Welcome to Viewpoints, news and investment activity covering the next generation of computing - brought to you by FOV Ventures.

This Month:

• Spatial intelligence AI's final frontier before AGI

• Big tech doubles down - Google's $100M investment, Meta's Oakley launch, Apple's roadmap

• Defence tech convergence: our new analysis on dual-use spatial computing

Dave Haynes, Petri Rajahalme, Sointu Karjalainen & David Ripert (FOV Ventures)

What if everything impressive about today's AI is actually just the beginning? Dr. Fei-Fei Li - the "godmother of AI" who created ImageNet - believes we're missing a fundamental piece. Her thesis helps explain why the world's biggest tech companies are suddenly racing to build spatial computing devices.

The Stanford professor is now tackling 3D world modelling through her new company World Labs - a solution essential for true machine intelligence.

From her talk, Li echoed AI feels impressive… but incomplete.

While language models excel at text, they fundamentally lack understanding of how objects exist, move, and interact in three-dimensional space. She referenced how Evolution spent 540 million years developing spatial vision - from the first life forms with underwater sight to complex predator-prey dynamics that drove the evolution.

Language, by comparison, took less than 500,000 years!

The complexity of spatial intelligence requires processing 3D-to-2D projections, understanding physics, and real-world environments.

Li traced the progression from objects to scenes to worlds - the arc of computer vision moving beyond static classification toward full embodied understanding (an image = why it matters, how it relates spatially, and what could happen next).

This unlocks applications beyond today's AI - robotics that understand their environment, AR/VR that generates believable worlds, and agents that can plan and act in 3D space rather than just chat.

At FOV Ventures, we've been thinking about this progression extensively. We've written about AI's leap from information to atoms and how spatial computing is powering the robotic era. The companies solving pieces of this puzzle - from 3D capture to spatial reasoning to real-world interaction - are building the infrastructure for an entirely new computing paradigm.

For VCs, this represents the next platform. Language has reached the "product phase" - we have ChatGPT, Claude, and countless applications. But vision and spatial intelligence remain in the R&D frontier phase.

The next wave of billion-dollar startups will emerge from those building the spatial stack - tools that let machines see, understand, and act in our 3D world.

Unsurprisingly, Big tech wants to own this space.

This last month, Google is getting increasingly active at the consumer edge, evidenced by their $100 million investment in smart glasses partner Gentle Monster as they prepare Android XR-equipped glasses for 2026. This follows their broader Android XR platform strategy, with Samsung's Project Moohan headset and Xreal's consumer glasses all building on Google's ecosystem.

Meta continues doubling down after the success of Ray-Ban Meta, launching Oakley Meta HSTN for sports applications while leaked images suggest their display-equipped "Meta Celeste" glasses with EMG wrist controllers are nearing launch. While Apple's leaked roadmap shows equal commitment - an M5-powered Vision Pro this year, the lighter "Vision Air" in 2027, and true AR glasses with color displays by late 2028.

This summer is seeing strong progress across the spatial computing stack - from foundational models to consumer hardware to enterprise applications. If you're building or investing in this space, we'd love to hear from you.

FOV NEWS

We published a new analysis on Defence Tech x Spatial Computing: A New Era of Dual-Use Innovation.

As Europe's strategic awakening drives defence spending increases and procurement reform accelerates, we're seeing our core thesis - spatial computing, AR/VR, computer vision, and robotics - increasingly overlap with defence applications. From Palmer Luckey's journey from Oculus to Anduril, to FOV portfolio company Distance Technologies making impressive progress with their collaboration with Patria on mixed reality vehicle HUDs, the line between civilian and military spatial tech continues to blur. The piece explores where these worlds intersect and why this presents a timely opportunity for startups and investors alike.

Balderton Capital's Consumer AI Event 

Great to be a part of this event with JamJar Investments, True., Five Seasons Ventures, and dmg ventures - plus some FOV family and friends in the mix.

