Editor Jonathan Symcox looks back at some of the week鈥檚 most interesting tech stories
It’s been a massive week for听MediaTech.听
The news on Friday that game engine giant听Unity 鈥� the platform behind some of the world鈥檚 most successful videogames 鈥撎�is to establish a centre of excellence听with HOST听at MediaCity in Salford听was greeted with euphoria in the North West.听
In nearby Manchester,听PixelMax听believes it has a 鈥榟uge opportunity鈥� after听securing 拢2m investment听from听Praetura听Ventures and ACT Capital Partners.听
The听start-up听uses 3D interactive technology to revolutionise the way content is delivered to mass audiences, from events to digital twins of NHS hospital听departments, manufacturing sites and machinery.听
Earlier in the week, it was good to see听augmented reality firm听Blippar听on the road to recovery.听听
Founded in London in 2011,听it听became one of the UK鈥檚 first tech unicorns but was placed into administration in December 2018 after a major investor refused new funding听鈥� thankfully rescued subsequently by Candy Ventures.听
Fast forward two years and听the new-look company has closed a 拢3.6m pre-Series A round听co-led by Chroma Ventures, the investment arm of Paddy Burns鈥� and Chris van der听碍耻测濒鈥檚听gaming company 4J Studios, and West Coast Capital,听the private equity arm of Scottish entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter and family.听听听
In听HealthTech,听rehabilitation has been to the fore.听London-based听GripAble, a听start-up digitising upper limb rehabilitation,听has raised 拢1.6m听while Birmingham-based biomedical听start-up听Adapttech听has raised 拢2m for its听cutting-edge digital technologies to help with the fitting and monitoring of prosthetic limbs.听听听
In听FinTech, fast-growing pensions disrupter听Pensionbee听– which helps savers consolidate their old pensions into one new plan and is also targeting the self-employed market –听is planning a 拢350m float on the London Stock Exchange.听听
Less happy are听Seedrs听and听Crowdcube,听who听have agreed to terminate their planned merger听after it was provisionally blocked by听the听competitions听regulator.听听
The听CMA said the deal听would result in the combined company having at least a 90% share of听the听鈥榠尘辫辞谤迟补苍迟鈥� crowdfunding听market.听
In the world of听sport, several former footballers are offering custom video messages to fans through the听Thrillz听platform 鈥� and referee Jeff Winter!听
The fast-growing start-up, which also features the likes of听Katie Price, Mr. Motivator, Paul Chuckle, Peter Shilton, Tara Reid,听Matt Le Tissier,听David Gower听and听Kerry Katona, has听hit its crowdfunding target on Seedrs three weeks early.听
In听RetailTech,听boohoo has slashed the number of clothing suppliers it works with to just 78 from 500+ following the publication of the second report from Sir Brian Leveson PC into its working practices.
In recruitment,听talent recommendations platform听Sixley听is听looking to bring an end to headhunting.
In transport,听hydrogen-fuelled buses and听HGVs which run on听electric听propulsion technology听are closer to hitting the road.
And in construction,听start-up听nPlan听– which has used data and AI analytics to mitigate risk on $1 trillion of construction projects –听has raised 拢13.5m from GV.听