Michael Lewis, co-founder and former CEO of 3D cinema pioneer RealD, has been named chairman of the board of Campfire, a tech startup focused on advanced holographic collaboration for the enterprise market.
Lewis’s appointment as Campfire chairman follows a “significant” investment in the startup by Alchemi Project, a company he formed to support businesses and initiatives that are poised to positively impact the world, spanning technology, media, and consumer products. (Lewis declined to disclose the size of his investment in Campfire.) Previously, Campfire raised more than $8 million in funding from investors including OTV, Kli Capital and Tuesday Capital.
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“Michael has spent decades at the nexus of media and technology, and has brought immersive experiences to billions of people,” Campfire CEO and co-founder Jay Wright said in a statement. “We are thrilled that he has chosen to lend his expertise and passion in support of Campfire and we look forward to the journey ahead.”
Lewis commented, “Campfire is the epitome of what’s next in augmented and virtual reality, bringing to life a technology that had only existed in science-fiction films until now. Campfire embodies all of the attributes I look for when choosing what ventures Alchemi Project will support: It is transformative; it serves a higher purpose; and it embraces sustainable policies and practices.”
In 2003, Lewis co-founded RealD and built it into a global company best known for operating the largest 3D cinema platform in the world. Among other recognitions, he has been honored by the Producers Guild of America with the Vanguard Award in recognition of achievements in new media and technology. He also is the recipient of the Thomas Alva Edison Innovation Award and the UCLA School of Neurosurgery’s Visionary Award.
San Mateo, Calif.-based Campfire (campfire3d.com), founded in 2018, enables holographic collaboration for design and engineering. Campfire is available now through an early access program with commercial availability targeted for 2022. The company’s system, built on a foundation of more than 60 patents, lets distributed teams work with 3D models as shared holograms.
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