Manchester-based Virtual Reality company Immotion has secured an additional £500,000 of investment.
The Series B funding, from London-listed Sure Ventures PLC, will be used to accelerate the rollout of its VR Cinema pods, as well as the development of additional immersive experiences.
Founded by experienced technology and media entrepreneurs Martin Higginson and David Marks, Immotion also finalised a £1.3m investment from a range of strategic investors in December.
The Immotion VR cinema pods are being rolled out under the company’s retail brand, VR Star, as well as through a range of concession partners. VR Star currently operates in Bristol, with plans to open in Swindon, Cardiff, Manchester, Middlesbrough and Wakefield.
The pods have also been used by concession partner Genting Resorts World, and Immotion’s content was used by Yorkshire Museum’s Jurassic World exhibition.
Martin Higginson, executive chairman, said: “We’re delighted to secure this funding from Sure Ventures, who share our excitement in the enormous potential of the out-of-home VR experiences market.
“We believe our out-of-home experiences will allow people of all ages to experience the full immersive thrill of VR, including movement, in a safe and fun way.
“We have seen what is needed to deliver a great experience. Our VR Cinema Pods engage all the senses by combining sight, sound and motion, along with premium content from our own award-winning studios, allowing us to help users genuinely escape reality.”
Manchester CGI creative house Studio Liddell was bought by Immotion Group in January.
