Finance and investment directory for immersive tech firms launched

Posted on: 25/10/2017

Directory to help firms developing immersive technology to find the right funding and investment organisations to meet their needs.

126…and counting. That’s the number of grant funders, lenders and investors we have already identified as providers of finance and investment to businesses in the immersive technologies sector. And rather than you spending hours researching these opportunities on the internet, we have compiled all of these sources into a single document. Introducing the Immerse UK Finance and Investment Directory!

The directory, commissioned by KTN and Immerse UK, contains both public and private funding sources. It aims to assist UK businesses developing immersive technology and content innovations to find the right funding and investment organisations to meet their needs and which suit their product life-cycle and company stages.

Photo galleries are not available for content from the previous KTN website: we apologise for this.

Public funding sources

A variety of public funds are available for UK businesses developing immersive technology innovations and content – ranging from grant funding schemes to loan finance and government tax relief schemes. Public funding schemes and support are categorised into four areas:

  • UK Grant Funding.¬†National and regional competitive, cost-recovery based grant schemes available for R&D, innovation, skills and business growth.
  • European Grant Funding.¬†Pan European competitive, cost-recovery based grant schemes open to UK based businesses for R&D, innovation, skills and business growth.
  • UK Investment support.¬†Major sources of debt and equity finance and tax relief and capital allowance schemes available to UK based business.
  • European Investment support.¬†Major sources of debt and equity finance and tax relief schemes available to UK based business.

Private capital sources

Providers of private sector capital span an array of organisations, ranging from those specifically targeting start-ups to ones focused only on later stage equity deals for high growth ventures. The directory lists private capital providers with a declared interest in funding UK immersive technology innovations with four categories:

  • Accelerators.¬†Time limited support programmes, open by application, offering pre-seed and seed investment together with mentorship programmes, business training and technology advice.
  • Angel investor networks.¬†Pre-seed and seed funding, typically ranging from ¬£100k to ¬£1m for technical development and market entry, accompanied by strategic advice and mentoring.
  • Corporate Venture Capital firms.¬†Multi-national corporations that have created specific entities to invest in, develop and take equity stakes in smaller companies.
  • Venture Capital funds.¬†Funds managing money from investors seeking equity stakes in companies with strong growth potential. Characterised by higher investment levels (¬£1m+) for higher returns, with some exceptions, VC funds tend to focus on later stage deals.

ACCESS THE DIRECTORY

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