What do you do if your augmented reality startup faces potential risks and challenges?

1 Market fit

One of the first and most important questions you need to answer as an AR entrepreneur is: who is your target audience and what problem are you solving for them? Many AR startups fail because they focus too much on the technology and not enough on the customer needs and value proposition. You need to validate your idea and test your product with real users, get feedback, and iterate accordingly. You also need to understand your competitors and differentiate yourself from them.

2 Technical hurdles

AR is a complex and evolving technology that requires a high level of expertise and resources. You need to choose the right tools and platforms for your AR development, such as Unity, ARKit, or ARCore. You also need to ensure that your AR app is compatible with different devices, operating systems, and browsers. You need to optimize your app for performance, usability, and security. You need to deal with challenges such as tracking, rendering, calibration, and occlusion.

3 Legal and ethical issues

AR involves capturing and processing data from the real world, which raises some legal and ethical issues. You need to comply with the relevant laws and regulations regarding data privacy, intellectual property, and consumer protection. You need to inform your users about what data you collect, how you use it, and how you protect it. You need to respect the rights and preferences of your users and other stakeholders. You need to avoid infringing on the trademarks, copyrights, or patents of others.

4 Monetization and funding

AR is a relatively new and niche market, which makes it hard to monetize and secure funding. You need to find a viable and scalable business model for your AR product, such as subscription, advertising, or in-app purchases. You need to demonstrate your value proposition, traction, and growth potential to potential investors and partners. You need to manage your cash flow and expenses wisely. You need to seek out opportunities for grants, awards, or accelerators.

5 User adoption and retention

AR is an exciting and innovative technology, but it also faces some barriers to user adoption and retention. You need to educate your users about the benefits and features of your AR product, and how to use it effectively. You need to provide a smooth and intuitive user interface and experience, and avoid technical glitches or errors. You need to engage your users with compelling and relevant content, and update it regularly. You need to measure and analyze your user behavior, feedback, and satisfaction.

6 Future trends and opportunities

AR is a fast-changing and dynamic technology that offers many opportunities for growth and innovation. You need to keep up with the latest trends and developments in the AR industry, such as new hardware, software, standards, or use cases. You need to anticipate and adapt to the changing needs and expectations of your users and the market. You need to experiment and explore new possibilities and features for your AR product. You need to collaborate and network with other AR entrepreneurs, experts, and enthusiasts.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?