Bellevue, Washington-based Envelop VR raised $4 million in a Series A round to grow its engineering and business teams as it works on software that can help people work more effectively while immersed inside VR.
Just last week we wrote about the startup and outlined its aim to offer a “VR shell” that can help enable multi-tasking in VR. Envelop is hosting the SEA-VR conference today in Bellevue where it planned to offer the first look at its software. The startup plans to release it to a small group of developers this winter.
The fundraising round is led by Madrona Venture Group, which announced a $300 million fund this summer aimed at information technology companies, including VR startups. Madrona Managing Director Matt McIlwain wrote a blog explaining the firm’s interest in the startup. From the post:
Envelop VR easily enables a smart headset user to create a personal virtual environment or workspace in VR. Their software works across smart headsets like Valve/HTC Vive and Oculus Rift to extend the way you live, work and play in VR. It allows users to create a workspace that transforms your current work environment and adds layers of depth to it only available in VR. And, they are building a community of partners to help accelerate adoption of smart headsets and the virtual/augmented reality experiences they support.
UploadVR hasn’t seen what Envelop is building yet so it’s not possible to delve into their software deeply. Envelop CTO Jon Mavor told us they hope it can help “anyone that wants to interact with their computer in VR” and they are planning to support keyboard and mouse input at first but eventually “every input mechanism that we can get our hands on that isn’t junk.”
We hope we can get a good look at what they’re building sometime soon.
