About
²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù is a ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù builder and technology company creating ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùs at the edge of what’s possible. For over a decade, we’ve combined deep technical expertise with bold ideas — building virtual worlds, metaverse platforms, and frontier ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùs that redefine how people connect, play, and interact.
Building the Future of Digital Experiences
From our beginnings in Cambridge, ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù has been driven by ambitious ideas — from pioneering large-scale multiplayer technology to creating platforms that connect people, communities, and economies in new ways. Over the past decade, we’ve evolved from a technology pioneer into a ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù builder, applying our experience to create and scale companies at the forefront of AI, Web3, and the metaverse.
Through constant innovation, resilience, and reinvention, we’ve developed a distinctive foundation of technical depth, operational expertise, and ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù-building capability. This enables us not only to imagine new possibilities, but to build, scale, and sustain them as successful ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùs.
Today, we back and build the next generation of ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùs — designed to transform industries, unlock new economies, and define the future of frontier technology.
13y
Tech ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù building experience
17
Ventures including 7 exits
60+
Team members in our incubation studio
Our Milestones
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²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù was founded by Cambridge Computer Science students Herman Narula and Rob Whitehead to create cutting-edge, immersive virtual worlds. Peter Lipka soon joined to lead operational and business strategy. Early technology development culminated in 2015 when ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù secured a $20 million investment from Andreessen Horowitz, alongside Horizons Ventures and Temasek.
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Developed the technology and content powering large-scale virtual worlds across gaming, defence, and entertainment. In 2017, the company received $502 million funding led by SoftBank, with additional contributions from Horizons Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz. ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù became recognised for breakthroughs in multiplayer networking and simulation, launching its Morpheus technology to deliver record-setting live experiences like ScavLab (4,000+ players) and metaverse events for K-pop artist AleXa (1,450 fans).
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Transitioned to a ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù-building model, focusing on frontier ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùs in Web3, AI and the metaverse. This evolution began with spinning out specialised internal teams into independent companies, enabling them to grow with dedicated focus and external investment. Building on this experience, ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù now incubates entirely new ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùs from the ground up, combining capital, expertise, and hands-on ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù-building support to scale ambitious projects.
Meet the Team
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Herman Narula
Founder and visionary, Herman has dedicated the last decade to tackling technical challenges and exploring the profound effects that AI, web3 and the metaverse will have on how we think, make decisions, and broader society.
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Rob Whitehead
Co-founder, Rob brings deep technical expertise in scalable simulations and virtual experiences, now driving innovation in new ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù creation.
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Irina Scarlat
As Chief Marketing Officer, Irina is expanding ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù’s go-to-market capabilities and partners with portfolio companies, helping founders define their product narratives and find their growth models.
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Robin Å mÃd
Chief Operating Officer, Robin builds systems and processes that streamline the management, finance, and strategy of ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù. He ensures the operational excellence of the ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù builder.
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Mark Shepherd
Chief Legal Officer, Mark leads ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù's legal team since 2017 and has nearly 20 years experience advising clients in the technology, digital entertainment and financial services sectors.
Backed | by ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù
Launched in 2025, Backed is ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù’s insider newsletter, spotlighting the ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùs, technology, and teams building the future of virtual worlds.
Join the Team
Explore open opportunities within ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù and our portfolio.