Gravity Sketch

Gravity Sketch is an intuitive multi-platform 3D creation tool that allows users to create amazing models, scenes, and art work. For years, 3D design tools have been difficult to master but the Gravity sketch user experience makes sense of it all, lowering the barriers to 3D literacy and changing the way we create and share 3D content.

The Challenge

Gravity Sketch knew it had a great solution to take to market; however, it had to address certain key challenges including securing funding. First Gravity Sketch needed to enlighten investors on the status quo of the VR hardware space, what core technologies supported its product and the niche that its solution would occupy once launched.

The Solution

Recognising the potential of the platform and its positive impact on the immersive industry, particularly the 3D segment, Digital Catapult accepted its application to become a cohort on the Augmentor Programme. Calling on past experience, the mentors in the programme helped Gravity Sketch architect a sales pitch using innovative story telling techniques and presentation tools to stand out against other players in the headset space. This was key in helping the company secure vital funding to further develop its 3D creation tool.

There wasn’t a blue print for selling a piece of productivity software that works on a £400 headset and hasn’t hit the market yet. To turn uncertainty into reality, the Augmentor mentors helped Gravity Sketch troubleshoot to ensure that it would be both workable and marketable.

In addition to all of this, being part of the Augmentor Programme allowed the company to network with other startup and scaleup businesses to discover how they had overcome their development and investor challenges.

The Results

As a result of its involvement in the Digital Catapult Augmentor Programme and subsequent introduction to potential funders such as Innovate UK, Wacom (Japan) and Super Ventures (USA), Gravity Sketch found itself in a far better place than before and was able to further develop the platform and approach potential customers.

Since the Augmentor Programme Gravity Sketch:

• Secured £1.25m funding, led by Forward Partners (UK), with Wacom (JP) and Super Ventures. This was followed by a further £2.9m, led by Kindred Capital, with participation from Point Nine Capital and previous investor Forward Partners.
• Secured £100k Innovate UK Emerging & Enabling Technologies grant, allowing the recruitment of a full-time developer.
• Is currently realising thousands of Pounds in sales since launching their product during Augmentor.
• Gained a number of new clients (including a leading tier one motor manufacturer).

Augmentor is a 10-week programme delivering technical and business mentorship, access to state-of-the-art immersive facilities and regular check-ins with investors. Through Augmentor, Digital Catapult is able to discover businesses with the most commercially viable solutions and provide them with the skills to confidently approach investors. The programme concludes with an investor showcase, which stimulates UK private investment into companies developing innovative and commercially-focused applications of augmented, and virtual reality.