A Teesside tech firm has secured a Government grant to help it expand work on its innovative virtual events platform.
Animmersion has been given the grant by Innovate UK to further develop its Virtual Interactive Events (VIE) service, which is helping organisations to stage events following the suspension of physical exhibitions and conferences during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Middlesbrough-based immersive technology company will use the funding to create additional features within the virtual platform, which uses to virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to provide companies with virtual meeting spaces and even exhibitions stands and virtual showrooms.
The grant will help Animmersion, which was set up in 2006, to continue development of a range of immersive solutions such as a suite of interactive 3D tools, AR product demonstrators and VR collaborative spaces.
Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the Government, which aims to drive productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas.
The grant scheme was introduced by Innovate UK to enable British businesses to apply for a share of up to £20m to respond to new and urgent needs in UK and global communities during and following the pandemic.
Samuel Harrison, managing director of Animmersion UK, said: “Securing this grant from Innovate UK is a major endorsement of the potential of our Virtual Interactive Events service, which has significant application opportunities across multiple industries.
“With physical events cancelled, domestic and international travel reduced and social distancing becoming a cultural expectation, even when the distance is reduced, immersive and interactive technology can provide a solution.
“We are already seeing a positive reaction from a range of sectors to our VIE service, which is a collaboration of some of our existing immersive capabilities, coupled with new innovations, and am confident that with the support of this grant we will further enhance our offering to meet the requirements of a growing marketplace.”
