Technology developer Rival has emerged from stealth and raised a £3.2m pre-seed round.
The London-based startup is developing tech to enable millions of users to create and share 3D content.
The firm has created a platform that allows users to browse through 3D short-form content in their spatial computing headset, in a similar fashion to how TikTok or Instagram Reels work with conventional videos.
The round was led by Speedinvest, with participation from New Renaissance Ventures and high-profile angels.
The Rival content platform is compatible with Meta Quest headsets and early access is now available to the 2D-3D conversion model.
Support for other headsets, including Apple Vision Pro and Pico, is in progress.
The company has been working on its product since July 2023 and assembled a team of Google, Meta, and Amazon engineers after raising funds in December 2023.
Rival now plans to grow its team with more engineers and expand its presence in the US market.
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“Rival will become the essential infrastructure for the spatial computing era, making 3D creation accessible to millions of everyday users,” said Alexander Oppermann, co-founder and CEO of Rival.
“We’re building a platform that removes technical barriers, enabling a new generation of creators to shape immersive digital experiences. Our technology solves the critical content gap that’s currently limiting the potential of spatial computing.”
Victor Huerbe, principal of Speedinvest’s marketplaces and consumer investment team, added: “Spatial computing is at an inflection point, but the biggest gap is content. Rival is solving this with AI that makes 3D creation effortless, unlocking a whole new wave of immersive experiences.
“Alex, Konrad, and the team move fast, and they’ve quietly built something game-changing.
“We backed them because they’re not just iterating on existing tools, they’re building the foundation for how we’ll create and consume 3D content in the future.”