Condense Reality

Condense Reality, a Bristol-based startup established in 2019, operates at the intersection of deep technology and media, providing infrastructure for broadcasting live, real-world events into 3D virtual environments. The company was founded by Nick Fellingham (CEO), Ollie Feroze (CSO), and Dan Fairs (CTO). Fellingham's background in physics and programming, combined with experience at startups acquired by Twitter and a consultancy focused on machine learning, informed the company's direction. The idea for Condense originated from his experience with a VR game, leading to the realization that interactive 3D video represents the next evolution in media technology.

The company's core offering, termed "Video 3.0," enables the capture and real-time streaming of volumetric video—photorealistic 3D models viewable from any angle—into metaverse platforms, games, and mobile applications built with Unity or Unreal Engine. This technology circumvents the need for traditional green screens and extensive post-production, using a portable multi-camera system, computer vision, and machine learning to reconstruct a scene in three dimensions. The live content is then distributed via a proprietary cloud platform, allowing for interactive and shared experiences where audiences can engage with performers and events in real time. Condense operates on an "infrastructure as a service" business model, charging clients per minute of live-streamed content.

Condense targets a client base of live event rights holders, content creators, metaverse developers, and digital venues, aiming to extend their reach to new audiences. The company has engaged in significant partnerships, including a collaboration with BT on a government-funded project to explore 5G for immersive live sports. More recently, Condense announced a partnership and investment from the BBC to create a series of live events for BBC Radio 1. To facilitate adoption, Condense opened the world's first metaverse live streaming studio in Bristol, offering artists and creators access to the technology. The firm has secured substantial funding, including a pre-seed round of over £800,000 in 2020 and a subsequent $4.5 million round led by investors such as LocalGlobe and 7percent Ventures.

Keywords: volumetric video, live streaming, metaverse, 3D video, virtual events, augmented reality, virtual reality, real-time rendering, metaverse infrastructure, computer vision, machine learning, immersive experiences, live entertainment, digital venues, content creation tools, Unity plugin, Unreal Engine plugin, Video 3.0, live performance capture, interactive media