Nyangibo Gallery: case study
Navigating the XR art landscape with the FutureScope Black Founders Programme
Nyangibo Gallery is an online and in-person extended reality (XR) and 3D art gallery that launched in 2023, featuring some of the best established and emerging talent from the XR world, including London-based artist Leslie Deere, award winning French VR director/creator Tatiana Apraxine and 3D and fashion artist Yu Chen.
After following Digital Catapult and its activities for a while, Haami Nyangibo, founder of Nyangibo Gallery, decided to join the FutureScope Black Founders Programme to expand her experience running a creative tech business. As a Black founder, she wanted to be part of a programme where she could find the right mentorship and people who have similar experiences.
As its VR business accelerates, Nyangibo Gallery turns to Digital Catapult for support
Nyangibo Gallery offers a unique blend of immersive experiences, bridging the gap between online and in-person VR art exhibitions. Founder Haami Nyangibo went from studying traditional art to software engineering when realising that there was no dedicated space for VR art in London which sparked the idea of creating Nyangibo Gallery. Haami brings a plethora of expertise from her background and managing in-person exhibitions and crafting an app for an immersive art discovery experience. However, the entrepreneurial journey presented challenges, with securing investment being a pivotal concern.
With the support of the mentorship and investment readiness expertise throughout the programme, Haami gained a deep understanding of alternative funding opportunities beyond the traditional VC route. This new knowledge allowed Haami to tailor her plans to better support Nyangibo Gallery’s strategic direction and future growth.
The FutureScope Black Founders Programme provided 10 pre-seed and seed stage companies with bespoke support to increase their investment readiness, including industry mentorship and networking with companies at a similar stage of growth, which Nyangibo Gallery used to discover new opportunities.
Positive outcomes and learnings from the programme
During the programme, Nyangibo Gallery held two successful exhibitions and secured networking opportunities for potential partnerships crucial for the development of the app’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The learning curve extended beyond art and technology; Haami gained invaluable insights into investment, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and the diverse landscape of the UK startup ecosystem.
From the founders’ perspectives, the Black Founders Programme offers an extensive opportunity to expand networks, receive constructive feedback and engage in collaborative learning with the rest of the cohort. Looking ahead, the programme’s invaluable mentorship and multiple streams of networking will continue to contribute to Naynagibo Gallery’s growth and success.
“The next steps for my company are to look at fundraising and securing partnerships and collaborations with other companies. The Black Founders Programme has been really helpful with that and getting me investment ready.By helping me with financials and helping me explore different options for fundraising, I’ve come up with a plan that works for me and my business.” Haami Nyangibo
Founder, Nyangibo Gallery
About FutureScope Black Founders Programme
The FutureScope Black Founders Programme is a 16-week accelerator targeted at pre-seed or seed stage, Black-founded companies creating innovative products and services in the digital entertainment industry.
The aim of the programme is to fast track high-growth potential startups from a business and investment perspective, providing the support needed to increase their investment readiness levels.
Sony Music UK is a collaboration partner for this programme and played an active role in supporting business growth and facilitating connections.
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