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Tag: VR

One month on – Investors motion towards Immotion

Posted on by shardadmin

There was much hype in the lead up to the much-anticipated IPO of Immotion Group, and now post their July 12 listing, there is still a buzz with their positive performance one month on.  An oversubscribed placing prior to IPO gave promise to the company and reiterated the demand from the retail investor market for access to early stage companies in the flourishing tech sector.

 

The VR and AR market in recent years has seen exponential growth in gaming and retail space, and in more recent times, with training and education. However, it’s Immotion’s cutting edge fully immersive experiences that are redefining the classic gaming arcades and bringing people back out of their home, driving footfall to shopping centres and giving life back to family entertainment centres.

Whilst content is powering the global VR market, Immotion’s unique offering will be an integral part to the company’s success. With an experienced management team in place, it is evident that Immotion’s offering of a full-service business model ticks every box with manufacturing, content development and performance analysis all managed from one central source.

In addition, the four key channels to market allow multiple avenues for opportunity with sales, partnership, turnkey and commercial entertainment solutions available.

At the time of their IPO, Immotion announced a market cap of £23mil, however since their 12 July listing, the share price has skyrocketed by ~40% and now sits at 14.5p (as of 7 August 2018), with an estimated market cap of £28.2mil.

Within the UK, the virtual reality market is expected to grow at a faster rate than any other entertainment and media industry in EMEA, with PWC forecasting a value of £801mil by 2021. Ownership of dedicated VR headsets alone are set to hit 3 million at the same time, with an additional 12 million smartphone devices being utilised for VR experiences.

The future is bright for the Manchester based company, last month announcing a second instalment of their state of the art experience pods at Merlin Entertainments’ owned Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester. The second such instalment after their initial debut at Legoland in Boston in early June.

Immotion have created The Great Lego Race, an experience that engages all the senses; combining sight, sound and motion. The virtual escape takes racers on an adventure across the Rocky Mountains, rolling rivers and hot lava, leading them to new discoveries.

From diving underwater, taking a mission in to space, riding a ghost train or exploring a dragon filled fantasy island, the immersive experiences offered by Immotion provide an experience for anyone at any age.  With over 40 years’ experience in the team behind Immotion, the content is being continuously developed and utilising home-grown talent, driving innovation and technology within the UK.

Post IPO, Rob Wiegold from Shard Capital Stockbrokers commented, “The demand we saw in the IPO was significant and this to us highlights the appetite from both institutional and retail investors to get exposure to this fast moving sector. We are starting see the relationship between Immotion and Merlin develop and we would hope there are more deals like this on the horizon.”

For more information on Immotion Group, please contact Shard Capital Stockbrokers on 0207 186 9950 / scsb@shardcapital.com

 

Sources:

https://www.pwc.co.uk/entertainment-media/assets/assets-2018/PwC-Outlook-Perspectives.pdf

 

Important Investment Information: The views above are published solely for information purposes and are not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities, or related financial instruments. It does not constitute advice or a personal recommendation as defined by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) or take into account the particular investment objectives, financial situations or needs of individual investors. These views are based on public information and sources considered reliable. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Yields are variable and not guaranteed. Investments can fall as well as rise, therefore you could get back less than you invest. If you are unsure about the appropriateness of an investment for your circumstances please seek independent financial advice. Investors should form their own view on any proposed investment. This publication has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is considered a marketing communication. Figures correct as at 7 August 2018 unless otherwise stated. This publication is issued by Shard Capital Partners LLP, 20 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BY United Kingdom who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

One week on – Investors motion towards Immotion

Posted on by shardadmin

There was much hype in the lead up to the much-anticipated IPO of Immotion Group, and now post their July 12 listing, there is still a buzz with their positive performance one week on.  An oversubscribed placing prior to IPO gave promise to the company and reiterated the demand from the retail investor market for access to early stage companies in the flourishing tech sector.

 

The VR and AR market in recent years has seen exponential growth in gaming and retail space, and in more recent times, with training and education. However, it’s Immotion’s cutting edge fully immersive experiences that are redefining the classic gaming arcades and bringing people back out of their home, driving footfall to shopping centres and giving life back to family entertainment centres.

Whilst content is powering the global VR market, Immotion’s unique offering will be an integral part to the company’s success. With an experienced management team in place, it is evident that Immotion’s offering of a full-service business model ticks every box with manufacturing, content development and performance analysis all managed from one central source.

