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Andreessen Horowitz gets behind London VR startup Improbable Andreessen Horowitz gets behind London VR startup Improbable
(35 minutes later)
Andreessen Horowitz, the US venture capital firm that backed Facebook and Twitter, has invested $20m (£13m) in a startup creating virtual reality from London’s silicon roundabout. Andreessen Horowitz, the US venture capital firm that backed Facebook and Twitter, has invested $20m (£13m) in a startup creating virtual reality from London’s “silicon roundabout” area.
Improbable was founded three years ago by a group of computer science graduates from Cambridge, led by Herman Narula.Improbable was founded three years ago by a group of computer science graduates from Cambridge, led by Herman Narula.
It aims to use the computing power of multiple servers to create worlds where every player can leave a permanent mark on the environment, in a way that can be seen immediately by other players.It aims to use the computing power of multiple servers to create worlds where every player can leave a permanent mark on the environment, in a way that can be seen immediately by other players.
Chris Dixon, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, will join Improbable’s board as a director. Dixon led his firm’s investment in a $75m funding round for Oculus Rift, a maker of virtual reality headsets, which three months later was sold to Facebook for $2 billion. Chris Dixon, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, will join Improbable’s board as a director. Dixon led his firm’s investment in a $75m funding round for Oculus Rift, a maker of virtual reality headsets, which three months later was sold to Facebook for $2bn.
The Improbable team, based in the Tech City area of East London, describes its software as a “spatial operating system” for simulated reality which games designers can use to develop their own worlds. The technology may also have commercial applications in fields requiring complex models, such as biology, economics, finance, town planning, transport and military training. The Improbable team, based in the Tech City area in Shoreditch, east London, describes its software as a “spatial operating system” for simulated reality which games designers can use to develop their own worlds. The technology may also have commercial applications in fields requiring complex models, such as biology, economics, finance, town planning, transport and military training.
The worlds created will be able to manage multiple layers of cause and effect – an explosion in one player’s game could cause a shipping container to fall out of the sky into another player’s landscape.The worlds created will be able to manage multiple layers of cause and effect – an explosion in one player’s game could cause a shipping container to fall out of the sky into another player’s landscape.
Announcing the investment, Improbable’s blog said its mission was to help games developers by “making it financially viable and easy to build simulated worlds”. “This is significant because the worlds we want to see people build and explore won’t be possible if creating them takes decades or enormous sums of money.”Announcing the investment, Improbable’s blog said its mission was to help games developers by “making it financially viable and easy to build simulated worlds”. “This is significant because the worlds we want to see people build and explore won’t be possible if creating them takes decades or enormous sums of money.”
In a post published on Tuesday, Dixon explained how Improbable’s technology works: “Developers who use Improbable can write code as if it will run on only one machine ... Improbable automatically distributes their code across hundreds or even thousands of machines, which then work together to create a seamlessly integrated, simulated world.”In a post published on Tuesday, Dixon explained how Improbable’s technology works: “Developers who use Improbable can write code as if it will run on only one machine ... Improbable automatically distributes their code across hundreds or even thousands of machines, which then work together to create a seamlessly integrated, simulated world.”
Improbable’s funding so far has come from its founder’s family. Narula is the son of billionaire Indian construction magnate Harpinder Singh Narula, and his startup employs 50 people recruited from Google, Facebook, Goldman Sachs and games studios Lionhead and Ubisoft. The new funding is reported to value Improbable at about $100m.Improbable’s funding so far has come from its founder’s family. Narula is the son of billionaire Indian construction magnate Harpinder Singh Narula, and his startup employs 50 people recruited from Google, Facebook, Goldman Sachs and games studios Lionhead and Ubisoft. The new funding is reported to value Improbable at about $100m.