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{{see also|Companies}}
{{see also|Companies}}
'''Akonia Holographics LLC''' was an American [[AR]] [[company|startup company]] based in [[Longmont, Colorado]] that specialized in developing advanced [[optical system]]s and materials for [[holography]], particularly focusing on [[display technology]] for [[augmented reality]] (AR) glasses. <ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/><ref name="Reuters2018"/> Founded in August 2012, the company developed a proprietary technology called '''HoloMirror''' aiming to produce thin, transparent [[smartglasses|smart glass]] lenses capable of displaying vibrant, full-color images with a wide [[field of view]] (FOV).<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/><ref name="Pitchbook"/> Akonia Holographics was acquired by [[Apple Inc.]] in 2018, with the acquisition confirmed by Apple on August 29, 2018.<ref name="Reuters2018"/><ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/>
'''Akonia Holographics LLC''' was an American [[AR]] [[company|startup company]] based in [[Longmont, Colorado]] that specialized in developing advanced [[optical system]]s and materials for [[holography]], particularly focusing on [[display technology]] for [[augmented reality]] (AR) glasses. <ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/><ref name="Reuters2018"/> Founded in August 2012, the company developed a proprietary technology called '''HoloMirror''' aiming to produce thin, transparent [[smartglasses|smart glass]] lenses capable of displaying vibrant, full-color images with a wide [[field of view]] (FOV).<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018">{{cite web |url=https://blocksandfiles.com/2018/08/30/akonia-holographics-gets-bitten-by-apple-and-moves-into-paradise/ |title=Akonia Holographics gets bitten by Apple and moves into paradise - Blocks and Files |date=2018-08-30 |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref><ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/><ref name="Pitchbook"/> Akonia Holographics was acquired by [[Apple Inc.]] in 2018, with the acquisition confirmed by Apple on August 29, 2018.<ref name="Reuters2018"/><ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/>


== History ==
== History ==
Akonia Holographics was founded in August 2012 by Dr. Ken Anderson (CEO), Dr. Mark Ayres (CTO), and Dr. Fred Askham (VP Materials Development).<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="TracxnFounders"/> The company emerged with roots tracing back to [[InPhase Technologies]], another Longmont-based company focused on holographic technology, primarily for [[holographic data storage]].<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/> InPhase had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2011.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/> Akonia acquired key assets, including InPhase's extensive [[patent]] portfolio (over 200 patents by some accounts later attributed to Akonia itself) and potentially leveraged a related US Department of Energy grant to continue research into photopolymer media.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/><ref name="USAspending2014">{{cite web |url=https://www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_DESC0011282_8900 |title=GRANT to Akonia Holographics, LLC |award_id=DESC0011282 |date=2014-02-18 |publisher=USAspending.gov |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref>
Akonia Holographics was founded in August 2012 by Dr. Ken Anderson (CEO), Dr. Mark Ayres (CTO), and Dr. Fred Askham (VP Materials Development).<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="Tracxn2025">{{cite web |url=https://tracxn.com/d/companies/akonia-holographics/__Lz36qI50qTf7QyHw-o2-244q9sL7qQ3-0Q4D6oO9-8Q4Y6l |title=Akonia Holographics - 2025 Company Profile, Funding & Competitors - Tracxn |date=2025-03-28 |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref> The company emerged with roots tracing back to [[InPhase Technologies]], another Longmont-based company focused on holographic technology, primarily for [[holographic data storage]].<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/> InPhase had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2011.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/> Akonia acquired key assets, including InPhase's extensive [[patent]] portfolio (over 200 patents by some accounts later attributed to Akonia itself) and potentially leveraged a related US Department of Energy grant to continue research into photopolymer media.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="PatentlyApple2018"/><ref name="USAspending2014">{{cite web |url=https://www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_DESC0011282_8900 |title=GRANT to Akonia Holographics, LLC |award_id=DESC0011282 |date=2014-02-18 |publisher=USAspending.gov |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref>


Initially, Akonia focused on holographic data storage, securing an $11.6 million Series A [[venture capital]] funding round in August 2012 led by Acadia Woods Partners.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="MarketingDive2018">{{cite web |url=https://www.marketingdive.com/news/apple-buys-ar-lens-startup-akonia-holographics/531252/ |title=Apple buys AR lens startup Akonia Holographics - Marketing Dive |date=2018-08-31 |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref><ref name="CrunchbaseFunding">{{cite web |url=https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/akonia-holographics/company_financials |title=Akonia Holographics - Funding, Financials, Valuation & Investors |publisher=Crunchbase |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref> Later estimates suggest total funding reached approximately $19.1 million across its lifetime.<ref name="Tracxn2025"/> Facing challenges in the data storage market, the company pivoted its focus around 2015-2016 towards developing holographic [[display]]s for the burgeoning augmented reality market.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="VentureBeat2016">{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/akonia-uses-holography-to-create-transparent-augmented-reality-display/ |title=Akonia uses holography to create transparent augmented reality display |publisher=VentureBeat |date=2016-12-26 |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref><ref name="MacRumors2018">{{cite web |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2018/08/29/apple-purchased-akonia-holographics/ |title=Apple Purchased Akonia Holographics, a Company That Makes Lenses for AR Glasses |date=2018-08-29 |publisher=MacRumors |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref>
Initially, Akonia focused on holographic data storage, securing an $11.6 million Series A [[venture capital]] funding round in August 2012 led by Acadia Woods Partners.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="MarketingDive2018">{{cite web |url=https://www.marketingdive.com/news/apple-buys-ar-lens-startup-akonia-holographics/531252/ |title=Apple buys AR lens startup Akonia Holographics - Marketing Dive |date=2018-08-31 |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref><ref name="CrunchbaseFunding">{{cite web |url=https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/akonia-holographics/company_financials |title=Akonia Holographics - Funding, Financials, Valuation & Investors |publisher=Crunchbase |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref> Later estimates suggest total funding reached approximately $19.1 million across its lifetime.<ref name="Tracxn2025"/> Facing challenges in the data storage market, the company pivoted its focus around 2015-2016 towards developing holographic [[display]]s for the burgeoning augmented reality market.<ref name="BlocksAndFiles2018"/><ref name="VentureBeat2016">{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/akonia-uses-holography-to-create-transparent-augmented-reality-display/ |title=Akonia uses holography to create transparent augmented reality display |publisher=VentureBeat |date=2016-12-26 |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref><ref name="MacRumors2018">{{cite web |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2018/08/29/apple-purchased-akonia-holographics/ |title=Apple Purchased Akonia Holographics, a Company That Makes Lenses for AR Glasses |date=2018-08-29 |publisher=MacRumors |accessdate=2025-05-03}}</ref>
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