In addition, the four key channels to market allow multiple avenues for opportunity with sales, partnership, turnkey and commercial entertainment solutions available.

At the time of their IPO, Immotion announced a market cap of £23mil, however since their 12 July listing, the share price has skyrocketed by ~40% and now sits at 14p (as of 27 July 2018).

Within the UK, the virtual reality market is expected to grow at a faster rate than any other entertainment and media industry in EMEA, with PWC forecasting a value of £801mil by 2021. Ownership of dedicated VR headsets alone are set to hit 3 million at the same time, with an additional 12 million smartphone devices being utilised for VR experiences.

The future is bright for the Manchester based company, this week announcing a second instalment of their state of the art experience pods at Merlin Entertainments’ owned Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester. The second such instalment after their initial debut at Legoland in Boston in early June.

Immotion have created The Great Lego Race, an experience that engages all the senses; combining sight, sound and motion. The virtual escape takes racers on an adventure across the Rocky Mountains, rolling rivers and hot lava, leading them to new discoveries.

From diving underwater, taking a mission in to space, riding a ghost train or exploring a dragon filled fantasy island, the immersive experiences offered by Immotion provide an experience for anyone at any age.  With over 40 years’ experience in the team behind Immotion, the content is being continuously developed and utilising home-grown talent, driving innovation and technology within the UK.

Post IPO, Rob Wiegold from Shard Capital Stockbrokers commented, “The demand we saw in the IPO was significant and this to us highlights the appetite from both institutional and retail investors to get exposure to this fast moving sector. We are starting see the relationship between Immotion and Merlin develop and we would hope there are more deals like this on the horizon.”

For more information on Immotion Group, please contact Shard Capital Stockbrokers on 0207 186 9950 / scsb@shardcapital.com

 

Sources:

https://www.pwc.co.uk/entertainment-media/assets/assets-2018/PwC-Outlook-Perspectives.pdf

 

Important Investment Information: The views above are published solely for information purposes and are not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities, or related financial instruments. It does not constitute advice or a personal recommendation as defined by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) or take into account the particular investment objectives, financial situations or needs of individual investors. These views are based on public information and sources considered reliable. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Yields are variable and not guaranteed. Investments can fall as well as rise, therefore you could get back less than you invest. If you are unsure about the appropriateness of an investment for your circumstances please seek independent financial advice. Investors should form their own view on any proposed investment. This publication has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is considered a marketing communication. Figures correct as at 27 July 2018 unless otherwise stated. This publication is issued by Shard Capital Partners LLP, 20 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BY United Kingdom who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Immotion Group PLC – Partnership with LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester

Posted on by shardadmin

Immotion Group Plc (“Immotion Group” or the “Group”), the UK-based immersive virtual reality (“VR”) ‘Out of Home’ entertainment business, is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Merlin Entertainments’ owned LEGOLAND®  Discovery Centre Manchester.

Immotion has provided the multi-sensory VR experience pod and the content for The Great Lego Race®. The attraction is the second of its kind in the world, with Immotion first installing the experience at LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Boston, USA.

The exclusive 360-degree attraction, designed for guests six-years-old and above, engages all the senses, combining sight, sound and motion for the ultimate escape. Racers will enter the virtual world for two and half minutes, venturing across Rocky Mountains, rolling rivers and hot lava, with each experience leading to exciting new discoveries.

Martin Higginson, Executive Chairman of Immotion, said: “LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre in Manchester is part of a massively popular worldwide brand, and we are excited about delivering this specially created VR experience in the UK, after successfully launching it with them in the US. 

“It demonstrates the kind of high-quality bespoke VR experiences we can develop on behalf of our partners.

“We are proud of the immersive technology behind the pod and we believe it will boost the great family fun already on offer. This is one of Immotion’s highest-profile VR experiences so far and shows that out-of-home VR is increasingly becoming a major part of the worldwide attractions and experiences industry.”

Jenn McDonough, General Manager, Manchester Cluster, Merlin Entertainments, said: “We’re thrilled to be the first location in the UK to offer this amazing experience. We were the first LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre in the UK, and remain the largest, so it is fitting that we are spearheading this entirely new concept. It’s incredibly exciting to be a part of, and I’m certain our Lego fans are going to love it!”

