Geola, short for General Optics Laboratory, laid down its roots in early 1992 shortly after Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union. Dr. David Ratcliffe, a British physicist and then managing director of General Optics Pty Ltd, a company incorporated in South Australia, traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania in order to meet Mr. Leon Issachenkov, the then director of a newly formed computer trading company, UAB Infortechnika. As a result of this meeting Infortechnika signed a contract with General Optics for the distribution of Soviet laser and optical equipment in Australia. The two companies worked together successfully for several years supplying the Australian science market.

General Optics Pty Ltd was closely associated with another company in Australia - Australian Holographics Pty Ltd. This company specialized in the production of ultra-large format holograms for mostly Asian clients. From 1992 onwards Australian Holographics started working closely with Infortechnika in all aspects of Holography. By 1995 the activities between Infortechnika and the Australian companies had necessitated the incorporation of a new company which was named UAB Geola - an abbreviation for "General Optics Laboratory". By 1996 Dr. David Ratcliffe had moved to Lithuania in order to oversee operations, the company consisted of 5 people and was enjoying successful collaborations in Australia, France and the UK. 

From 1995 onwards Geola turned its attention more and more towards pulsed laser holography. Led by Drs. Rodin, Grichine and Ratcliffe, the company developed high energy pulsed solid state lasers and automated holography systems incorporating these lasers. In 1997 the first Nd:Glass lasers and holography camera systems were launched commercially in Germany.

In 1998 Dr. Stanislovas Zacharovas, Geola's current managing director, joined the company. A close relationship was started with the Russian factory AO Slavich, a holography emulsion producer. Shortly after this AGFA, a major Belgium holography emulsion producer announced that it was ceasing all production of holography films. Geola was consequently able to establish a large international network distributing Slavich emulsions for holography. Today Geola is the official "International Sales Co-ordination Office" for Slavich and most of the world's albeit modest holography film requirements are now met here.

In same 1998 Geola commenced an intensive programme of research and development into digital holography using pulsed Neodymium lasers. As an integral part of its R&D programme into digital holography Geola developed a unique prototype RGB pulsed laser. The company had felt from the start of the programme that the only feasible solution towards a real commercial holographic printer would be one based on pulsed rather than CW laser technology. By 1999 Geola had developed both 1-step and 2-step digital hologram printing technologies based around their pulsed lasers.

From 1998 to 2000 Geola grew quickly to over 30 people. In this time a very large part of the company resources were spent on fundamental R&D. Quite some part of this R&D has been published in the public domain.

By early 2002 Geola had delivered a working RGB prototype dot-matrix printer to Montreal. This printer (see above) was able to generate full-colour reflection holographic prints by printing 15 RGB holopixels each second onto glass holoplates.

In 2000 Geola Technologies Ltd, a UK based company owned by the original shareholders of UAB Geola, acquired the majority stake in UAB Geola. All intellectual property is now owned and controlled by this company. In 2005 two further companies joined the Geola group - Power Imaging Ltd in the UK (sales and distribution of large format full-colour digital holographic posters) and 3D Print UAB (printing of digital holographic posters). The managing director of Geola Technologies Ltd is Dr. David Ratcliffe. The managing director of UAB Geola and 3D Print UAB is Dr. Stanislovas Zacharovas. 

In 2005 the device for the real life scene captures was invented by Geola. This device enabled to capture the real life objects spacial shape changes in time. The pictures obtained with the device can be then imprinted with Geola's 3D printer. That oppened doors to the new four-dimensional imaging era, giving the possibility to have a real three-dimensional movie printed on a flat media.

In 2006 the Geola printing technologies were developing further and the new printing process was presented at the International Symposium on Display Holography by Dr. David Ratcliff and Dr. Stanislovas Zacharovas. By installing in Vilnius one printer manufactured by its former subsidiary XYZ Imaging (Canada), and establishing close partnership with German company Syn4D GmbH, Syn4D-Geola group started the first and only 4D printing services in Europe.

In same 2006 Geola was continuing its lasers developing. Together with its partner in USA - Forth Dimension Holographics, Geola installed in USA two high power lasers. 

In 2007 Synthetic four-dimensional prints were presented to European Commision. Syn4D prints distribution in USA have started through Forth Dimension Holographics.

Today the Geola Group offers:

• Synthetic four dimensional posters (Syn4D prints)
• RGB Pulsed Lasers
• Nd:YAG & Nd:YLF Lamp-Pumped Q-Switched Laser Systems
• Pulsed Q-switched Glass Lasers up to 16 Joules
• Custom Pulsed Laser SystemsAutomated Turnkey Holographic Studio Systems based on Pulsed Lasers
• Custom Systems for Digital and Analogue Pulsed Holography
• Holographic Photomaterials/Emulsions
• Technical & Scientific Photomaterials/Emulsions
• Laser Optical and Precision Mechanical Components