VividQ raises £11m to turn any surface into a hologram

1 Jul 2021

Image: VividQ

Sure Valley Ventures has backed VividQ again as the start-up turns its attention to the Asia Pacific market and grows its team.

British deep-tech start-up VividQ has raised £11m, with Irish VC Sure Valley Ventures investing.

The firm, which has a particular focus on deep-technology and software start-ups, has invested £1.5m as part of the £11m round that was led by UTokyo IPC, the investment division of the University of Tokyo.

Several other investors took part, including Foresight Williams Technology, Miyako Capital, Apex Ventures, R42 Group, University of Tokyo Edge Capital and Essex Innovation.

The Cambridge start-up, which has now raised a total of £17m, is working on computer-generated holography. It is developing HoloLCD, which turns any consumer-grade screen into a 3D holographic display.

VividQ creates both software and hardware, and its tech is being integrated in devices made by manufacturers in the US, China and Japan. Some of its use cases include head-up displays in cars and integrations with smart glasses.

“At VividQ, we are on a mission to bring holographic displays to the world for the first time,” chief executive Darran Milne said. “Our solutions help bring innovative display products to the automotive industry, improve AR experiences, and soon will change how we interact with personal devices, from laptops to mobiles.”

VividQ’s team is spread across bases in Cambridge and London. It plans to the grow the team from 36 to 70 over the next two years in engineering, product and customer support. It will be focusing much of its attention on the Asia Pacific market, where it has seen steady uptake of its tech.

For Sure Valley Ventures, the investment in a holography start-up fits in with its strategy of backing AR companies.

“Our strategy at Sure Valley Ventures is to invest early in cutting-edge technology companies and this high-growth opportunity in both the global display and AR market continues to be extremely attractive to our investors,” managing partner Barry Downes said.

Jonathan Keane is a freelance business and technology journalist based in Dublin

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