For specialist virtual reality (VR) studios, securing investment is as important as making immersive content because the industry is so nascent. Today Swiss developer Kenzan Studios announced the completion of a Series A financing round, securing the company an investment of 5 million Swiss francs (CHF).
With the round’s successful completion, Kenzan Studios will use the investment to expand its in-house development team – currently 30 people – alongside conducting further R&D into VR and augmented reality (AR) technology.
“Kenzan’s Vision is to set the highest quality standards in the VR Entertainment Industry. The success in securing Series A funding will allow us to focus on constant R&D, forward-thinking creative forces, and to take utmost care on what makes a VR & AR experience truly immersive,” said Kenzan Studios CEO Ronny Tobler in a statement. “Even as experimental as VR, AR and MR are or were, we envision the tremendous potential as a way to enhance, escape or explain.”
Kenzan Studios’ The Fantastic Voyages of Teo and Leonie is currently the major VR project in development, a TV series following two young children from the early 20th century who suddenly find themselves in the middle of the Renaissance. Combining both traditional animation and real-time rendering with Unreal Engine 4, the studio was a recent recipient of Epic Games’ Unreal Development Grant.
“Since 2006 we have been building experiences for global brands and beginning in 2013, we decided to take advantage of all our technical and creative skills to develop our own IP. Among them, The Fantastic Journeys of Teo & Leonie and a soon to be released large scale local multiplayer VR experience,” commented Pascal Conicella, Kenzan Founder & Director Creative Thinking.
The funding round was led by InvestVR, through its global investor network including two Swiss technology investors. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Kenzan Studios, and all the latest VR investments from around the world.