Augmented reality startup Layar has raised roughly $14 million (€10 million) in its second round of funding, which was led by Intel Capital and joined by previous backers Sunstone Capital and Prime Ventures. This brings the total of capital raised by the Dutch company to a healthy $17.4 million.
Layar says the new funding will be used primarily to enhance its open mobile AR platform and the promotion thereof to third-party developers and brands in an effort to increase the amount of available augmented reality content ‘Layar layers’.
The company will continue developing its mobile application, dubbed the Layar Reality Browser, which is currently available for iPhone, Android and Bada handsets.
The question remains: is augmented reality a fad or poised to go mainstream?
The jury is still out on that, but Intel Capital and Layar’s initial backers are clearly betting on the latter to happen in the near future, and on the Dutch startup to help make it a reality.