Welcome to this month’s viewpoints, news and investment activity covering the Metaverse, XR and Spatial Computing - brought to you by FOV Ventures.

This Month:

• Next Spatial LDN Event.

• Meta drops Spark AR.

• New Launches from our Portfolio Companies!

Dave Haynes, Petri Rajahalme and Sointu Karjalainen (FOV Ventures)

August has been typically quiet across the Spatial Computing landscape…

Although one bombshell that many missed is the fact that Meta announced their decision to sunset Spark AR - the platform that allowed anyone to create their own ‘AR’ filters for Instagram.

While this might seem like a step back, I believe it is actually a sign of the industry's evolution.

AR Moves Beyond Filters…

Mobile AR, despite its widespread adoption, was never quite the right fit for the grand vision of augmented reality. It served primarily as a commercial testing ground, giving us fun face filters, digital try-ons, and other branded toys.

The limitations of smartphone-based AR became increasingly apparent as we pushed for more immersive and complex applications.

This move away from mobile AR forces VR headsets to become the true testing ground as we progress towards full AR glasses (immersive visuals and advanced tracking, provide a better environment for developing and testing AR concepts).

The rumours swirling around Mark Zuckerberg's hint at "unmistakably [AR] glasses" suggest that Meta is gearing up for a significant leap forward in this space.

Meanwhile, my, and many other’s experience with the version zero - Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses has been surprisingly positive. Their success lies in their simplicity. By focusing on capturing moments and seamlessly syncing with my phone, they've become a part of my daily carry. This "less is more" approach might well be the blueprint for AR's immediate future focusing on glasses form factor.

AI also has its part to play in this evolution. Meta is already integrating AI experiences into the Ray-Bans, leveraging the camera and audio inputs. As we move forward, the combination of AI / computer vision seems inevitable for AR glasses, enabling real-time contextual information about what we see around us.

For the VC landscape and startups, these industry shifts create intriguing opportunities. As tech giants recalibrate their approaches, there's room for innovation in software, content creation, and hardware advancements.

At FOV, we're at the intersection of all these developments. Our investments focus on the convergence of spatial computing, AI, and real-world applications. We believe that the future of technology lies in blending digital experiences with our physical world, and we're committed to supporting the innovators who are making this a reality.

We will be showcasing startups working at this intersection during our Vantage Point Demo Day — sign up here.

FOV & Portfolio News

• After over 40,000 players enjoyed the demo, Makea Games have launched Supermoves. Incredibly proud of the entire team for this phenomenal release. Go play!

• The ai|coustics Mini plan is available now - aimed for podcasters at the start of their journey.

• Our Portfolio Company Virtex is now ZENOS! - ZENOS is a software platform that creates immersive 3D replicas of games, enabling seamless broadcasting, content creation, and AR/VR experiences, evolved from its original focus on esports as Virtex Stadium.

Meet The Team:

Meet Dave at the next Spatial LDN event hosted by techUK.

Spatial LDN is a meet-up for developers, builders and all people interested in the future of spatial computing.

This meetup explores what's happened in the Apple ecosystem since the release of the Vision Pro.

How have developers found building VisionOS apps? What interesting use cases have we seen so far? What upcoming funding opportunities are set to drive content development?

There will also be a number of hands-on demos and would encourage anyone with the device to bring it along and show off what they're building.

Save the date for Slush Minus One (plan your Slush flights accordingly) - We're hosting an exclusive invite-only "Minus One" evening for the FOV Ventures portfolio, partners, co-investors, and our extended family. If you’re reading this, then you’re invited!

Next week Petri will be at Tech BBQ in Copenhagen.

Plus, if you’re going to AWE Vienna, Oct 29th-30th, so is Petri - meet him there!

Vantage Point Demo Day

Our Demo Day is coming up - September 17 - Showcasing the best founders, funds and thought leaders investing in next generation technologies.

Congratulations to all startups who have been chosen to present - and we are pleased to see founders from our previous DVRSTY program represented.

We have over 80 investors signed up - if you’re not yet signed up, sign up below.

All non-investor friends can access the roundtable recordings by subscribing to the FOV Ventures newsletter at viewpoints.fov.ventures.

Vantage Point is partnering with Sircular - ​Hundreds of VCs use Sircular to automate the analysis of companies in their Dealflow. Find out more here!

We’re excited to announce a new partner for Vantage Point—Bridge! Thanks to them, smooth introductions between founders and investors will be flying effortlessly.

FOV Job Board

• DoublePoint are hiring for two engineering roles - ML & Full Stack.

• Move-AI is hiring an Marketing Manager.

• GEEIQ is looking for a Backend Engineer.

• Distance have roles across engineering.

• Atopia hiring a Senior Unity Developer & a 3D Artist/Creative Director (Remote)

• Brainspark is looking for a Curriculum Specialist.

For a full list of open positions, check the FOV Ventures job board.