Fast-growing Swindon virtual reality and immersive tech firm Render has appointed the co-founder of one of the West of England’s recent tech success stories as its new business development director.
Chris Price, pictured, launched pioneering Bristol-based app developer Mubaloo in 2009 with South West serial entrepreneur Mark Mason and grew it to a £4m turnover business employing 65 people before selling it to London-based marketing agency IPG Mediabrands two years ago.
Chris joins Render as it looks to build on an annual growth rate of 60%. His remit includes building its blue-chip client base in the emergent immersive technology field of virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality applications for industry – a market with a forecasted compound annual growth rate of 98.8% to 2021.
Render – formerly known as Rendermedia – was set up by managing director Mark Miles just over six years ago. Its breakthrough came nearly two years ago when Taiwanese consumer electronics giant HTC saw a demonstration of Mark’s VR work with European aerospace group Airbus, pictured below.
HTC invited it to showcase its ground-breaking virtual reality (VR) prowess alongside the giants of Silicon Valley at one of the world’s biggest tech industry shows.
Today it works with global partners such as Intel and Scan Computers and clients including MSA and Ultra Electronics as well as Airbus and continuing to to invest in research and development, as well as in marketing, client services and the development and 3D teams.
Mark said: “The potential for immersive applications to transform the way industry operates is vast. The reality is it’s a whole new dimension in communication that delivers value in spades and enterprises in sectors as diverse as aviation, engineering and manufacturing are on to it.
“We are in a rapid growth phase and are excited that Chris, who is already familiar with evolving tech markets, will help us on this journey.”
Chris’s appointment is the latest in a series of senior recruits at Render and follows the arrival of non-executive director Susie McFarland, the former managing director of Bristol-based Mason Zimbler – the specialist marketing agency formerly co-owned by Mark Mason.
Chris Price said: “I’m really excited to be at the forefront of the next significant technology wave to impact industry, having been through this with mobile apps.
“Virtual reality is fantastically engaging as a platform and the technology is evolving daily in ways that have far reaching benefits for corporates, from the multi-user VR sales show room to the ‘live’, virtual training in the field. Render is well placed to capitalise on all of these opportunities.”
