Condense Reality: Turning Live Sports Into 3‑D Blender‑Recipes
Picture this: you’re binge‑watching a boxing match in your living room, but suddenly the fighters pop out of the TV and look straight at you, surrounded by a holographic ring. That’s the kind of magic Condense Reality is cooking up, and they’ve just proved their idea’s worth more than a summer blockbuster.
Funding Fuel
- Seed round total: Over £800,000.
- Major investor: SFC Capital chipped in £220,000, proving they’re the go‑to for early‑stage UK startups.
- Grants: Two awards brandishing close to £500,000 in total—because governments love a good splash of tech.
- Other backers: RLC Ventures, a handful of angels, and a few enthusiasts who liked the hype.
With this cash heat, the team will turbo‑charge R&D and jumpstart commercial plans over the next year.
What’s the Tech, Anyway?
Condense Reality pioneered a “volumetric video” system that does the following:
- Streams 3‑D hologram‑style footage blended with standard TV broadcasts.
- Lets viewers experience the action from any angle—no studio green‑screen wizardry needed.
- Runs in real‑time with far fewer cameras, cutting costs and processing time.
They’re called the CR Capture platform. Think of it as a super‑smart camera swarm that uses computer vision and deep learning to rebuild a scene in seconds. Then, CR Stream pours that 3‑D content straight into the viewer’s AR/VR headset—be it Oculus, Vive, Hololens, or Magic Leap. The CR Playback app gives users the ultimate 3‑D control panel.
First Footfall: BT Sport
BT Sport is the pilot studio for this game‑changing tech. A joint effort with the University of Bristol helped showcase how 5G + XR can bring live sports closer to fans—ideal for those who can’t make it to the stadiums.
Focus: Boxing‑But‑Not‑Just‑Boxing
CEO Nick Fellingham says the company chose boxing as its kickoff, thanks to the fight’s clear, dynamic visuals. “The partnership with one of the biggest boxing broadcasters in the world is a massive win,” he said. “We’re basically giving fans a new lens—literally—to view every punch, spin, and crowd cheer.”
After mastering the ring, the plan is to expand to other sports—cricket, football, maybe even the next big streaming craze.
SFC Capital’s Big Regional Move
SFC Capital is not just throwing money at startups; it’s opening the gates to regional hubs. Their pledge to plant £5 million in the UK’s non‑London tech scene before the end-of‑year shows a profound faith in diverse innovation. By 2020’s end, they aim to support 20 early‑stage companies, swelling to 50 within the following year.
“Augmented reality is becoming family‑friendly, and we’re investing right when households are ready for it,” the SFC exec noted. “Plus, our portfolio reaches across the country, proof that the UK’s tech talent stops in London.”
Bottom Line
Condense Reality’s seed success marks a milestone for the future of live entertainment. With real‑time 3‑D, low‑cost streaming, big‑money backing, and an eye on the next wave of sports, they’re shaping a future where fans don a headset and go live with the action—no stadium, no excuses.
