Splash

Splash, founded in March 2015 by Michael Ronen, Maximilian Schneider, and Stefan Marx, emerged from Berlin as a company focused on making virtual reality content creation accessible to a mainstream audience. The company developed a mobile application that enabled users to capture and share 360-degree videos directly from their smartphones, eliminating the need for specialized VR headsets or expensive 360-degree cameras. This approach was centered on a technology described as "video painting," which utilized a real-time stitching algorithm to combine multiple short, looping video clips onto a 360-degree canvas.

The firm targeted mainstream consumers, allowing them to create immersive experiences and share them on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. A significant milestone for Splash was winning the SXSW Accelerator competition, which brought the company into the spotlight. In June 2016, Splash secured $2.5 million in a funding round led by Greycroft Partners, with participation from other investors including Seedcamp, Felix Capital, and DeNA. This capital was intended to expand the team, enhance the app with more VR and social features, and grow its active user community.

The business model aimed to attract users by providing a free and user-friendly tool for creating 360-degree content. Co-founder Michael Ronen, who also served as CEO, mentioned plans to explore monetization through brand advertising campaigns, similar to sponsored content seen on platforms like Snapchat. The application positioned itself as a more accessible alternative to platforms like Google's Street View app, focusing on the dynamic creation of video rather than technically perfect panoramic photos. The company's operations appear to have ceased, as Dealroom lists it as "closed".

Keywords: 360-degree video, mobile VR, virtual reality content creation, video stitching, user-generated content, social VR, Splash app, Michael Ronen, Maximilian Schneider, Stefan Marx, Greycroft Partners, Seedcamp, SXSW Accelerator, real-time stitching, immersive video, video painting, Berlin startup