 

Enquiries:

Immotion Group

Martin Higginson

Tel: +44 (0) 161 235 8505

WH Ireland Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker)

Adrian Hadden

Jessica Cave

Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666

Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Broker)

Damon Heath

Erik Woolgar

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7186 9900

Redleaf Communications (Financial PR)

Elisabeth Cowell

Robin Tozer

Ian Silvera

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3757 6880

Immotion@redleafpr.com

 

Media Contacts for LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester:

Rule 5

Sophie Charlesworth

firstnname@rule-5.co.uk

Lizzie Parr

0161 660 3701

 

About Immotion Group

Immotion Group, co-founded by Martin Higginson and David Marks in 2017, generates revenues through the delivery of high quality “state of the art” VR experiences, combined with cutting edge motion platforms to consumers at an affordable price point through a range of routes:

·     Sales – sale of VR Motion Platforms to Leisure and Entertainment operators provide the opportunity for the operator to drive substantial ancillary revenues

·     Concession partners – currently installed at Merlin Entertainments’ LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre in Boston, USA and Genting Resorts World in Birmingham, with further sites under agreement – this channel provides an opportunity for its partners to earn ancillary revenues, as well as providing an exciting additional attraction to their facilities

·     Owned and franchised outlets, trading as Immotion VR, located in high footfall shopping centres – first retail store in Bristol (opened in December) has seen growing revenues, and has enjoyed 100% 5* reviews on TripAdvisor

 

About MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS plc

MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS plc is the leading name in location-based, family entertainment. Europe’s Number 1 and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates 109 attractions, 12 hotels/4 holiday villages in 23 countries and across 4 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its almost 63 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and c26,000 employees (peak season). 

Among Merlin’s attractions are – SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, The London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers Resort, Warwick Castle, THORPE PARK Resort, Blackpool Tower, Heide Park Resort, Sydney Tower Eye and SKYWALK.  All brands which are distinctive, challenging and innovative – and which have great potential for growth in the future. Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.

 

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
 

END

Immotion Group IPO as interest in VR continues to skyrocket

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Sure Ventures backed Immotion Group have today listed on AIM after announcing their intent to list officially last week. Immotion Group are striving to become the market leader in ‘out of home’ entertainment, combining best in class Virtual Reality with cutting edge motion platforms to create a unique, fully immersive entertainment experience. The state of the art experiences will be offered to consumers in leisure destinations such as shopping centres and family entertainment centres.

Immotion Group was the first direct investment by the entrepreneur led Venture Capital firm, Sure Ventures in April 2018 who specialise in AR, VR and IoT and is led by Chief Investment Officer, Barry Downes.

Speaking of the IPO, Barry Downes commented “As we know, the VR and AR space is booming, and the market is forecast to grow significantly over the next few years. Immotion Group are pioneers in the industry and, with their unique immersive experience, they’re set to fully transform family, out of home entertainment. The team behind Immotion are a group of true innovators and we don’t see anything slowing them down.”

The full operation of Immotion Group incorporates three key areas – Content Creation, Motion Platforms and Proprietary Content Management Systems which allows the company to continue to evolve and offer fresh, high quality content. Within their content creation, Immotion’s subsidiaries, ‘Studios’ and ‘C2K’ have over 20 years of expertise in computer generated animation. Their historic clients include BBC, Toyota and Warner Brothers.

The unique cinema pod motion platforms from Immotion have been developed in exclusive partnership with a Chinese manufacturer which has enabled Immotion to optimise their hardware design and functionality. Whilst their bespoke Content Management System allows the group to analyse experience statistics on each machine in real time in addition to distributing content.

For investors, the revenue model for Immotion has four key channels to market. 1) Motion Platform Sales which will see distribution throughout Europe, North America and the Middle East. 2) Immotion VR, which Immotion will own and operate platforms in shopping malls and high footfall locations, consumers will pay a small fee for the experience. 3) Concessions, through partnership opportunities with high traffic leisure destination partners. VR content will be tailored to suit the location and revenue will be shared with the concession partner. 4) Turnkey & Commercial Solutions which will see Immotion continue to offer immersive solutions for commercial clients as well as larger turnkey VR solutions.

Speaking of the IPO, Rob Wiegold from Shard Capital Stockbrokers said “This is a very interesting sector and we feel Immotion have the right management team in place to drive this model forward. There has been significant appetite in the IPO from investors and should the company be able to take advantage of their current pipeline, we see it being a very interesting 12-18 months ahead.”

