Some people are somewhat surprised to hear that the biggest hub of VR companies in Europe is in the North East of England. They shouldn’t be, as the region has been home to a very strong games and tech development community since the mid 1980’s. From this legacy and their willingness to share ideas and collaborate, VRTGO Labs has grown with the support of Gateshead Council.
So what is VRTGO labs?
It is a co-working space, a network and a focal point for businesses looking to source a VR company. There are currently 26 regional VR and MR companies, who are working across games, automobile, aeronautic, offshore, retail, manufacturing, marketing, healthcare and training.
The region is also home to VRTGO an expo and conference that first emerged back in 2014 and was one of the first VR events in Europe. This event attracts international visionaries and new cutting edge tech demos.
Associates are working on cutting edge VR and AR technology and working with leading brands such as Boursin, Audi, Jaguar Landrover, PlayStation, Marvel, Oculus and many others.
VRTGO Labs officially launched on 6th July 2016 and is the first industry led centre of excellence in Europe. The launch event outlined the Labs vision for the future, as well as giving attendees the chance to try out demos from Coatsink, Vector 76, Animmersion, Wolf and Wood, Luminous Group and Spearhead Interactive.
The Labs will be hoping to attract investors, researchers, industry and other networks across the world to ensure VRTGO Labs companies are ahead of the game.
VRTGO Labs include CCP Games and Coatsink Games, Atomhawk, Wolf and Wood and serious companies such as Zerolight and Hammerhead Interactive who are working with car makers and marketing agencies. It is also home to the only Oculus office outside of London.
CEO Tom Beardsmore of Coatslink, based in Sunderland said: “We love being involved with the VRTGO labs. It’s great to be a part of a community of Virtual Reality developers and enthusiasts, who give VR a large presence in the North East.”
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