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Tech

Irish VR company opens in Gateshead's Proto in first step of º£½ÇÊÓÆµ expansion plans

The company is creating 10 jobs in Gateshead

Tech firms are able to access high tech equipment at Gateshead's Proto(Image: Ubisoft)

An Irish VR company is opening an office in Gateshead in the first part of its plans to expand across Britain.

VRAI - which is headquartered in Dublin and specialises in creating virtual reality simulations that can be used to train people who work in high hazard environments - is opening its first office in Britain at Gateshead’s Proto centre.

The company, whose customers include the IAG in Heathrow Airport, the United Nations in Somalia, and a Fortune 500 pharamceuticals company, employs 15 people at its Irish headquarters but plans to build a 10-strong team at its new Gateshead office by the end of 2021.

Pat O’Connor, co-founder of VRAI, said: “Opening an office in the North East of England ensures that we can continue to work closely with our º£½ÇÊÓÆµ customers, it enables us to attract talent in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s only immersive technology cluster and to continue our growth in providing data driven VR simulation to organisations whose activities are Risky, Remote or Rare.”

Gateshead’s Proto centre has fast become a hub for digital and VR companies and has worked to boots the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s immersive technology cluster.

The launch of VRAI’s new office comes after it received €1.2m in funding from private investors. It has also received support from Enterprise Ireland, an organisation that supports export focus and growth for Irish companies.

Commenting on VRAI’s expansion into the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ, Paul Johnston, the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Ambassador to Ireland, said: “VRAI’s commitment to investing in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ is a culmination of the Embassy’s active engagement in recent years with Irish early-stage immersive tech and disruptive technology companies.

“VRAI’s commitment to the North East, a region with longstanding manufacturing strengths and cutting-edge immersive technology leadership, is significant. The North East is an ideal investment location for immersive technology applications and this investment underscores the importance of the Government’s levelling up agenda.”