Motion Gestures
Motion Gestures is a Canadian AI software company that licenses a camera-agnostic hand tracking and gesture recognition SDK to OEMs across automotive, appliances, digital signage, healthcare, hospitality, retail, and robotics, using a 21-joint skeletal approach with synthetic training data generation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersKitchener, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Motion Gestures does
Motion Gestures is a Canadian machine learning company founded in 2017-2018 in Kitchener, Ontario, that develops camera-based hand tracking and gesture recognition software for licensing to product manufacturers. Its core product is an SDK that uses a 21-joint skeletal model per hand, augmented by an upper-body skeleton of 13 joints, to deliver real-time positional coordinates including depth inferred from ordinary 2D RGB cameras. The software is camera-agnostic across RGB, NIR, and depth (time-of-flight and stereo) imagers, and is computationally efficient enough to run on low-cost processors such as ARM Cortex A53 without hardware acceleration. The company generates synthetic training data internally to add custom gestures at a claimed 10x reduction in development cost versus conventional data-collection approaches, and supports advanced edge cases including overlapped hands, occluded joints, and gloves or operation through glass.
The business model is OEM-embedded SDK licensing: a free evaluation SDK is available for download, while commercial terms are negotiated quote-by-quote with manufacturers embedding the software into end products. The company also generates revenue from custom gesture development services. Customers span more than ten verticals including automotive (in-vehicle infotainment, climate, trunk, wipers), consumer appliances (kitchen, smart home interior and exterior), digital signage and retail, healthcare and assistive technologies, hospitality, travel and transportation, and metaverse, gaming, and robotics. Distribution combines direct OEM sales offices in the US, EU, South America, and Asia-Pacific with channel partnerships, notably Cornes Technologies for Japan and an OEM embedding via Nexmosphere for digital signage sensors. The company has raised approximately USD 10 million cumulatively across seed (2018), pre-Series A (2021), and Pre-A (2024) rounds, supplemented by a USD 1 million IRAP grant, and is engaged with over 100 OEMs globally.
Motion Gestures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Motion Gestures
- Legal name
- Motion Gestures
- Website
- https://motiongestures.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Motion Gestures is a Canadian AI software company that licenses a camera-agnostic hand tracking and gesture recognition SDK to OEMs across automotive, appliances, digital signage, healthcare, hospitality, retail, and robotics, using a 21-joint skeletal approach with synthetic training data generation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Motion Gestures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Gesture Recognition Software
- NAICS
- Computer Terminal and Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (334118)
- SIC
- Computer Peripheral Equipment, Nec (3577)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Developer Tooling & SDK Platforms (BPAMAOAD), On-Device Inference Runtimes & SDKs (mobile/embedded) (HDAAAJAB)
Keywords
Where Motion Gestures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kitchener
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Motion Gestures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SDK Licensing: Licenses AI camera-based hand tracking and gesture recognition SDK to OEMs for embedding into products. Revenue from software licensing agreements with manufacturers across multiple verticals including automotive, appliances, retail, healthcare, and robotics. Evaluation SDK available for free; commercial licensing upon product integration.
- Custom Gesture Development Services: Provides custom gesture development services upon OEM request, generating additional revenue from the core SDK licensing. AI/ML algorithms generate synthetic training data, reducing development costs by 10x and enabling faster turnaround for custom gesture requests.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Evaluation SDK |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Motion Gestures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Motion Gestures develops an AI camera-based software development kit (SDK) that delivers hand tracking and gesture recognition using a 21-joint skeletal computer vision approach. The SDK is camera-agnostic (compatible with RGB, NIR, and Depth cameras), deployable on ordinary low-cost processors without hardware acceleration, and supports features such as overlapped hands tracking, occluded joints detection, depth inference from 2D cameras, and body tracking. The company licenses this SDK to OEMs across automotive, consumer appliances, digital signage, healthcare, home automation, mobile, metaverse, retail, robotics, travel, and video games.
