Manchester, UK, March 21, 2013 – EON Reality, the world’s leading interactive 3D software provider for businesses and education, has opened its European headquarters in Manchester, moving the city another step towards achieving its ambition of being a global digital city by 2020.The California-based company’s European operation, which will create 240 jobs over three years, includes a new global interactive research and development centre located in Central Park in east Manchester. This is an extension to The Sharp Project, Manchester’s digital and production complex in Newton Heath.
The 10,000 sq ft space will house cutting-edge VR (Virtual Reality) 3D technologies that have never before been seen in Europe. The virtual reality showroom is designed by Atul Bansal, co-founder and partner at Manchester based interior design consultancy, The Sheila Bird Group and marks a milestone in creative space design.
The US based company will also locate an Entrepreneur Coding School in the building which will offer 100 free places each year to talented young local people who can sign up for a 12 month full-time coding course, starting in September 2013.
The school will deliver a comprehensive training programme aimed at developing Manchester’s digital content workforce, specialising in interactive 3D technology skills. The course will include coding, 3D modeling, design and development, training 500 students over 5 years in these specialist digital skills. The expertise these students will acquire will also be suitable for many other industry sectors, such as architectural and product visualisation work, games creation, multi-media design, design reviews and broadcast media. The top 50 per cent of each cohort will be offered a permanent job with EON Reality upon graduating and one trainee will be awarded an internship in California or Singapore.
Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council, commented: « EON’s base here in Manchester will form the heart of a new technology hub, attracting new start-ups who will benefit enormously from being part of a cluster. This is an exciting new phase for The Sharp Project. The potential for job creation directly and indirectly from this new facility is immense, providing much needed career opportunities for talented youngsters in an expanding sector. EON’s commitment to train 500 local people over 5 years is very significant indeed and will make a huge contribution to expanding the skill base of the area for an increasingly important sector. Apart from the technical knowledge, students will leave with a range of transferable skills including team working and problem solving which will open up a range of career opportunities in any chosen field. »
Dan Lejerskar Co-Founder and Chairman of EON Reality, who first used 3D technology when working at Volvo Aerospace as program manager for the Arianne 5 rocket program said: « This facility will make Manchester the European centre for the creation of 3D content. Manchester is the perfect location for us to set up our European home and a key component in our global strategy. This city shares our vision to grow the technology sector, train people in this increasingly valuable skill and change the face of education through 3D technology. What we are doing in Manchester is truly ground breaking and will quickly spread to Europe and across the world. The digital community of Manchester is the perfect partner to help us on our journey. »
Mats W. Johansson, Co-Founder, President and CEO of EON Reality adds: « This technology offers a paradigm shift in the way we teach and learn. We are creating a learning revolution that will help future generations become better educated and succeed in core STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects which are currently suffering a decline. We believe ‘seeing is believing’ which is why immersive teaching tools out-perform traditional learning methods across the entire curriculum. 3D Virtual Reality images are so powerful in engaging and explaining that attention levels and test results immediately increase. We are passionate about this technology and excited about the enormous potential it has for improving attainment levels in schools. This type of learning has had a bit impact in the States and we want to make 3D technology the norm for learning in Europe. »
Ken Swain, Managing Director of EON Reality in the UK said: « We are creating a « circle of education ». We’re teaching young people skills to produce 3D teaching tools that will help educate the next generation. The Entrepreneur Coding School is already training its first cohort and the showroom is packed with state-of-the-art 3D technology. Manchester is aspiring to be a global digital city by 2020 and we are determined to help it get there. Our free 12 month coding course can nurture young talent and furnish them with a valuable skill that will set them up for life. »
For more information on EON Reality visit www.eonreality.com.
About EON Reality
EON Reality, Inc. is the world’s leading interactive 3D visual content management and Virtual Realitysoftware provider. EON Reality provides state-of-the-art 3D display technology for immersive and stereoscopic viewing, from portable tablet PCs and glass free stereo display systems to curved-screen and immersive rooms consisting of multi-channel projection walls. The technology foundation for developing interactive digital content includes importing the most common 3D animation formats into EON’s authoring software and creating modules and applications that can be viewed on various display systems. EON’s technology solutions enable all organizations to more effectively visually communicate, collaborate and accelerate knowledge transfer.
Industry leaders, including Atlas Copco, Bechtel, Boeing, Bombardier, Hon, Intel, Lexus, Lufthansa -Teknik, Lowell Manufacturing, Peterbilt, Samsung, Siemens Medical, Suzuki, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Toyota and Whirlpool use EON solutions to enhance the interactive user experience to effectively increase sales, better communicate product functionality and decrease the cost of service, training and technical support. Some educational institutions who have adopted EON’s technology solutions include: the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (located on the campus of the Florence-Darlington Technical College), Old Dominion University, Marquette University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Discovery World Museum, Oklahoma City Community College, Concord University, North Dakota State University, Texas State Technical College – Waco, El Paso Community College, University of Alabama, Hazard Community and Technical College, University of Hawaii, Lansing Community College, University of Kentucky, Maysville Community and Technical College, Miami University, Red Rocks Community College. For further information, visit www.eonreality.com.