We especially enjoyed the discussion around how AI is fundamentally changing human-computer interaction with Fernanda Dobal (Cleo), Carles Reina (Eleven Labs), and Martin Gould (Spotify).

Key takeaways -

• Conversational AI moving from assistant to frontman - the next dominant consumer startups will be built around how they talk to customers.

• The reality check that your data will never be fully "AI-ready" - better to run 20 scrappy experiments than wait for perfect conditions.

• How product leaders need to completely rethink interface design as AI becomes the primary way users interact with products.

That last point resonates deeply with FOV. We're seeing this shift across our portfolio - from mixed reality UI to how voice and multimodal interfaces are reshaping entire product categories. Thanks to Laura McGinnis, Rob Moffat and team for hosting a top gathering of consumer builders.

We also joined Haynes and Boone's Founder Drinks in London last month alongside Active Partners as resident VCs for the evening.

Following a record turnout of over 80 founders at the previous quarterly event, it was another fantastic forum - always great connecting with the London ecosystem and hearing what builders are working on across different verticals.

FOV PORTFOLIO NEWS

• Scenario launched 3D generation capabilities, becoming the first unified platform for creating visual assets across the entire creative stack - images, videos, 3D models, materials, and skyboxes - with seamless export to Unity and Blender accessible through a simple "Convert to 3D" button. (more)

• GEEIQ co-founder and CEO Charles Hambro participated in a panel discussion "From Console to Culture: The Evolution of Brand Experiences" at The Future+ Innovation House in Austin on March 8th, 2025, alongside industry leaders discussing the transformation of brand experiences in gaming. (more)

• Move AI unveiled major product updates during their 'Movement Day' showcase, including Dex by Move AI for enhanced hand & finger tracking, Move Pro now available across platforms for precision motion input tuning - all designed for animators, developers, and researchers demanding lifelike motion without suits. (more)

• Flow Computing launched their official newsletter to share performance breakthroughs, inside stories, and early access to developments in CPU technology. (more)

• Doublepoint announced DoublepointLabs at AWE2025 - their new AR developer program for gesture-controlled experiences - 99% accuracy tap models and first-ever Pinch & Hold and Tap While Walking capabilities powered by IMU + PPG sensors. (more)

• Brainspark Games launched their new website at www.brainsparkgames.com, featuring their complete educational gaming platform with products for government organisations, schools, and educators, plus insights into their mission to revolutionise learning through play.

• AI Coustics introduced Quail, their most advanced real-time speech enhancement model designed for voice AI agents, audio devices, and streaming applications, delivering latency as low as 20ms while using under 1% of the compute of their cloud models. (more)

• IXI CEO and co-founder Niko Eiden was featured in MAFO optics magazine discussing how IXI is pioneering the world's first autofocus glasses with hidden technology that adapts lenses in real-time, focusing on vision enhancement rather than AR or content overlays. (more)

• Spogen.ai began real-life field testing of their Smart Assistant at Jamk bioeconomy's Bioeconomy Campus fields, piloting the technology alongside a Valtra N Series tractor and Väderstad seed drill to gather direct user feedback for agricultural applications.

FOV JOBS

Open Roles

• IXI - Lead Android Developer (apply)

• Atopia Space is seeking an Intern - Founder's Associate (m/f/d) in Munich, Germany to support their metaverse platform for arts & culture. (apply)

• AI Coustics has multiple openings in Germany: Growth Associate, GTM Engineer, and Machine Learning Engineer roles available for their speech enhancement technology team. (apply)

• Doublepoint is hiring a Principal ML Engineer in Helsinki, Finland to advance their gesture control technology for AR experiences. (apply)

• GEEIQ has two positions open in London, UK: Sales Development Representative and Fullstack Engineer (£50k-65k/year) for their gaming analytics platform. (apply)

• AQL Robotics is expanding their Tampere, Finland team with three roles: Mechanical Design Engineer/Mechatronics Engineer, Laboratory Technician, and Machine Learning Engineer. (apply)

Thanks for reading, see you next time!