In a world where many businesses struggle to stand out, Rival is tackling one of the most pressing challenges facing the emerging spatial computing market. The lack of engaging, immersive content. The London-based startup has officially emerged from stealth mode. Announcing a $4.2 million pre-seed round led by Speedinvest and supported by New Renaissance Ventures and notable angel investors.
Rival is on a mission to democratize 3D content creation for millions of users. Its technology allows anyone to create, share, and explore immersive 3D experiences. All without the steep learning curve that traditionally limits VR content production.
Founded in 2023 by Alexander Oppermann and Konrad Melzer, alongside former engineers from Google, Meta, and Amazon, Rival aims to bridge the critical gap between fast-advancing VR/AR hardware and the lack of compelling content slowing adoption. Melzer, known for developing security software for the German FBI, brings deep technical expertise to the team.
The idea was born out of the founders’ frustration trying to create 3D content for games like Population:One. “We quickly realized how hard it was to produce and distribute user-generated VR content,” Oppermann explained. “That’s when we decided to build the tools and a platform to help creators transition into VR.”
Operating in stealth allowed Rival to refine its 2D-to-3D AI conversion model without industry distractions. Now, with funding secured, the startup plans to scale its team, especially ML/AI talent, and expand into the U.S. market.
Rival: A TikTok-Like Platform for 3D Content
Rival’s product stands out for its end-to-end ecosystem. Users can browse short-form 3D content in their headsets, similar to TikTok or Instagram Reels — but fully immersive. Beyond uploading 3D files, users can simply convert 2D videos into 3D experiences using Rival’s proprietary AI model, which applies depth estimation algorithms and neural rendering to generate lifelike textures, lighting, and depth.
“Our product is AI-native,” said Oppermann. “Solving the production and distribution challenge for user-generated 3D content is difficult — but it’s the key to unlocking spatial computing’s potential.”
While devices like the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest lead hardware innovation, content scarcity remains the industry’s biggest roadblock. The spatial computing market is projected to explode from $110 billion in 2023 to $1.7 trillion by 2033 — but only if the content gap is addressed.
That’s exactly where Rival comes in. By making 3D creation effortless, the startup is positioning itself as the essential infrastructure for the spatial computing era. “Nobody else is building the full value chain — from tools to distribution — like we are,” Oppermann added.
Looking ahead, Rival sees vast potential beyond gaming and entertainment. Its platform could support virtual shopping, immersive education, medical visualization, and architectural design — essentially any sector requiring 3D experiences.
“We’re committed to empowering users to produce AR/VR content easily and bringing fragmented VR communities together,” Oppermann emphasized.
Victor Huerbe, Principal at Speedinvest, agrees that Rival is solving the right problem at the perfect time. “Spatial computing is ready to explode, but content creation is the missing link. Rival’s AI-driven platform makes 3D creation accessible and scalable, paving the way for the next generation of immersive experiences.”
With this momentum, Rival is poised to reshape how 3D content is created, shared, and consumed, unlocking the full potential of the spatial computing era.
