Building the real world metaverse with Niantic…

Niantic Labs, leading mobile games creators, have recently launched a new tool to build augmented reality (AR) experiences. Digital Catapult is teaming up with Niantic to deliver the Lightship Augmented Reality Developer Kit (ARDK) to immersive organisations in the UK. The toolkit lowers the barriers to entry for developers to create immersive augmented reality experiences and enables developers to bring virtual content into the real world.

The Digital Catapult and Niantic Lightship Augmented Reality Accelerator is looking for immersive developers to come up with creative concepts that solve the challenges set out by our industry partners.

The three individual challenges set by industry partners; Studio Wayne McGregor, Cartoon Network and Niantic, are looking for developers to create pitches that bring people together and enhance real-world experiences. Digital Catapult will deliver Niantic’s Lightship ARDK alongside up to £100,000 funding to the organisations with the most creative ideas.

While other conceptions of the metaverse bring people into an online world, Niantic’s Lightship ARDK is using technology to bring people together outside, encouraging real-world connection rather than isolation. The AR accelerator programme launched by Niantic and Digital Catapult will not only encourage greater human connection but support UK startups to grow and develop new cutting-edge AR applications.

The organisations selected to participate in the programme will receive both technical expertise and business support from Digital Catapult and Niantic. The most creative pitches will receive up to £100,000 in funding to build their concept using the Lightship Augmented Reality Developer Kit.

You can find out more about the programme here.