Country: Luxembourg
Category: Creative
Project aim: itondo is an augmented reality-powered mobile iOS app for previewing art to scale on art buyers’ walls, either live as they walk around their room, or any time using saved wall photos. Art professionals upload their work to itondo. Art lovers download the app, find a piece they like, visualise it, and contact the art professional direct to purchase.
Why we created itondo?
We created itondo to solve a common problem for any art buyer worldwide: they fall in love with a painting in a gallery or online but cannot imagine what this piece will look like on their wall. Is it the right size? Do the colours match the room? itondo’s accurate augmented reality visualisation gives the buyer that certainty, and it gives the gallery a powerful sales tool to ease the buying decision whilst also providing them with global reach.
At what point we are?
Itondo was soft-launched in mid-2015. As of January 2018, the itondo app has been downloaded by art lovers in 61 countries. 31 galleries and professional independent artists (called itondo Partners) have uploaded their works to itondo with the number of new Partner enquiries steadily increasing. Our competitor research shows that itondo is the art market leader due to its augmented reality technology, user experience (UX), stability, functionalities, and design. No other mobile visualisation app can offer art sellers and buyers the same level of power and flexibility. One reason is that as experienced gallerists, we understand the art market from the buy and sell sides. Itondo’s technology can also be easily applied to museum collections. It’ll give museums a powerful way to offer an authentic viewing experience to people who are unable to visit in person or to enhance art taught in schools. We know this because we have been in discussions with a major museum in a European capital. And looking beyond the art market, the itondo app is positioned to quickly move into the interior decor sector (e.g. tiles, carpets, curtains).
What it means for us being in the StartUp Europe Awards?
We are very proud to represent Luxembourg in the Creative category. Luxembourg is one of the founding members of the EU (via the ECSC and EEC) and a country that lives the EU idea of opportunities and diversity through peaceful cooperation and support. The itondo app strives to do the same for art professionals and art lovers – bringing them together through cutting edge technology, thus supporting them in their respective aims (here selling art, there buying art) so that each can thrive. Like the StartUp Europe Awards for the participating businesses, and EU 28 for its citizens, itondo’s innovation ensures we will have the best into the future.
