Augmented reality start-up CastAR raises $15m

Augmented reality firm CastAR has raised more than $15m in a Series A funding round.

Seed investors Playground Global provided funds for the investment round, which goes toward the continued development of CastAR’s titular AR glasses – currently scheduled for commercial launch in 2016.

"Among all the confusion about what separates AR from VR, what’s lost is fun," CastAR CEO David Henkel-Wallace said. "People want a simple, accessible, fun solution that they can just pick up and play with their friends, without dealing with a bulky, uncomfortable headset, much less being tethered to a big computer.

Our goal is to see castAR on store shelves across North America, aligned with some recognisable brands in tabletop and interactive gaming. Playground’s support will help us get there."

CastAR was founded in 2013 by ex-Valve employees Jeri Ellsworth and Rick Johnson. The company, called Technical Illusions at the time, successfully ran a Kickstarter campaign that brought in over $1m in initial funds for the tech.