London-based Gemba has raised €16.5 million ($18 million) in a Series A funding round to scale its VR-based workforce training tool.
The funding was led by Parkway Venture Capital, and with it the company plans to expand, pushing forward the Virtual Reality-as-a-Service market.
Founded by Nathan Robinson (CEO) and Victor Lewis (Chairman), Gemba offers collaborative VR-based training experiences. Through its proprietary Virtual Reality offering combining software, content, and service, Gemba helps global enterprises seeking to train distributed workforces across multiple sites through immersive learning programmes, simulated factory walks, and live training events.
The programmes and courses are accessible via a VR headset from any location at any time – which enhances the learning process, especially for globally-distributed teams.
Speaking about the company, Nathan Robinson, Co-founder & CEO, Gemba, said,
Gemba is at the forefront of a new enterprise metaverse. It’s virtual, hands-on, cost-efficient, and the VR learning experience is incredible, but it’s the real-world ROI that’s been beyond expectations for our customers. Gemba is the right solution at the right time, and we are thrilled to welcome Parkway VC as partners in our joint mission to help people and organisations thrive in the next era of work.
With changes in the way we work and changing approaches to teamwork and collaboration on a global scale, there is a growing need for training solutions that keep teams closely connected, aligned, and developing the skills they need. Gemba aims to help address this, giving teams the chance to collaborate and learn together without having to spend on travel costs by giving access to training, coaching, and events from any location.
Gregg Hill, Co-founder & General Partner, Parkway Venture Capital, said,
Gemba is set to change the way global organisations train their workforces across all critical learning and development areas – from interactive, on-the-job skills training and safety all the way to leadership training. With its immersive platform and deep expertise in workforce training, Gemba is primed to scale and expand into multiple markets, emerging as the future-of-work training leaders for the 21st-century enterprise.
With this new investment, the company plans to push forward the development of the platform, enabling people and companies to access Gemba on a subscription basis. Users will also benefit from an ever-expanding virtual world of training simulations, tools, and learning experiences, according to a press statement.
Frankie Cavanagh, Gemba’s Chief Technology Officer, added,
As an educator, we know that 90% of learning is about engagement. Gemba allows users to learn and train in a whole new way. With higher engagement levels than traditional teaching and the combination of unprecedented levels of realism and a customized learning experience, it’s a revolutionary teaching tool.
Gemba is currently used by over 4,000 executives from more than 700 companies, including Philips, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Nike, Adidas, and Dell.