As virtual and augmented realities become more accessible, there’s no surprise that the industry is seeing exponential growth. The VR industry in the UK alone is set to be worth £353.3 million by 2020, up a staggering 390% as the industry was worth just £46.4 million in 2016. Globally, the AR and VR market is set to hit US$547.2 billion by 2024 across software and hardware technologies.[1]

For more information on Immotion Group, please contact Shard Capital Stockbrokers on 0207 186 9950 / scsb@shardcapital.com

 

Sources

  1. Transparency Market Research. 2018. Global Virtual and Augmented Reality Market: Snapshot. [ONLINE] Available at https://www.transperancymarketresearch.com/virtual-augmented-reality-market.html. [Accessed 5 July 2018].

 

Important Investment Information: The views above are published solely for information purposes and are not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities, or related financial instruments. It does not constitute advice or a personal recommendation as defined by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) or take into account the particular investment objectives, financial situations or needs of individual investors. These views are based on public information and sources considered reliable. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Yields are variable and not guaranteed. Investments can fall as well as rise, therefore you could get back less than you invest. If you are unsure about the appropriateness of an investment for your circumstances please seek independent financial advice. Investors should form their own view on any proposed investment. This publication has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is considered a marketing communication. Figures correct as at 5 July 2018 unless otherwise stated. This publication is issued by Shard Capital Partners LLP, 20 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BY United Kingdom who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

“VRE’s commitment to education through VR has built the framework for their success.”

Posted on by shardadmin

VR Education Holdings last week announced a release of Titanic part 2 – one of the company’s showcase experiences, expected August 2018.

The immersive VR experience places users on the world’s most famous ship on the night of the sinking, allowing them to experience the tragic events that lead to the Titanic’s historic sinking. The VR Education experience also allows users to deep dive around the shipwreck as she looks today. Titanic 2 by VR Education will be released on PC, Oculus Rift, HTC vibe and Windows Mixed Reality with a later version to be released on PlayStation VR.

Speaking about the announcement, David Whelan, CEO of VR Education said, “We are delighted with our development progress on Part 2 of Titanic VR and feel we are about to reignite the public’s imagination when it comes to the historic events around the sinking of this world-famous ship. We want to ensure that this experience is the best it can be and this short additional time will allow us to finesse some of the final details that will turn Titanic VR from a great experience to an exceptional one.”

Along with news, VR Education have also announced that its project produced in conjunction with the BBC, titled 1943: Berlin Blitz will be released in Q3 of this year. The most fearless World War II report brings to life the events inside a Lancaster bombing during one of the most well documented missions of World War II and uses original cockpit audio recorded 75 years ago.

Head of Stockbroking at Shard Capital, Gareth Burchell also commented, “VR Education are moving from strength to strength. Their unique educational VR experiences are attracting interest from across the world and their commitment to education through VR has built the framework for their success.”

Ready, set, mass adoption? Virtual Reality full steam ahead

Posted on by shardadmin

In today’s world, Virtual Reality is something you can’t escape. For a long time, we siloed experiences such as VR to gaming, however now everyday people are engaging with VR in their everyday lives. In gaming, travel, real estate and healthcare we are seeing the introduction and revolutionising of VR technologies and before too long, we can expect to see mass adoption.

 

Last week leading Virtual Reality game developer Immotion Group received an additional £500,000 in investment from Venture Capital fund Sure Ventures. Immotion create superior out of home immersive VR experiences and will use the £500,000 funds raised to fast-track the roll-out of its product worldwide and create new content. Immotion Group will next month open their first VR gaming arcade just outside of London.

This week, the momentum for VR continues to strive forward with £20mil in fundraising by EVR Holdings. EVR are one of the leading creators in virtual reality content and the holding company of Melody VR. Melody VR officially launched this week at Facebook’s F8 conference and gives users an immersive music experience, allowing fans to watch performances on their VR headsets with content created from previous live performances, sold-out concerts, festivals and special events. Singer Adele is even said to have invested in the company and EVR has already secured partnerships within the industry with Warner Music, Sony Music and Universal Music.

EVR has already raised £70mil to date and the additional funding will be used to further their global expansion outside of the UK and the US. Speaking about the placing, Anthony Matchett, Executive Chairman and CEO of EVR said, “As we move forward, we are confident that a global roll-out of the Melody VR platform will not only serve to supplement and increase the company’s potential revenue generation capabilities but will also serve to increase content consumption, brand awareness and IP value overall.”  EVR is also set to explore additional immersive technologies outside of VR, such as interactive advertising and augmented reality.

