Ultraleap
Ultraleap is a Bristol-based spatial interaction technology company that develops hand tracking and mid-air haptics hardware and software for XR, automotive, and enterprise training customers. Following its November 2025 acquisition by ROLI, its technology is now directed toward music creation and learning applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Ultraleap does
Ultraleap is a Bristol, UK-based spatial interaction technology company that develops hand tracking and mid-air haptics systems for extended reality (XR), automotive, digital signage, and industrial training applications. Its core technology stack centers on the Gemini hand-tracking platform and Hyperion performance system, which use dual infrared cameras and proprietary computer vision and machine learning algorithms to track fingers and hands in 3D space, and on mid-air haptics hardware that delivers tactile feedback without physical contact. The product portfolio spans hardware (Leap Motion Controller 2, Ultraleap 3Di stereo camera module, SIR170 shared tracking camera, Haptics Development Kit, STRATOS Explore and Inspire modules) and software (Hand Tracking SDK with Unity, Unreal Engine, and native LeapC APIs, Haptics SDK with Sensation Designer, and TouchFree touchless interface software), with deep pre-integration into major XR platforms including Meta Quest, HTC Vive, Pico, Varjo, and OpenXR standards.
The company monetizes through three revenue streams: hardware product sales to enterprise customers and developers, software licensing and royalties for the SDKs, and professional services for bespoke integration work. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year enterprise contracts rather than publicly disclosed list pricing, and go-to-market combines a self-serve developer acquisition motion (downloadable SDKs, documentation, Ultralab blog) with direct enterprise field sales into XR platform integrators, automotive OEMs, and enterprise training customers. Ultraleap maintains ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications, holds CE and UKCA markings on key hardware, and protects its position with a portfolio of more than 300 patents covering hand tracking and haptics. Total funding raised across multiple rounds through 2021 was approximately $166 million. In November 2025, Ultraleap was acquired by ROLI, a music technology company, with the technology redirected toward music creation and learning applications including the Airwave piano product; Co-Founder and CEO Tom Carter joined ROLI as Chief Technology Officer.
Ultraleap firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ultraleap
- Legal name
- Ultraleap Limited
- Website
- https://ultraleap.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Ultraleap is a Bristol-based spatial interaction technology company that develops hand tracking and mid-air haptics hardware and software for XR, automotive, and enterprise training customers. Following its November 2025 acquisition by ROLI, its technology is now directed toward music creation and learning applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ultraleap industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hand Tracking & Haptics Technology
- NAICS
- Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (334310), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Computer Peripheral Equipment, Nec (3577), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics) (MPAFAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains (MPAFAFAF)
Keywords
Where Ultraleap is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ultraleap business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Product Sales: Sale of hardware products including Leap Motion Controller 2 and Haptics Development Kit to enterprise customers and developers for product development and integration.
- Software Licensing / SDK:
- Professional Services: Implementation and customization services for enterprise customers requiring bespoke integration and support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ultraleap product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ultraleap develops and sells hardware products (Leap Motion Controller 2, Haptics Development Kit, Ultraleap 3Di, SIR170, STRATOS modules) and software SDKs (Hand Tracking SDK for Unity/Unreal/LeapC/OpenXR, Haptics SDK with Sensation Designer, TouchFree) that enable natural hand tracking and mid-air haptic feedback for XR, automotive, gaming, and enterprise training applications. The technology is powered by the proprietary Gemini hand-tracking platform and Hyperion performance system.
Product overview
Ultraleap is a spatial interaction company offering a platform-plus-products architecture centered on hand tracking and mid-air haptics technologies. The core portfolio includes Leap Motion Controller 2 (hand tracking camera), Haptics Development Kit (mid-air haptics prototyping), Ultraleap 3Di (embedded stereo camera), and SIR170 (shared tracking camera) as hardware products. Software offerings include the Hand Tracking SDK with Unity/Unreal plugins, Haptics SDK with Sensation Designer, and TouchFree touchless interface software. These products are powered by the Gemini hand-tracking platform and Hyperion tracking system. The company was acquired by ROLI in November 2025, with technology now directed toward music and interaction applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Leap Motion Controller 2 Proprietary hardware device featuring dual infrared cameras and machine learning algorithms that track hand and finger movements in 3D space with high precision for XR headsets and desktop use.
- Haptics Development Kit Hardware development kit for mid-air haptic feedback prototyping and development, including haptic modules and a Leap Motion Controller for combined hand tracking and haptics development.
- Ultraleap 3Di Stereo infrared camera module designed for integration into XR headsets and kiosks, providing shared or dedicated hand tracking capabilities with CE and UKCA certification.
- SIR170 Shared tracking camera designed for shared/collaborative XR environments where multiple users interact with the same display.
- Hand Tracking SDK Software development kit enabling developers to integrate Ultraleap's hand tracking technology into their applications, including plugins for Unity and Unreal Engine, native LeapC API, and OpenXR support.
- Haptics SDK Software development kit for mid-air haptic feedback development, including the Sensation Designer tool for creating custom haptic patterns and effects.
- TouchFree Touchless cursor control software that enables users to navigate screens and interact with content using hand gestures, with cursor customization, interaction settings, and support for large screen setups including BrightSign digital signage.
- STRATOS Explore Mid-air haptic module bundled with Leap Motion Controller for combined hand tracking and haptic feedback in a single device.
