Ex-Magic Leap Engineers Launch ‘Canva of AR’ Platform
▼ Summary
– Trace, founded by former Magic Leap engineers, has launched a new no-code augmented reality creation platform aimed at becoming the “Canva of AR”.
– The platform enables users to design and share interactive AR experiences across devices without needing coding or advanced design skills.
– Trace is offering three free months of its premium plan to users migrating from Adobe Aero and Meta Spark AR, which were recently discontinued.
– The company has already partnered with major enterprises like ESPN and T-Mobile for uses including marketing, training, and event installations.
– Trace’s platform is available for free on iPhone and iPad with a premium subscription option, and creations can be viewed via a free app on iOS and Android.
A new startup founded by former Magic Leap engineers has launched what it calls the “Canva of AR,” aiming to democratize augmented reality creation for users without technical backgrounds. Trace’s platform enables anyone from global brands to individual creators to build location-based immersive experiences without coding knowledge or advanced design skills. The timing appears strategic, coming just as major players like Adobe and Meta have discontinued their competing AR platforms.
The company positions its tool as accessible across devices, allowing designs to be deployed on mobile devices, headsets, and AR glasses. Martin Smith, Trace’s CTO and co-founder, emphasized that despite technological advances in extended reality hardware, creator tools remain limited. “Empowering creators to build and share their vision is such an important part of the picture,” Smith noted, adding that Trace supports high-fidelity experiences while running across platforms and scaling instantly.
Since its 2021 founding, Trace has already attracted significant enterprise clients including ESPN, T-Mobile, Qualcomm, and Deutsche Telekom. These organizations have utilized the platform for diverse applications ranging from marketing campaigns and employee training to trade show installations at events like Mobile World Congress. The platform’s appeal lies in its ability to deliver professional AR experiences through a simplified interface.
Trace is offering three free months of premium service to users migrating from discontinued platforms like Adobe Aero and Meta Spark AR. This aggressive onboarding strategy could help the startup capture market share quickly in a space recently vacated by major tech companies. The free Trace app is available through the App Store for iPhone and iPad users, with premium subscriptions starting at $20 monthly. Created experiences can be viewed through the free Trace Viewer app available on both iOS and Android, while the web-based Studio platform allows import of existing 3D assets.
The AR creation landscape presents both opportunity and challenge. While all-day AR glasses remain years from mainstream adoption, current enterprise applications on mobile devices and mixed reality headsets like Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 demonstrate immediate utility. Trace’s no-code approach makes AR accessible for businesses seeking to create impressive demonstrations and training materials without extensive development resources.
The company’s enterprise focus appears deliberate, particularly given the Magic Leap alumni’s firsthand experience with the challenges of consumer AR. Magic Leap’s own pivot from consumer to enterprise markets in 2020 after its initial consumer launch serves as a cautionary tale about timing and market readiness. Trace seems to be applying those lessons by targeting business applications first, where budgets exist and use cases are more clearly defined.
How Trace navigates the coming years until AR glasses achieve widespread adoption will determine its long-term success. The platform’s broad accessibility and enterprise partnerships provide a solid foundation, though future competition from platform holders developing their own creation tools remains inevitable. For now, Trace’s combination of user-friendly design and strategic market positioning gives it a distinctive advantage in the evolving augmented reality ecosystem.
(Source: Road to VR)
