Following the successful creation of a virtual Ronald Reagan for the Reagan Memorial Library and a holographic appearance by Jimmy Kimmel at the Country Music Awards, what is the next venture for an entrepreneur captivated by holograms?

For David Nussbaum, the founder of PORTL Hologram, the logical progression involves developing a device that makes the experience of hologram-based communication accessible to a wider audience.

This objective is being pursued with the help of a new $3 million investment led by prominent venture capitalist Tim Draper, alongside former Electronic Arts executive Doug Barry and experienced awards-show producer Joe Lewis.

In addition to providing financial support, Barry will also assume the role of the company’s inaugural chief operating officer.

A significant catalyst for this interest stems from the posthumous hologram performance of Tupac Shakur at the Coachella festival approximately eight years ago.

Nussbaum capitalized on the excitement surrounding that event, acquiring the patents behind Tupac’s performance and utilizing the technology to project Julian Assange from the Ecuadorian embassy during his time in London, and to recreate performances by deceased artists for live tours.

These displays were, fundamentally, an advanced iteration of the Pepper’s Ghost illusion technique, employed by stage magicians and filmmakers since its invention by John Pepper in the 19th century.

According to Nussbaum, the PORTL system represents a substantial improvement over previous methods.

The projector can function at any time, and with PORTL’s all-inclusive capture studio, individuals with a budget of $60,000 and a plain white backdrop can transmit their image to any PORTL device globally.

The company has already sold one hundred units, with several dozen deployed to locations such as shopping centers, airports, and cinema lobbies. “We have both manufactured and delivered several dozen,” Nussbaum confirmed.

Beyond the novelty of a highly realistic hologram, a key feature is its interactive capability. The studio setup and PORTL hardware allow users to hear conversations happening around the PORTL and respond in real-time.

PORTL’s future plans include a smaller, desktop-sized version of the system, designed for both recording and broadcasting holograms to other PORTL users.

“These smaller units will include all the features necessary to capture content, isolate the subject from the background, and apply studio effects to create a realistic volumetric image, enabling transmission to any other device,” Nussbaum explained.

To expand the business, the PORTL minis will offer not only communication features but also access to recorded entertainment.

“The minis will be offered with content packages, similar to how Peloton and Mirror are bundled with specific content. We are currently in discussions with numerous well-known content creators to offer a PORTL device alongside dedicated, exclusive content… for a monthly fee of $39 to $49.”

Nussbaum acknowledges that this vision is more ambitious than his initial plans, crediting Draper with inspiring this broader outlook for the company.

“I originally envisioned this as a novelty business,” he stated. “However, Draper recognized the need for something more substantial when the pandemic began.”