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Sure Ventures looks to “significant growth potential” in VR/AR, fintech, and IoT sectors

Published: 14:27 21 Mar 2019 GMT

Augmented Reality on phone
In March 2019, Sure Venture's sub-fund Suir Valley participated in a €3.3mln funding round to help portfolio game firm WarDucks develop an augmented reality mobile game

• Investment fund focusing on companies in Augmented/Virtual Reality, FinTech and the Internet of Things

• Operates sub-fund Suir Valley Ventures

• Current portfolio of nine companies

 

What Sure Ventures does

Sure Ventures PLC (LON:SURE) is an investment fund orientated towards early-stage technology companies.

The firm focuses its investments in three main sectors: augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) technology, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Financial Technology (FinTech).

READ: Sure Ventures’ Suir Valley fund backs gaming firm WarDucks in development of new AR game

Sure Ventures also centres its strategy around areas of “significant growth potential” over the next five years, with the AR/VR market alone expected to be worth US$108bn by 2020.

The group also operates a sub-fund, Suir Valley Ventures, in which it holds a 22.167% stake.

What Sure Ventures owns

Through Suir Valley and its direct investments, Sure’s portfolio consists of nine companies:

1. VR Education Holdings PLC (LON:VRE) – A VR/AR firm the develops the ENGAGE platform, a VR tool used to create virtual classrooms or training environments that can be used to remotely connect learners or enhance visual learnings. VRE also develops ‘showcase’ experiences such as Apollo 11 VR and Titanic VR

2. WarDucks – VR/AR games studio whose games have already been released on multiple VR platforms including PlayStationVR and Samsung Gear VR

3. Wia – IoT group that helps businesses connect and integrate applications through the online cloud

4. ProVision – Developer of IoT fleet management systems designed for businesses to track their vehicles and relevant data

5. NDRC Arc Labs – A research and innovation centre based out of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland, Arc acts as an accelerator for entrepreneurs to commercialise concepts. Sure Ventures is expecting the accelerator to produce 30 companies in its focus sectors over the next two years

6. Artomatix – Developer of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered software that reduces the time needed to create 3D art. It aims to operate in the computer graphics industry which is scheduled to grow to US$212bn by the end of 2023

7. Nova Leah – Develops cybersecurity systems for interconnected medical devices and data

8. Immotion Group PLC (LON:IMMO) – A Manchester-based firm that specialises in VR cinema pods, devices that immerse users in the VR experience by adding motion and enhanced sound. Sure Ventures directly invested £500,000 in Immotion in February 2018 before it listed on the AIM market in July

9. Admix – AR/VR firm that focuses on integrating non-intrusive advertising into VR/AR and gaming content

Inflexion points

• In March 2019, Suir Valley backed WarDucks in a €3.3mln funding round for the development of a mobile AR game

• In its first half results in December, Sure Ventures achieved a net asset value total return of 10.29% in the six months to September 30, compared to -7.88% the year before

• In November, Sure invested US$500,000 into Admix

With shares trading at around 99p as of 21 March 2019, Sure has a market cap of £4.52mln.

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