Magic Leap, one of the most well-funded startups in history, just took on a $280 million investment from Japan-based mobile phone operator NTT DOCOMO.

As Japan’s largest mobile operator, Docomo is slated to be Magic Leap’s exclusive telecommunications partner in Japan. Similar to Magic Leap’s exclusivity agreement with AT&T in the US, the partnership puts strong emphasis on the country’s upcoming 5G infrastructure.

With Docomo’s $280 million investment, Magic Leap’s total investment comes to a cool $2.6 billion, according to Crunchbase. The company’s penultimate investment round netted the AR startup $461 million in March 2018, led by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign investment arm.

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The partnership, Magic Leap says, will further the realization of the company’s so-called Magicverse, the large-scale AR infrastructure that the company hopes will encompass the world.

“DOCOMO is proud to offer new value-added services never experienced before to our customers and partners through our partnership with Magic Leap,” said NTT DOCOMO president and CEO Kazuhiro Yoshizawa. “DOCOMO aims to co-create advanced MR services and expand the XR market by leveraging open innovation and combining innovative technologies such as Spatial Computing provided by Magic Leap with DOCOMO’s assets including our 5G network and 70 million membership base.”

Magic Leap additionally says they’ll be working with Docomo to customize Magic Leap’s OS for the Japanese market, making it easier for Japanese developers to both use and develop for.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • NooYawker

    These guys are geniuses! Even after they released their disappointing product they’re still able to trick people into giving them more money!!

  • Walextheone

    How is this even possible?! If they don’t mass sell the product this will just be a giant money sink

  • AnnoyedAnonymous

    And they need even more money???

  • Hivemind9000

    Can anyone say “Ponzi Scheme” ?

  • oompah

    & from where Japs get their money
    They simply print it
    If anyone wants big moolah
    just go to japan & ask for it
    Japan has stopped earning it is now printing & pretending
    to be a big economy
    similar to west especially USA
    so if west & japan want to grow together
    all they need to do is 69 ;-)
    & pretend to be holy, virtuous
    print print print
    romp romp romp
    & what r u looking at

  • mfx

    I can’t believe companies are still investing in this scam, especially when a companiy like nreal shown a way way better product with a simpler tech.

  • judgeman

    Ponzi Scheme and money laundering at the same time = Magic Mushroom Leap

  • So great to see this partnership that can exploit the 5G antenna of Magic Lea… ah no, sorry

  • WyrdestGeek

    Anyone want to take bets on how many years Magic Leap can keep their company funded by promising hopes and dreams?

  • uKER

    This is the longest-running vaporware of our era.