Augmentor is aimed at the next generation of companies developing innovative, commercially focused applications for augmented and virtual reality and looks to bring together investors, commercial partners and early-stage companies. It aims to accelerate UK investment in immersive technologies, their development and adoption by industry.
Up to ten companies will be selected to participate in the programme and will receive 12 weeks of support from the Digital Catapult and its partners, to help them fine-tune their technology and business proposition ahead of pitching to investors at a showcase in January. Propositions can be relevant to any sector, but the ideas must be commercially viable.
Alongside mentoring, successful applicants will receive masterclasses delivered by Digital Catapult, programme partners and mentors, including HTC Vive X, Edge Investments, Remagine Ventures, Station 12 and Mercia Technologies. They will also have access to state-of-the-art immersive facilities, including Digital Catapult’s Immersive Labs, and the opportunity to draw on Digital Catapult’s network of supporters, research groups and academic institutions.
Partnering with some of the World’s leading investment funds on the programme, Digital Catapult aims to stimulate UK private investment into companies developing innovative and commercially-focused applications of augmented, and virtual reality. Through driving awareness and understanding of the emerging sector, the programme plays a crucial role in developing an immersive ecosystem in the UK and delivering sustainable sector growth.
“Immersive technologies increasingly display massive untapped potential for business applications from product design to hazardous conditions training, across many different industrial sectors,” said Jeremy Silver, CEO, Digital Catapult. “Unlocking this depends on early stage companies innovating in this space, finessing their propositions and securing investment. We have established Augmentor to provide the skills companies need to approach investors with greater confidence and clearly establish their product market fit.”
Now in its third year, the programme already has some big-name alumni. These include end-to-end reality capture and digital delivery platform, Reality Zero One, and self-serve augmented reality platform, HoloMe, the technology provider behind Asos’ recently launched ‘Virtual Catwalk’. These and other participants have secured over £3.1 million in investment since taking part in the programme and have been connected with 50 mentors from the immersive sector and investor community.
“To HoloMe, Augmentor was much more than an accelerator,” commented Janosch Amstutz, Founder and CEO, HoloMe. “It allowed us to become the voice of augmented reality in the UK, we were able to stand in front of businesses, government as well as the general public and share our revolutionary AR technology. These opportunities allowed us to show the world that the technology they see to be futuristic is actually here.”
The open call is now live and will run until 6th September. To apply follow the link below.
