Lucid VR has been awared $50,000 prize at the Alphalab Gear’s Hardware Cup National Finals for its award winning LucidCam. This competition focused on finding what the sponsors describe as the ‘best and brightest early-stage hardware startups in a 4-month series of contests in nine cities across the US. Lucid VR won for its innovative pocket-size LucidCam, the stereoscopic, 3D, 180-degree VR camera.
Among the judges at the Pittsburgh finals were some of the best hardware investors from across the US, including Draper Triangle, Caerus VC, SanDisk Ventures, Betaspring, Vital VC, Blue Tree Allied Angels and Startbot VC, which sponsored the $50,000 top prize.
Commenting on the award, Han Jin, CEO and co-founder, Lucid VR revealed that Lucid VR is very honored to win this important award and recognition for the high quality and commercial viability of LucidCam.
Jin further states that the other startups competing at this level are all very impressive and we are thrilled to get the grand prize.
Creating excellent hardware as a startup is extremely difficult and this award shows that our company is creating the right product with top technology, adds Jin.
This hardware startup challenge ran for 4 months across the country with thousands of hardware startups competing first regionally in 9 cities including Boston, New York, Washington DC, Austin, Chicago, San Jose and Los Angeles. Going forward, the competition organizers announced it will expand the competition internationally.
Once the initial entrants were culled down to six teams, companies presented 4-minute pitches and 5-minute Q&As in live events in the 9 cities, judged by local VCs. The winners of each regional competition traveled to Pittsburgh for the national event yesterday.
LucidCam captures 3D 180-degree videos to be watched instantly on mobile phones using Google Cardboard or any VR headset.
Launched on Indiegogo late last year, LucidCam can be pre-ordered for $399 and will be available in the last quarter of the year.
The company recently announced it has raised $2.1M in seed funding and signed a partnership agreement with Wistron Corporation, a top five global ODM (original design manufacturer) based in Taiwan.
Lucid VR has also been selected to pitch at the World Cup Tech Challenge in Silicon Valley in June and has been the recipient of numerous other startup awards.