A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting start-ups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – VIRTUAL REALITY
- Lytro, a maker of light field cameras for cinematic VR capture, raises $60M in Series D funding from investors including Blue Pool Capital, EDBI, Foxconn, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, Qualcomm Ventures Link
- KATVR, a developer of omnidirectional VR treadmill, raises $4.4M in Series A funding Link
- Bigscreen, social virtual reality desktop app, raises $3M in Series A funding from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, True Ventures, Presence Capital, Ludlow Ventures Link
- H2L raises $1.8M in Seed funding from Sony Innovation Fund and Energy & Environment Investment Link
- AccuPS, a developer of a 3D motion-tracking controller, raises $120k in Seed funding Link
- VR Global, a white labeled VR/AR apps developer, raised undisclosed amount in strategic funding from Hoylu Link
- Valve and SMI working to add eye-tracking support to OpenVR Link
- Samsung and Six Flags collaborate for VR coasters Link
- Google claims to have shipped over 10 Million Cardboard viewers since 2014 Link
- Sony claims to have sold nearly 1 Million PlayStation VR headsets Link
- Valve launches free audio SDK after acquisition of 3D audio company Impulsonic in January Link
- Valve to sell base stations directly to lower barrier to SteamVR tracking development Link
- NVIDIA announces frame analysis tool to measure VR performance Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
TelepathEye (2010, SF) – Carousel-based interface to track eye-gaze.
LEADER BOARD – VIRTUAL REALITY
Studios
Wevr (2010, LA, $40M) – Develops open VR technology platform that enables storytellers to create, present, and publish projects on all VR headsets. Backed by Digital Garage, HTC, Samsung Venture Investment, Evolution Media Capital, AME Cloud Ventures and others.
Baobab Studios (2015, SF, $31M) – VR animation studio. Backed by Horizons Ventures, 20th Century Fox, Shanghai Media Group, and others.
The Virtual Reality Company (2014, LA, $25M) – VR content studio. Backed by Rothenberg Ventures, Jiangsu Hengxin Technology, Elementum Ventures.
Live Streaming
NextVR (2009, Laguna Beach, $115.5M) – Develops technology to stream live VR content. Backed by Formation8, Comcast Ventures, RSE Ventures and others.
VokeVR (2012, Santa Clara, 25M, Acq.) – VR live video streaming startup. Acquired by Intel in November 2016.
Content Creation Tools – End to end solutions
JauntVR (2013, Palo Alto, $100M) – Develops hardware, software, tools, and applications to enable content developers to make cinematic VR experiences. Backed by Walt Disney Company, Redpoint, SV Angel & Highland Capital Partners.
The Future Group (2013, Oslo, $42M) – Providers of tools for broadcast and entertainment applications in virtual reality. Backed by Ferd, Aker & others.
Content Creation Tools – Reality Capture
Lytro (2006, Mountain View, $200M) – Develops light field camera technology for cinematic VR imaging. Backed by NEA, Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners, North Bridge Venture Partners and others.
360fly (1998, Pittsburgh, $60M) – Develops panoramic camera that can capture 360-degree views. Backed by Qualcomm Ventures, Voxx International, and others.
8i (2014, Wellington, $41.5M) – Holographic Virtual Reality. Backed by RRE Ventures, Boost VC, Samsung Ventures and others.
Pelican Imaging (2008, Mountain View, $37M) – Developing camera technology for next-generation 3D capture. Backed by Qualcomm Ventures, Nokia Growth Partners, Globespan Capital, Granite VC & Interwest Partners.
Content Creation Tools – Processing
VideoStitch (2012, Paris, $3M) – Provider of 360 video stitching software. Backed by Kima Ventures, Alven Capital.
Content Creation Tools – Modeling
Oben (2014, Pasadena, $8M) – Creates 3D avatar from images which can be used in VR. Backed by CrestValue Capital, Cybernaut Westlake Partners, and others.
Visionary VR (2014, LA, $6M) – Platform to create narrative experiences through virtual reality. Backed by DFJ, Venture Reality Fund, BDM, Greycroft, and others.
WakingApp (2013, Rosh HaAyin, $5M) – Cloud platform for AR/VR content creation. Backed by Globis Capital Partners, Inimiti, and others.
Content Creation Tools – Dev Tools
Improbable (2012, London, $22M) – Develops OS for large scale simulations including VR and AR, for applications in gaming, defense, energy, city efficiency, health, and finance. Backed by Andreessen Horowitz.
Pixvana (2015, Seattle, $6M) – Cloud platform for AR/VR video processing. Backed by Madrona Venture Group and Vulcan Capital.
Replay Technologies (2011, Tel Aviv, $27M, Acq.) – 3D video rendering for live streaming. Acquired by Intel in March 2016.