- STRATOS Inspire Mid-air haptic module with integrated Leap Motion Controller for XR applications requiring haptic feedback.
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ patents covering hand tracking and haptics technology
Companies that use Ultraleap
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ultraleap technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Ultraleap partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ROLIcoreROLI acquired Ultraleap, integrating Ultraleap's hand tracking and mid-air haptics technology with ROLI's music technology expertise. The acquisition combines two complementary spatial computing technologies.
- PicocoreTechnology integration partnership enabling Ultraleap hand tracking on Pico XR headsets
- HTC VivecoreTechnology integration partnership enabling Ultraleap hand tracking on HTC Vive XR platforms
- Meta QuestcoreTechnology integration partnership enabling Ultraleap hand tracking on Meta Quest headsets
- VarjocoreTechnology integration partnership for professional-grade XR headsets with Ultraleap hand tracking
- OpenXRcoreStandards-based integration partnership for OpenXR compatibility, enabling broad cross-platform support
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Ultraleap competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Meta (Reality Labs / Quest Hand Tracking): Meta ships built-in hand tracking on Meta Quest headsets and develops native computer vision algorithms for XR. It is both a distribution partner and the most significant competitive threat as it builds in-house capabilities.
- Apple (Vision Pro): Apple Vision Pro delivers high-fidelity hand tracking and eye tracking using on-device computer vision. As a broad XR incumbent, Apple sets the benchmark that third-party hand tracking vendors must match.
- Microsoft (HoloLens / Azure Kinect): Microsoft has shipped hand and gesture tracking through HoloLens and Azure Kinect, targeting enterprise and industrial XR use cases that overlap with Ultraleap's enterprise training and automotive segments.
Direct peers
- HaptX: HaptX develops force-feedback haptic gloves for VR/enterprise applications. While its approach is contact-based rather than mid-air, it competes for the same enterprise training and simulation budgets.
- Manus (Manus VR / StretchSense): Manus offers VR motion-capture gloves and hand tracking solutions targeting enterprise training, motion capture, and XR. It competes for the same developer and enterprise hand-tracking budget.
- bHaptics: bHaptics produces wearable haptic devices (vests, gloves, arms) for gaming and VR. Although its modality differs from mid-air haptics, it competes for haptic feedback budget in XR applications.
- SenseGlove: SenseGlove develops haptic force-feedback gloves for VR training and research, similar to HaptX. It addresses the same enterprise training use cases that Ultraleap targets with mid-air haptics.
- Finch Technologies (FinchRing, FinchShift): Finch Technologies produces hand-tracking controllers and 3D input devices for XR and AR/VR applications, providing an alternative to camera-based hand tracking for developers targeting consumer and enterprise use cases.
Emerging players
- Stereolabs (ZED cameras): Stereolabs builds stereo cameras (ZED 2, ZED Mini) with computer vision SDKs used for depth sensing, body tracking, and hand interaction in XR. Its camera hardware overlaps with Ultraleap's 3Di and SIR170 products.
Others
- OpenXR (Khronos Group): OpenXR is the cross-platform XR standard that Ultraleap integrates with. While not a competitor, it shapes the developer-facing compatibility layer that determines the reach of Ultraleap's SDK ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ultraleap social profiles
Digital presenceUltraleap compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Ultraleap financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ultraleap leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Ultraleap subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Ultraleap funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ultraleap M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ultraleap
What does Ultraleap do?
Ultraleap develops and sells hardware products (Leap Motion Controller 2, Haptics Development Kit, Ultraleap 3Di, SIR170, STRATOS modules) and software SDKs (Hand Tracking SDK for Unity/Unreal/LeapC/OpenXR, Haptics SDK with Sensation Designer, TouchFree) that enable natural hand tracking and mid-air haptic feedback for XR, automotive, gaming, and enterprise training applications. The technology is powered by the proprietary Gemini hand-tracking platform and Hyperion performance system.
Is Ultraleap a public or private company?
Ultraleap is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Ultraleap founded?
Ultraleap was founded in 2013. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Ultraleap based?
Ultraleap is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ultraleap make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are software Licensing / SDK and professional Services.
Who are Ultraleap's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Meta (Reality Labs / Quest Hand Tracking), Apple (Vision Pro) and Microsoft (HoloLens / Azure Kinect). Direct peers are HaptX, Manus (Manus VR / StretchSense), bHaptics, SenseGlove and Finch Technologies (FinchRing, FinchShift). Stereolabs (ZED cameras) is listed as an emerging player. OpenXR (Khronos Group) is listed as an others.
Does Ultraleap have an API?
Yes. Ultraleap provides multiple SDKs for developers: a Unity plugin with C# scripting support, an Unreal Engine plugin with Blueprint support, a native LeapC API for low-level C/C++ integration, and OpenXR integration for cross-platform XR development. The SDKs enable developers to integrate hand tracking and mid-air haptics into applications. Documentation available at docs.ultraleap.com with API references for Unity Plugin API, Unreal Plugin API, and Native LeapC API. Developer documentation is at docs.ultraleap.com.
What industry is Ultraleap in?
Ultraleap's product category is Hand Tracking & Haptics Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAGAG, VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics), with a secondary code of MPAFAFAF, XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains. Its NAICS code is 334519 and its SIC code is 3577.