Zebra Imaging

About Zebra Imaging

Zebra Imaging, founded in 1996, emerged from the pioneering work of graduates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Media Laboratory. The founding team, including Michael Klug, Mark Holzbach, and Alejandro Ferdman, leveraged their research from the MIT Media Lab's Spatial Imaging Group to establish the company. Michael Klug, for instance, was a research scientist at the lab from 1991 to 1997, focusing on 3D displays and holographic systems that became the technological predecessors to Zebra Imaging's products. The company's mission was to deliver advanced three-dimensional visual communication technologies.

The firm specialized in developing and producing 3D digital holographic images and displays that did not require viewing aids like glasses. Its core offerings included static holographic prints and dynamic 3D displays. The ZScape™ digital holographic prints could transform 3D data from formats like CAD, LIDAR, and satellite imagery into tangible, film-based holograms. These prints offered a full 360-degree view, with the image appearing to float, and could incorporate multiple layers of information, allowing for animations or peel-away views. The company also developed dynamic display technology, partly funded by DARPA, which led to the ZScape™ Motion Display, recognized by TIME Magazine as a top invention in 2011. This system could render interactive, full-parallax holograms in real time from 3D software.

Zebra Imaging catered to a diverse client base across government, military, medical, retail, construction, and engineering sectors. For these clients, the technology served as a crucial tool for visualizing complex data, which enhanced collaboration and accelerated decision-making. The business model involved selling these high-resolution holographic prints and display systems, with print setups costing between $500 and $2500. The company raised a total of $31.4 million in funding over its lifetime from investors such as Sierra Ventures and Voyager Capital. A significant milestone was the acquisition of the company's 3D holographic print business and assets by HoloTech Switzerland AG on September 26, 2017, marking a strategic exit for Zebra Imaging.