Delivery
87870 (2010, Beijing, $30M) – Portal on VR-related content developments and app store to download games.
EveryScape (2002, Newton, $17.5M) – Platform to build 3D environments from 2D photography. Backed by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Dace Ventures & others.
Littlstar (2014, New York City, $6M) – Provides a multi-platform, device agnostic solution for content owners and brands to distribute 360 and VR content. Backed by Disney Accelerator, Sterling Equities, and others.
Display Devices
Oculus (2012, Irvine, $91M, Acq.) – Manufactures Virtual Reality Headsets. Acquired by Facebook for $2B in March 2014.
AntVR (2014, Beijing, $56M) – Provides open source VR hardware. Backed by Sequoia and Gosuncn Technology Group.
Mojing (2014, Beijing, $45M) – Develops virtual reality display devices. Backed by CITIC Capital, Huayi Brothers, Green Pine Capital Partners and others.
Interactivity Enablers
Leap Motion (2010, SF, $44M) – Develops 3D motion control hardware and software using motion-sensing technology. Backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, SOSVentures and Highland Capital Partners.
eyeSight (2005, Herzliya, $33M) – Provider of gesture recognition technologies. Backed by CEVA, Mitsui Global, Kuang-Chi Group and others.
uSens (2013, San Jose, $30M) – Provides inside-out 3D hand tracking as well as head position tracking. Backed by IDG Capital, Morningside Ventures, Stone Point Capital & others.
Crunchfish (2010, Stockholm, IPO) – Provider of software for touchless gesture interaction. Filed IPO in 2016.
Chips & Sensors
InvenSense (2003, San Jose, IPO, Acq.) – Develops motion sensing solutions for mobile applications. Filed IPO in 2011. Acquired by TDK for $1.3B in December 2016.
Movidius (2005, San Mateo, $86.5M, Acq.) – Develops mobile vision processor chips. Acquired by Intel in September 2016.
Advertising/Marketing
Vertebrae (2015, Santa Monica, $10M) – Ad network for Native VR advertising.
MediaSpike (2011, Mountain View, $5M) – Product Placement Ads in Games. Backed by Andreessen Horowitz, 500 Startups, and others.
Applications – Healthcare & Fitness
MindMaze (2012, Lausanne, $108.5M) – Develops interfaces for neuro-rehabilitation using VR/AR and neurophysiological recording technologies. Backed by Hinduja Group.
Surgical Theater (2010, Ohio, $11M) – Develops VR medical applications, for intra-operative navigation & surgical guidance. Backed by HTC.
Applications – Education & Training
STRIVR Labs (2015, Palo Alto, $5M) – Virtual reality-based sports training platform. for sports, Backed by Signia Venture Partners, Presence Capital, and others.
WoofbertVR (2014, NYC, $5M) – Immersive art education company.
Applications – Real Estate & Architecture
Matterport (2011, Mountain View, $56M) – Develops iPad controlled camera to create 3D models of physical objects and interior spaces. Backed by YC, Qualcomm Ventures & Felicis Ventures.
IrisVR (2014, NYC, $10M) – Developer of tools to view 3D files in virtual reality. Backed by Emergence Capital, Indicator Ventures, and others.
Applications – Retail
InContext Solutions (2009, Chicago, $36M) – VR solutions for in-store simulation. Backed by Intel Capital, Beringea, Plymouth Ventures.
Marxent Labs (2011, Dayton, $13M) – Develops AR and VR applications for sales and marketing. Backed by Detroit Venture Partners and Stage 1 Ventures.
Applications – Entertainment
Two Bit Circus (2012, LA, $21.5M) – Develops location based immersive entertainment. Backed by JAZZ Venture Partners, Foundry Group, Intel Capital, and others.
SPACES (2016, LA, $9.5M) – Provides VR solutions to theme parks. Backed by Songcheng Performance Development, Comcast Ventures, and others.
Zero Latency (2014, Melbourne, $8M) – Free-roam Virtual Reality developer, operator, licensor. Backed by Carthona Capital, Thorney Investment Group, and others.
Applications – Social
High Fidelity (2013, SF, $39.5M) – Builds Open Source software for building deployable virtual worlds. Backed by Google Ventures, Kapor Capital, Linden Lab, True Ventures and Vulcan Capital.
Linden Lab (1999, SF, $19M) – Develops digital entertainment that inspires users to create virtual objects, share and socialize. Backed by Benchmark, Catamount Ventures, Omidyar, and others.
AltspaceVR (2013, Redwood City, $16M) – A social platform for virtual reality, for users to connect in virtual spaces. Backed by Tencent, Comcast Ventures, Dolby Family Ventures, Raine Ventures and Lux Capital.
Leaderboard includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
For latest update, visit Virtual Reality feed.