Entertainment visuals veteran Curiious has raised $2 million for its VR training pivot

The veteran tech-driven Sydney visual content business Curiious – best known for its Vivid Opera House projection and the stunning visuals during the opening ceremony at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – has raised $2 million from sophisticated investors to help scale its VR education and training platform globally.

Founder Brett Heil wants to revolutionise training and education via technology, and has launched a virtual reality platform, Curiious IQ, he says is set to change the way businesses, institutions and individuals learn and collaborate.

Curiious IQ can stream live to groups on up to 50 VR headsets simultaneously. Users see each other as avatars in the virtual space allowing for interaction and collaboration on tasks and challenges. The platform  works on any VR device.

Heil said the idea has attracted strong interest in the education and corporate training sectors in Australia and the US.

“While traditional VR technology created a powerful and personal experience, the user experience of the technology was isolating, difficult to manage and honestly impractical when working in group settings. That’s what we set out to solve and what lead us to create Curiious IQ,” he said.

“Technological advances in staff training, education and effective remote collaboration are enabling competitive advantages across many industries, and VR in particular is taking off in these areas.”

Curiious IQ lets a facilitator control, manipulate and annotate live into the virtual space from a single device such as a tablet or a smart screen.

Curiious general manager Michelle Schuberg said the company is working closely with education departments, corporate clients and healthcare organisations to create content for virtual learning and collaboration.

“One of the main benefits of the IQ platform is that the educator is able to see and determine in real-time how a student or staff member is faring. From there they can change the environment and identify individuals or teams which need greater assistance,” he said.

“For any organisation that needs to train staff or students, Curiious IQ can provide higher engagement, better retention and ultimately a faster path to proficiency. An offering that is proving very attractive to clients and investors alike.”

Curiious, formerly known as The Pulse, has been around for 20 years and has offices in Sydney, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and New York, with a focus on creating story-driven immersive experiences, including Bangarra’s Dark Emu videos screened on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during Vivid.