Product overview
Motion Gestures offers a unified AI camera software platform centered on its proprietary Hand Tracking and Gesture Recognition SDK. The core product is the 12th Generation SDK, which delivers computer vision-based hand and gesture recognition using a 21 joints skeletal approach. The platform includes an Evaluation SDK for testing, body tracking and depth inference modules as add-on capabilities, and application demos showcasing use cases across automotive, smart home, retail, hospitality, healthcare, robotics, and other industries. The SDK is camera-agnostic, supporting RGB, NIR, and Depth cameras, and is optimized for embedded deployment on low-cost processors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AI Hand Tracking and Gesture Recognition SDK Flagship AI camera-based SDK that delivers hand tracking and gesture recognition using a 21-joint skeletal approach. Compatible with any RGB, NIR, or Depth camera; deployable on ordinary low-cost processors (e.g., ARM Cortex A53) without hardware acceleration. Supports any static, dynamic, or drawing gesture, overlapped hands tracking, occluded joints detection, and depth inference from 2D cameras. Licensed to OEMs embedding contactless interfaces into end products.
- Evaluation SDK Free evaluation version of the SDK that includes commonly used static and dynamic gestures with natural variations, allowing developers and OEMs to test hand tracking and gesture recognition capabilities on their target hardware before engaging in commercial licensing.
- Custom Gesture Development Services Professional services offered alongside SDK licensing in which Motion Gestures develops custom gestures for OEM customers on request. Leverages synthetic training data generation to reduce custom gesture development time and cost by 10x compared to conventional approaches.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 100% hand tracking and gesture recognition accuracy in any situation
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Motion Gestures
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Motion Gestures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature12 records
Motion Gestures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Plug and PlayminorSelected by Plug and Play as one of top AI startups in Computer Vision to present at its Smart Tech event in Silicon Valley, California (2024). Also previously selected for Plug and Play Mobility event in 2020. Provides accelerator platform access and industry connections.
- SCI InnovationminorSelected by SCI Innovation as one of Canada's top startups to be part of delegation to visit Shenzhen for introduction to Chinese OEMs. Provides market access and business development support for the Chinese market.
- NexmospherecoreNexmosphere launched a gesture sensor for digital signage media players based on Motion Gestures' hand tracking and gesture recognition software. This sensor incorporating Motion Gestures' technology won 'Best of Show' at ISE 2023 trade expo, validating the technology's commercial viability in digital signage.
- Startup AutobahnminorAdmitted to Startup Autobahn in Germany, Europe's top automotive accelerator co-founded by Mercedes-Benz Group. Provides access to the European automotive ecosystem, potential OEM introductions, and validation within the automotive industry.
- Cornes TechnologiescoreForged partnership with Cornes Technologies for distribution of Motion Gestures' breakthrough AI camera-based gesture software in Japan. Cornes Technologies serves as the exclusive distribution partner for the Japanese market, leveraging local relationships and market access.
- Canada's Trade Commissioner ServiceminorSelected by Canada's Trade Commissioner Service to be part of delegation of elite startups to visit Seoul for introduction to Korean OEMs and separately selected for CEATEC tradeshow in Japan. Provides government-supported international market entry assistance.
- Global Affairs Canada - Technology Accelerator ProgramminorSelected by Global Affairs Canada for admission into its prestigious Technology Accelerator Program in Silicon Valley, California. Provides market access support, mentorship, and introductions to US market for Canadian technology companies.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Motion Gestures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ultraleap: Ultraleap (formerly Leap Motion, merged with Ultrahaptics) develops camera-based hand tracking and mid-air haptic feedback technology. Direct competitor in hand tracking/gesture recognition serving automotive, retail signage, and XR applications with similar OEM-licensing business model.
- ManoMotion: ManoMotion is a Swedish startup offering SDK-based 3D hand tracking and gesture recognition using standard 2D cameras. Direct competitor with similar low-compute, camera-agnostic positioning and SDK licensing model targeting mobile, AR/VR, and IoT OEMs.
