"With our technology, you’ll be able to capture your surroundings in 3D and then invite somebody else to join that same exact reality"
Summary sheet
Varjo is a Finnish company founded in 2016, that develops human-eye resolution virtual and mixed reality headsets. Varjo's products are specifically designed to meet high demanding enterprise use cases in various areas including training and simulation, design and engineering, research and medical.
The project aims to help Varjo mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly by supporting the company's investments in research, development and innovation to execute on and scale up its growth strategy.
Varjo is a Finnish company founded in 2016, that develops human-eye resolution virtual and mixed reality headsets. Varjo's products are specifically designed to meet high demanding enterprise use cases in various areas including training and simulation, design and engineering, research and medical.
The project supports the policy objective of support for SMEs, as well as innovation and digitalisation by providing tailored venture debt financing to an innovative start-up developing high definition Virtual Reality (VR) / Extended Reality (XR) hardware and software for industrial use. The project entails positive knowledge spill-overs related to VR/XR technologies, benefiting business and research partners and strengthening the capabilities for digital technologies in the EU.
EIB's financial contribution facilitates the SME's sustainable growth and helps to maintain its technological edge, despite the adverse economic conditions resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, it provides a positive signalling effect to crowd-in further financing from private investors.
EIB Venture Debt financing is a highly differentiated form of non-dilutive growth financing which entails large amounts, long availability period and long maturities.
The project activities do not fall under the Annexes I or II of the EU Directive 2014/52/EU amending the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU. The project will be carried out in existing facilities, already authorised, that will not change their scope due to the project. As such, the project activities are not subject to a mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment.
The promoter is a private company not operating in the utilities sector and not having the status of a contracting entity, thus not being subject to EU rules on public procurement. Under these conditions, the procurement procedures followed by the promoter are suitable for the project.
Documents
News & Stories
Inside the project
How and Why
Lower business travel emissions
Why
- Reduces the need for business travel and thus cuts carbon emissions
- To support innovative companies in sectors that are strategically important for Europe’s future
- So Varjo can compete with industry giants such as Meta, Google and Microsoft
How
- With €20 million in venture debt financing from the EIB. (Venture debt is a quasi- equity investment, but it does not deprive a company’s founders of ownership.)
- The use of Varjo’s technologies could drastically reduce the emissions produced by travelling people who could simply go to a meeting or conference on another continent in their living room.
- Instead of a few days, design reviews take hours.
Sectors & Countries
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"Anything that one person can imagine others can make real"
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