- The UK government has awarded a two-year grant to the Weavr Consortium, a broadcast technology project led by ESL UK.
- With £4M ($5M USD) in funding, Weavr aims to create 45 tech-focused jobs, and services and platforms based around VR/AR, AI, and data-driven content production.
- The funding is part of a £33M ($42M) investment in businesses and researchers focusing on immersive technologies.
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has awarded a two-year demonstrator grant to the Weavr Consortium, an esports-focused cross-reality broadcast technology project. Led by ESL 
UK, and comprised of York University, dock10, Cybula, and Focal Point VR & Rewind; the consortium will operate a £5.8M (£7.3M) project, £4M ($5M) of which comes from UKRI’s Industry Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF).
According to the UKRI website, the Weavr project will develop a new platform that uses gameplay data to transform how remote audiences experience sports. In its announcement, ESL UK said the consortium would seek to create 45 tech-focused jobs, as well as services and platforms that would generate UK-based revenue.
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“At the forefront of an emerging and rapidly growing esports industry, we’re in a very fortunate and unique position to have insight in the live viewing habits and interactivity of young, tech savvy and early adopting audiences,” said James Dean, managing director of ESL UK.
The Weavr Consortium’s award is the sports and technology portion of the ISCF’s £18M ($22.9M) demonstrator program, with the remaining funding to be provided to three other projects; including one for London’s Natural History Museum and Science Museum, and another led by the Royal Shakespeare Company. In total, the ISCF aims to invest £33M ($42M) in businesses and researchers to develop new products and services that exploit immersive technologies.