- Clay AIR: Clay AIR provides real-time hand tracking and gesture recognition SDK for mobile AR/VR applications. Direct competitor offering similar camera-based skeletal tracking with focus on AR/VR use cases, serving OEMs and developers with comparable SDK-based licensing model.
- PointGrab: PointGrab develops AI-based gesture recognition solutions primarily for smart buildings and IoT applications. Direct competitor with comparable gesture recognition SDK targeting building automation, lighting control, and smart home OEMs — overlapping with Motion Gestures' smart home and home automation verticals.
- eyeSight Technologies: eyeSight Technologies (now part of Cipia Vision) developed embedded computer vision AI for in-cabin automotive sensing including gesture recognition, driver monitoring, and occupancy detection. Direct competitor with strong automotive OEM relationships and embedded AI focus — directly comparable to Motion Gestures' automotive vertical.
Broad incumbents
- Google (MediaPipe Hands): Google's MediaPipe Hands is a free, open-source hand tracking solution built into Google's broader AI platform. Serves the same developer/OEM market with hand skeleton tracking and gesture recognition, but as a free component within a vast AI/ML ecosystem rather than as a specialized product.
- Apple (ARKit / visionOS Hand Tracking): Apple provides hand tracking capabilities within ARKit and visionOS for AR/VR applications. While not directly licensed to OEMs in the same way, Apple's free ecosystem approach for developers represents a competitive alternative for hand tracking-enabled products, particularly in mobile and XR.
- Microsoft (HoloLens / Azure Kinect Hand Tracking): Microsoft provides hand tracking capabilities through HoloLens and Azure Kinect development kits. As a broad incumbent in the spatial computing and enterprise XR space, Microsoft competes indirectly through bundled hand tracking for enterprise and XR applications that overlap with Motion Gestures' metaverse and robotics use cases.
- Xperi (TiVo / DTS): Xperi provides gesture and voice control technology for smart TVs and consumer electronics through its TiVo and DTS brands. Broad incumbent with hand tracking/gesture recognition embedded in TV and home entertainment platforms — directly comparable to Motion Gestures' consumer appliance and home automation verticals.
Emerging players
- Hololab (Gestures): Hololab and similar emerging gesture recognition startups focus on narrow use cases like contactless public interfaces, smart appliances, or specific XR applications. Comparable as emerging players with partial overlap in specific verticals like signage or consumer electronics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Motion Gestures social profiles
Digital presenceMotion Gestures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Motion Gestures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Motion Gestures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Motion Gestures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Motion Gestures
What does Motion Gestures do?
Motion Gestures develops an AI camera-based software development kit (SDK) that delivers hand tracking and gesture recognition using a 21-joint skeletal computer vision approach. The SDK is camera-agnostic (compatible with RGB, NIR, and Depth cameras), deployable on ordinary low-cost processors without hardware acceleration, and supports features such as overlapped hands tracking, occluded joints detection, depth inference from 2D cameras, and body tracking. The company licenses this SDK to OEMs across automotive, consumer appliances, digital signage, healthcare, home automation, mobile, metaverse, retail, robotics, travel, and video games.
Is Motion Gestures a public or private company?
Motion Gestures is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Motion Gestures founded?
Motion Gestures was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Motion Gestures based?
Motion Gestures is headquartered in Kitchener, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Motion Gestures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. SDK Licensing is the primary driver. The others are custom Gesture Development Services.
Who are Motion Gestures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ultraleap, ManoMotion, Clay AIR, PointGrab and eyeSight Technologies. Broad incumbents are Google (MediaPipe Hands), Apple (ARKit / visionOS Hand Tracking), Microsoft (HoloLens / Azure Kinect Hand Tracking) and Xperi (TiVo / DTS). Hololab (Gestures) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Motion Gestures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Motion Gestures.
What industry is Motion Gestures in?
Motion Gestures's product category is Gesture Recognition Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEANAJ, AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs), with a secondary code of BPAMAOAD, Developer Tooling & SDK Platforms. Its NAICS code is 334118 and its SIC code is 3577.