Rumors: Google is buying Lytro for $40 million
Techcrunch reports that Google is buying Lytro for $40 million (or maybe even less than that). Over the years Lytro has raised over $200 million in funding and at one point was valued at $360 million. Most Lytro consumer products are already discontinued (Amazon still lhas them) since the company exited its consumer business in order to concentrate on virtual reality solutions.
"One source described the deal as an “asset sale” with Lytro going for no more than $40 million. Another source said the price was even lower: $25 million and that it was shopped around — to Facebook, according to one source; and possibly to Apple, according to another. A separate person told us that not all employees are coming over with the company’s technology: some have already received severance and parted ways with the company, and others have simply left.
Assets would presumably also include Lytro’s 59 patents related to light-field and other digital imaging technology.
The sale would be far from a big win for Lytro and its backers. The startup has raised just over $200 million in funding and was valued at around $360 million after its last round in 2017, according to data from PitchBook." (via Techcrunch)
Lytro could open source their light-field photo sharing platform
Lytro Immerge is the world’s first professional light field solution for cinematic VR
Lytro Immerge is the world’s first professional light field solution for cinematic VR