MagicLab
MagicLab is a New York research lab founded by Marco Tempest that builds AR/VR, drone, and human-robot interaction prototypes with corporate partners under an "Illusion Augmented Technology" banner, funded through partner contributions rather than product sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What MagicLab does
MagicLab (operating as magicLab, magiclab.nyc) is a New York-based research laboratory and creative studio founded by illusionist Marco Tempest as a collaboration between technologists, illusionists, and artists. Per its first-party website, the lab's stated mission is "Illusion Augmented Technology" — prototyping future-facing technologies and engaging the public through narrative-driven experiences that blend magic with emerging engineering. It is structured as a privately held, founder-led entity with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company, and it is funded primarily through corporate partnerships, with a stated portion of annual operating budget contributed by a roster of named world-leading corporate partners in exchange for research access, visiting privileges, IP licensing rights, and program participation.
Its product surface is a portfolio of research-project prototypes rather than commercial products: Drone Magic (a 24-autonomous-quadcopter performance co-developed with Rhizomatiks Research using proprietary indoor localization and control), AR2VR (an audience-interactive digital eyewear experience with the Qualcomm Inventor Lab), MagicRobot (human-robot interaction work with MIT Media Lab including trajectory composition software, face animation libraries, and blended static/dynamic behavior systems), Blended Reality (HP Sprout platform), ARGestureSensing (IWC Schaffhausen), Projection Tracking (Toshiba), PopUp Projection (Volkswagen), WearableAR (Wired), and MobileScreens (T-Mobile). The underlying technical components span autonomous drone control, computer-vision-based face tracking and expression rendering, AR/VR eyewear experiences, projection mapping, and mobile multi-screen performance systems. The portfolio is positioned as proof-of-concept demonstrations of future technology applications rather than monetizable product lines.
The business model is partner-funded R&D rather than unit-sales-based revenue: MagicLab operates as a B2B "innovation partnership" channel where corporate partners provide operating budget in exchange for research access, custom lab days, event invitations, and non-exclusive royalty-free IP licensing rights. Distribution is relationship-driven through founder Marco Tempest's performance network, MIT Media Lab affiliation, and named corporate partnerships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, no customer logos outside the partner set are named, no revenue figures are reported, and there is no evidence of a scalable software/hardware product line. The team is small (one founder/director, one social media/PR manager, plus an advisory board including Nolan Bushnell, Juliana Rotich, Eunhee Jung, William Kalush, Jay Samit, and Larry Lieberman), operating out of a single NYC office at 636 Broadway, Suite 1002.
MagicLab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MagicLab
- Legal name
- MagicLab
- Website
- https://magiclab.nyc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MagicLab is a New York research lab founded by Marco Tempest that builds AR/VR, drone, and human-robot interaction prototypes with corporate partners under an "Illusion Augmented Technology" banner, funded through partner contributions rather than product sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MagicLab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Technology Research
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins) (HDAAAIAK)
Keywords
Where MagicLab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
MagicLab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Humanoid Robot Hardware Sales: Sale of humanoid robot products including MagicBot X1 and related robotic systems to enterprise and industrial customers.
- International Operations: Revenue generated from overseas markets, with overseas revenue exceeding 30% of total revenue since launching internationalization strategy in 2025.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
MagicLab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MagicLab is a New York-based research laboratory that develops prototype experiences combining emerging technologies (AR, VR, autonomous drones, robotics, computer vision, projection mapping) with magic, illusion, and storytelling. It operates as a collaboration between technologists, illusionists, and artists, producing research projects and proof-of-concept experiences in partnership with corporate sponsors and academic institutions such as MIT Media Lab.
Product overview
MagicLab is a research-focused organization that operates as a collaboration between technologists, illusionists, and artists. It is not a traditional product company but rather a laboratory dedicated to Illusion Augmented Technology—developing prototypes and proof-of-concept experiences that explore how emerging technologies like AR, VR, robotics, and autonomous systems can be combined with magic and illusion. The portfolio consists of research projects conducted with corporate partners including drone-based performances (Drone Magic with Rhizomatiks Research), AR/VR eyewear experiences (AR2VR with Qualcomm), human-robot interaction (MagicRobot with MIT Media Lab), and various AR/projection demonstrations developed with HP, IWC Schaffhausen, Toshiba, Volkswagen, Wired, and T-Mobile. These projects serve as demonstrations of future technology applications rather than commercial products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Drone Magic
Companies that use MagicLab
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
MagicLab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature4 records
MagicLab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights3 records
MagicLab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Apptronik: US-based humanoid robotics company (Apollo platform); competes in industrial humanoid deployment with a similar enterprise sales motion and customer overlap in logistics/manufacturing.
- Sanctuary AI: Canada-based humanoid robotics company developing general-purpose AI-driven robots (Phoenix); comparable in focus on embodied intelligence and dexterous manipulation for industrial work.
- Agility Robotics: US-based humanoid robotics company (Digit) focused on logistics and warehouse automation; directly comparable in industrial/logistics customer segment and bipedal humanoid form factor.
- 1X Technologies: Norway/US humanoid robotics company (NEO Beta) backed by OpenAI; directly comparable in embodied-AI humanoid platform targeting home and commercial service applications.
- Galbot: Chinese embodied-AI and humanoid robotics startup; competes head-to-head with MagicLab at high-visibility Chinese entertainment events and targets overlapping industrial/logistics use cases.
- Figure AI: US-based humanoid robotics startup developing general-purpose bipedal robots for industrial and commercial applications; directly comparable in target use cases (industrial automation, logistics) and product category.
- Unitree Robotics: China-based humanoid and quadruped robotics company; directly comparable as a domestic competitor showcasing at the same CCTV Spring Festival Gala and competing for the same Chinese and international humanoid robotics export market.
- Noetix Robotics: Chinese humanoid robotics company; competed alongside MagicLab at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala and targets similar embodied-AI and dexterous-manipulation capabilities.
Broad incumbents
- Boston Dynamics: Established humanoid and legged robotics pioneer (Atlas, Spot); comparable as a broad incumbent in advanced mobility and manipulation, with deeper R&D resources but narrower recent commercialization in humanoids.
- Tesla (Optimus): While primarily an automaker, Tesla's Optimus humanoid program operates at vastly larger scale and capital base; comparable as a broad incumbent in humanoid robotics with overlapping industrial automation ambitions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MagicLab social profiles
Digital presenceMagicLab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MagicLab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
MagicLab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MagicLab 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 MagicLab
What does MagicLab do?
MagicLab is a New York-based research laboratory that develops prototype experiences combining emerging technologies (AR, VR, autonomous drones, robotics, computer vision, projection mapping) with magic, illusion, and storytelling. It operates as a collaboration between technologists, illusionists, and artists, producing research projects and proof-of-concept experiences in partnership with corporate sponsors and academic institutions such as MIT Media Lab.
Is MagicLab a public or private company?
MagicLab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was MagicLab founded?
MagicLab was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MagicLab based?
MagicLab is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does MagicLab make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Humanoid Robot Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are international Operations.
Who are MagicLab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Apptronik, Sanctuary AI, Agility Robotics, 1X Technologies, Galbot, Figure AI, Unitree Robotics and Noetix Robotics. Broad incumbents are Boston Dynamics and Tesla (Optimus).
Does MagicLab have an API?
No public API is recorded for MagicLab.
What industry is MagicLab in?
MagicLab's product category is Creative Technology Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAK, Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins). Its NAICS code is 541715 and its SIC code is 7371.