- Technology Milestones:
- Call of Duty Holograms: "We can now play CoD (or other AAA games) on our holographic display hardware. This represents a combination of significant achievements: reaching game-level image quality, achieving high frame rates on low-power compute, and successfully converting existing content into 3D holograms."
- 3D Augmented Reality Waveguide: "This is a novel lens design that enables 3D visuals for lightweight AR glasses. While waveguides are becoming standard for AR glasses, they've previously been limited to displaying 2D images. Our design enables true 3D, overcoming multiple challenges in AR display."
- Floating Holograms: "Beyond AR/VR applications, we've also created a system that projects images into mid-air without requiring any headwear. These prototypes form the basis for future room-scale holographic systems that will provide the ultimate entertainment and training simulation environments."
- Business Milestones:
- "We surpassed the $1 million annual revenue target in 2024."
- "We've secured multiple major tech customers and are engaged in ongoing development projects."
- "We've expanded our commercial activities by opening offices in Tokyo and California."
Funding the Future: A $29 Million Investment
Regarding the company's funding, Milne revealed, "To date, we've raised approximately $29 million from a diverse group of investors based in the U.K., Japan, and the U.S."
Targeting a Massive Market: The $330 Billion Display Industry
What total addressable market (TAM) is VividQ pursuing? Milne explained, "In the long term, we aim to capture a significant share of the entire $330 billion display market. However, our immediate focus is on the AR/VR ($9 billion) and auto HUD ($7 billion) markets."
Standing Out from the Crowd: A Different Approach to Holographic Display
What differentiates VividQ from its competitors? Milne emphasized their unique approach. "The other companies working on holographic display are largely focused on inventing new display hardware from scratch. This is a long, risky, and extremely capital-intensive undertaking. In contrast, our strategy is to leverage existing, mass-produced components and solve the challenges at the mathematical and algorithmic level. We achieve extraordinary results with ordinary components by using clever math rather than relying on brute-force methods and unproven hardware."
The Vision for the Future: A World Transformed by Holograms
What are VividQ's future goals? Milne concluded, "We envision holographic display becoming the standard technology across all devices. And, of course, we want VividQ to be the leading provider of the hardware and software that powers it all. Our vision is a world where we have intuitive, 3D interfaces and are no longer confined to small screens in our hands or on our desks. The creative, artistic, and practical possibilities are endless. We have the technology to create this holographic world; now, we just need to see it through." And this is the part most people miss... The implications of this technology extend far beyond entertainment and gaming. Imagine holographic medical visualizations, interactive educational tools, and collaborative design environments. The potential is truly transformative.
Now it's your turn: Do you believe holographic displays will truly replace traditional screens? What are the biggest hurdles VividQ and other companies in this space need to overcome? And do you see a potential downside to a world saturated with holographic imagery? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
