Joanne Dai of AstroReality
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Joanne Dai, the co-founder of AstroReality, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of AstroReality – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
We started AstroReality with a very simple goal: bring the mystery and brilliance of the moon within the grasp of everyone with hyper scientific realism, not an abstract artistic representation. Our founding team were all “lunatics” – hugely fond of space and science and we had with AR a new way of bringing a depth of experience to a one of a kind product that everyone could own and learn from.
Prior to us, there wasn’t a product that had a tangible, affordable, and hyper-accurate representation of the moon that could be experienced via AR technology and content. That’s where we came in.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
Our biggest hurdle was always finding the balance between the casual interest in the subject matter and the scientific depth and value of what we provided. We balanced our approach to content and marketing to account for this, allowing us to attract enthusiasts and educators.
What does the future hold for AstroReality?
Content is king. With a one of a kind product that is so tactile and visually appealing, we have a huge opportunity to build a new form of educational experience on this hardware with a depth of that marries tactile experience and content that is from accredited sources such as NASA and SETI.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Cupertino?
There are many groundbreaking innovations in Cupertino. I think Cupertino is Apple dominant while other tech startups are actually rising with silence.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Be bold. Be bold. Be bold.