Blippar

Blippar is a visual discovery app, using augmented reality and machine learning to bring the physical world to life through smartphones and wearables.[1] Once the Blippar app is downloaded, people can blipp (“scan”) objects they’re curious about and unlock content.

Since launching in the U.K. in 2011, Blippar has partnered with brands and media owners in the world, including Condé Nast,TIME Inc., Unilever,Procter & Gamble,PepsiCo,Nestlé, Heinz,Coca-Cola, Anheuser Busch,L’Oréal,and Jaguar.Blippar has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies by CNN,CNBC,Forbesand FastCompany.

In June 2014 Blippar acquired Dutch AR player Layar, based in Amsterdam, forming the world’s largest AR userbase.The company is currently considered a “unicorn,” having a valuation of over $1 billion.

Blippar was ranked Number 19 on CNBC’s Top Disrupter List.Recently, in January 2016, Blippar was also named on Bloomberg’s list of top UK Business Innovators and recognized by Business Insider as one of the most innovative companies in tech.

Ambarish Mitra

Ambarish “Rish” Mitra (born March 9, 1979) is an Indian entrepreneur. He is best known for founding Blippar, a visual search and augmented reality (AR) company based in the United Kingdom, of which he is the CEO.

Early life and education

Born into a middle class Indian family in Kolkata India, Mitra lived in Indian mining town Dhanbad till the age of 14 where he attended the De Nobili School, FRI. Mitra ran away from home as a teenager following a dispute with his family about his future.[2] He moved into a slum in Delhi where he worked selling magazines door-to-door by day, and in a tea stall by night.[3] While living the slum, Mitra entered and won a business plan competition for “e-businesses” which he spotted in an English-language newspaper, netting him $10,000 to start what would become womeninfoline.com, an internet portral for women.[2] After taking the company public with a successful IPO,[4] Mitra relocated to the United Kingdom to continue his education, earning a master’s degree from the London School of Economics.