Y Combinator Startup Podcast #141 - Diana Hu
Aug 28, 2019
Diana Hu, co-founder of Escher Reality and now leading Niantic's AR platform, dives into the fascinating world of augmented reality. She shares her journey from cloud television to AR and discusses innovations fueling its future in media. Diana addresses the unique challenges of building products in emerging markets and the emotional rollercoaster of fundraising for new ventures. She also reflects on her immigrant experience, emphasizing the strengths immigrant entrepreneurs bring to the tech industry and offers sage advice for founders navigating the startup ecosystem.
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AR's Essence and Requirements
- Augmented reality (AR) blends information with reality, engaging users rather than providing an escape.
- AR requires diverse technical expertise like computer vision, graphics, engineering, and hardware.
First AR Exposure
- Diana Hu's first AR exposure involved 3D light field displays, similar to Star Wars holograms.
- This sparked her curiosity about AR's potential and the technology required.
AR's Development Stage
- AR is in its early stages, similar to the "installation phase" of technological development.
- This phase focuses on building core infrastructure and tools before widespread application development.