Virtual reality (VR) simulation training company VRAI have won the Muckle ScaleUP High Growth Award from the Startup Awards North East. VRAI are based in Gateshead’s Proto centre and combine virtual reality & artificial intelligence to provide data driven simulation solutions to the aerospace, defence and offshore wind industries.
The award recognises VRAI’s successful establishment in the region working with high profile customers such as MoD’s Defence & Security Accelerator, RAF X in Leeming & partnering with Durham University on an Offshore Wind Growth Partnership.
The High Growth Award was presented to VRAI by Alex Craig, CEO, Muckle and highlights VRAI’s success to date. VRAI intend to continue their growth and are currently raising £2m in investment to fund that. This investment will go to creating up to 20 new high value jobs in the North East in the next 18 months focussed on data engineering, data science and software development roles.
VRAI also hope to inspire other startups to follow their example in adopting a triple bottom line, that is they measure their success not only on financial metrics, but also on people and planet metrics. VRAI have adopted a B Corporation company constitution and show leadership in diversity, inclusion and sustainability in business.
Startup Awards North East shines a spotlight, celebrates, and connects ambitious, early stage founders to life changing opportunities and experiences. A collaboration between all 5 regional universities, enterprise agencies and the region’s business ecosystem, the awards champion inclusive entrepreneurship and ambitious early stage founders so that sustainable startups and jobs are created for North East communities.
Pat O’Connor, co-founder and managing director of VRAI commented on the Award saying:
“We are proud to have received the ScaleUP High Growth Award from the Startup Awards North East. We are committed to the continued development of our technology and talent in the region. We believe that the North East has a great opportunity to be a leader for data innovation in the UK, leveraging the great local universities, innovative SMEs and the National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD).
Charlotte Windebank, MD & Founder of FIRST said,
“Since 2014 the North East has had the opportunity to access 437 million of EU funding to support local SMEs and individuals to develop skills and grow either personally or through their business efforts. Many applicants from Startup Awards North East have gone on to access this funding through our incredible partners such as NEL Fund Managers and PNE.
On the flipside to this, because the awards were digital this year, we can now share the incredible talent within the region on a global stage. We have never done this before and are excited to see what inward investment this attracts both nationally and internationally to our region.”