Immersive content studio HERE BE DRAGONS has today announced the closure of a $10 million USD series A funding round to help expand its virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) productions.
The round was led by Discovery Communications Inc., with additional participation from David Droga, creative chairman and founder of Droga5; and David Jones, founder of You & Mr. Jones.
The studio will use the investment to expand its award-winning team, creative services and ideation. As part of the equity round, Rebecca Howard, SVP Emerging Platforms and Partnerships, Discovery Communications, will join the HERE BE DRAGONS board of directors.
“With a strong presence in the entertainment industry and a reputation for being on the cutting-edge of technology, Discovery is an ideal lead for us – one that shares our vision for the future,” said Patrick Milling-Smith, CEO and managing partner of HERE BE DRAGONS. “This investment will help to further broaden our creative and technological offerings – from creative ideation through production and post – while we continue to innovate and produce experiences that push the boundaries of what next-generation immersive storytelling is capable of.”
“Discovery and Here Be Dragons share a passion for creating thrilling, cutting-edge content that takes viewers places they never thought possible,” said Karen Leever, executive vice president and general manager, Discovery Digital. “We look forward to what comes next from the incredibly talented team at Here Be Dragons.”
HERE BE DRAGONS recent projects have included Dispatch, which premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival, while previous award-winning projects this year include Tree at Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival, The Protectors: Walk in the Ranger’s Shoes, The Last Goodbye, The Possible and Sessions: The Legion Mixed Reality Experience.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of HERE BE DRAGONS, reporting back with the latest updates.