Investment group Mercia Technologies is partnering with Digital Catapult’s Augmentor programme to support early stage immersive technology companies from across the UK regions.
The ten-week programme, starting in June 2018, will help advance the next generation of virtual and augmented reality technology companies by providing technical and business mentorship from industry partners, experts and investors, including Mercia.
Mercia is an active investor in the immersive technology sector having made investments in nDreams, an interactive entertainment developer, Gorilla in the Room, an immersive technology tools company for the market research sector, and Newcastle-based Luminous Group, specialists in 3D digital technology in the architecture and construction industries.
“Augmentor provides a fantastic platform for emerging virtual and augmented reality companies to further grow and develop their businesses,” said Mercia investment manager Chris Kilroy (pictured).
“We’re delighted to announce our partnership with Augmentor and we’re looking forward to working with the Digital Catapult team to find and support the most ambitious entrepreneurs operating within the sector across the UK.”
Augmentor provides a platform for early-stage companies in the sector to successfully develop their proposition in advance of raising seed investment.
The programme is particularly relevant to companies that are building innovative and commercially-focused applications of augmented and virtual reality in areas such as digital health, digital manufacturing and the creative industries.
Its head of immersive Aurelien Simon said: “Augmentor is a crucial support programme for the UK’s early-stage businesses working on immersive technology.
“The programme is gathering some of the best businesses across the UK, offering them access to key partners, mentors and investors.
“The partnership with Mercia was critical to the great impact of this programme in its first year and we’re incredibly pleased to see them joining us again for the second year.”
The deadline for companies to apply for the programme is 23 May 2018.