In a further nod to VR, earlier this week UK based VR Education’s multi award winning educational experience Apollo 11 was announced as part of the launch collection of the new Oculus Go; the Facebook owned VR headset.  The all new design with built in speakers, optimised graphics and overall superior quality of the Oculus Go, in addition to its attractive £199 RRP is set to accelerate the introduction of immersive VR experiences into homes and lives of people around the world.

Gareth Burchell, Head of Stockbroking at Shard Capital and appointed broker for VR Education commented, “This week’s announcement is amazing recognition to the superior educational experiences VR Education are creating and introducing at all levels.”

The VR Education Apollo 11 announcement reacted very well on the day with the share price hitting a high of 18.9p (Tuesday 2 May) and closing 35% up on the day. VR Education has a market cap of £28mil after its March 12 (2018) listing on the LSE.

 

For more information on Shard Capital or Sure Ventures, please contact us.

Pixar Animation Studios co-founder appointed advisor to VR Education

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Suir Valley Ventures first investment, VR Education Holdings has today announced the appointment of Mr. Loren Carpenter, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios and Academy Award winner, as an advisor to the company.

 

Speaking about the appointment via the London Stock Exchange, Mr Carpenter said, “I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the meticulous approach VR Education has taken in all of their projects.  It’s refreshing to see such attention to detail and I admire how much the company has achieved from its inception, just three years ago.”

Mr Carpenter offers decades of experience to VR Education including being the co-invention of the Reyes rendering algorithm which is used in 3D computer graphics to render photo-realistic images, and as one of the authors of the PhotoRealistic RenderMan, a software used to render all of Pixar’s movies.

David Whelan, CEO of VR Education, said “We are incredibly pleased to have Loren – a luminary of the industry on board. Having grown Pixar from a small company to a multi-billion-dollar business by the time it was acquired by Disney, his advice will be invaluable to VR Education when we take our next steps. As always, our mission remains to provide world class educational platform and experiences to people across the globe and we’re thrilled that now we have Loren to assist us.”

Pixar Studios is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney company and has been a pioneer in computer-generated animated movies. Pixar launched its first feature film in 1995 with the release of their first feature film, Toy Story. Not only was Toy Story the world’s first computer animated feature film, it was also the highest grossing film of the year making over $362 million worldwide. Pixar’s own IPO took place just days later and was the largest IPO of the year.

Head of Stockbroking at Shard Capital, Gareth Burchell, commented, “The appointment of Mr. Loren Carpenter as an advisor is an outstanding sentiment to the potential for VR Education and their VR experiences revolutionising education. We are extremely impressed with their growth and their future ahead.”

 

Sources:

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/VRE/13596086.html

www.pixar.com

Suir Valley Ventures first investment lists on AIM

Posted on by shardadmin

Suir Valley Ventures, the entrepreneur-led venture capital fund launched in partnership with Shard Capital Partners LLP in February 2017, is pleased to announce that VR Education Holdings (‘VRE’), its first investment made in March last year, listed on AIM today.

VRE is looking to transform education through the utilisation of virtual reality (‘VR’).  It has already won multiple global accolades for its Apollo 11 and Titanic simulations and is working closely with leading institutions including the BBC and Oxford University.  VRE will now prioritise the worldwide roll-out of ENGAGE, its leading digital education platform, providing students, educators and corporate trainers with an amazingly visual and realistic alternative to attending bricks and mortar institutes.

As part of the Admission process, VRE, chaired by Richard Cooper, previously FD of FTSE 250 multinational company, GVC Holdings plc, and led by husband and wife team David and Sandra Whelan, raised £6 million before expenses, through an oversubscribed placing of 60,000,000 new ordinary shares at a placing price of 10p each, implying a market capitalisation of circa £19.3 million on Admission.  Suir retains a 7.22% interest in VRE.

Barry Downes, the CIO of Suir Valley Ventures, said, “This is excellent news; I offer my congratulations to David and Sandra and to the whole VRE team for the terrific job they’ve done, growing the company exponentially in just three short years since its inception. This has been a fantastic investment for the fund; we remain committed to finding similar businesses that utilise the best talent in the AR/VR, IoT and FinTech sectors in the future.”