RETìníZE selected to join Digital Catapult’s Augmentor acceleration programme

Posted on: 14-10-2020

RETìníZE is one of ten innovative start-ups that has been selected from the UK’s immersive community to join the fourth edition of Digital Catapult’s Augmentor programme, securing the opportunity to work with leading industry and investor mentors to further develop their commercially focused immersive applications and get ready for fundraising.

RETìníZE is an award-winning immersive content studio based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, that specializes in the creation of cutting edge immersive VR content as well as interactive and geolocative AR applications. Whilst continuing to grow the immersive production side of the business, RETìníZE’s R&D team is currently developing an innovative, fast-turnaround animation software product that utilises immersive technologies.

The diverse group of small businesses target a wide range of sectors from luxury fashion retail, to entertainment and heavy industry, all of which can be positively impacted by the use of immersive technology in particular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost half of the companies in this year’s cohort are female founded or female led businesses, and the combined strength of the teams clearly demonstrates the breadth of UK immersive talent which has wide ranging, tangible business benefits for multiple industries. 27 companies have taken part in the Augmentor programme over the previous three years and, the majority of which have not previously raised investment, have raised a combined total of more than £6.7 million.

For more information about the teams, click HERE.

Jessica Driscoll, Head of Technology – Immersive at Digital Catapult, said: “At a time when access to entertainment venues is restricted, online shopping has soared, and remote collaboration for work is more important than ever before as many of us remain working from home for the foreseeable future, this year’s Augmentor cohort are providing innovative, commercially viable solutions to issues that are important to us all. What’s more, because Augmentor has always been about bringing investors and industry along for the journey, the teams see tangible results, from business support all the way to investment. We’ll be watching the next three months very closely and look forward to seeing the results.”

Throughout the pandemic, Digital Catapult has supported the start-up community by bringing investors and commercial partners to help accelerate investment in immersive technologies, and as the UK economy begins to recover, by partnering with some of the world’s leading investment funds on Augmentor, including HTC Vive, Remagine Ventures, MMC Ventures, Ascension Ventures and more.

Chris Kilroy, Investment Director at Mercia Asset Management PLCt is an investor partner on Augmentor, commented: “Augmentor provides a great platform for early-stage companies across the immersive technology ecosystem to access and build relationships with a broad range of industry experts, partners and investors. As a direct result of our partnership with Augmentor, Mercia has been able to find and lead an investment round into a great business from the programme’s most recent cohort. We’re looking forward to supporting the Digital Catapult team as they continue to grow and develop Augmentor moving forward.”

Nelly Lavielle from Bethnal Green Ventures, an investment mentor on Augmentor said: “It was an absolute pleasure to mentor the Head Set team (previously known as Also Known As) during the Augmentor programme. What founders Aela and Kate are building has so much potential. We were so impressed with Head Set that we actually ended up investing in the team, who are now part of our portfolio of incredible startups using technology to solve big social and environmental problems.”

Starting this week, the companies begin a 12-week programme to prepare their business for the next stage of its growth journey, to develop and adapt their business model, understand better how to better attract financing to help the business to scale, and to meet and learn from leading industry mentors and investors who could hold the key to unlocking their potential and future growth opportunities.

Find out more about Digital Catapult’s Augmentor programme here.