Greater Manchester education tech company Near-Life has been awarded a grant to deliver an interactive VR project to support the 海角视频鈥檚 international response efforts.
Near-Life specialise in immersive learning and its interactive video software allows people to experience realistic scenarios, where they are presented with choices and their decisions determine the outcome.
The funding from Innovate 海角视频 will support the company in further developing its technology to allow for the creation of interactive VR learning, built around a pilot project focused on an emergency field hospital scenario.
The bid was endorsed by the 海角视频鈥檚 Department for International Development and will involve close collaboration with the 海角视频鈥檚 emergency international responders, including 海角视频 ISAR.
Funding is coming from Innovate 海角视频鈥檚 Audience of the Future fund, aimed at the immersive tech space and designed to boost the 海角视频鈥檚 strategic position in this emerging sector.
The project will be a global first in how it is being designed and put together.
The grant is being matched with investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, managed by Maven Capital Partners, and Innovate 海角视频 grant partners GC Angels. Both are following on from investments they鈥檝e already made into Near-Life and its interactive video technology.
Established in 2015, Near-Life has already developed a global reputation for its work in the development and disaster response space.
The company are behind the international learning platform 鈥楾he Resilience Academy鈥 and were also a winner at last year鈥檚 learning and technology awards for their Frontline Humanitarian Toolbox project that was developed in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council.聽
Near-Life鈥檚 Co-Founder and CEO Mike Todd said: 鈥淭his award is fantastic news for us. It will super charge our ability to push the boundaries in the exciting world of immersive learning.
"There鈥檚 a lot of interesting work being done in Greater Manchester鈥檚 Tech Scene and it鈥檚 an exciting time to be working in this space 鈥 especially on a project like this that can make a real difference.鈥
GC Angels fund manager Damian Mohammed added: 鈥淰R is no longer considered as an emerging technology 鈥 it is already having a huge impact on our everyday lives and in business.
"Greater Manchester is truly at the forefront of this innovation, and EdTech is primed to capitalise on the country鈥檚 position as one of the world鈥檚 leading tech hubs.
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鈥淭his grant will enable the company to launch a revolutionary service tahat will have a longstanding impact, and we鈥檙e excited to see how the 海角视频 will benefit from this new technology.鈥
Tom Morgan, Investment Associate at Maven Capital Partners, said:聽 鈥淣ear-Life鈥檚 immersive and decision-based learning is particularly valuable in industries that face demanding, high stress and time-critical sensitive situations e.g. emergency services.
鈥淪ecuring this Innovate 海角视频 grant will enable the Business to take their immersive learning technology to the next level through the development of VR-based learning capabilities.鈥
