UK-based game studio Sensible Object has been selected as one of nine companies to participate in the Amazon Alexa Accelerator, after closing a $1.4 million funding round.
Sensible Object, who are based in London, use connected technology to produce games that are “rooted in a practical understanding of home and family life.” Games produced by the company, including launch title Beasts of Balance, are unique in that they combine physical, digital and imaginative play like never before.
Prior to announcing their participation on the Amazon Alexa Accelerator, the company raised seed funding of over $1 million from UK angel investors and early-stage venture capital firm London Venture Partners. The Amazon Accelerator is the next step for the company, with startups chosen to participate all taking part n a 13-week program in Seattle to work with technologists and product leaders from Amazon and Techstars.
“This is a very exciting time for us. We’re in the middle of our second crowdfunding campaign, in which we reached our goal in under six hours and surpassed six figures in less than a day. And now, with the combination of the Alexa Accelerator, powered by Techstars and our latest funding round, we’re positioned extremely well for incredible growth in 2017, 2018 and beyond,” explained Alex Fleetwood, CEO of Sensible Object.
“We will be integrating Alexa to create novel twists on familiar play experiences, and our hybrid physical/digital model means we can rapidly turn that development effort into sales revenue. It’s the next step in our vision to build the play platform for the connected home.”
In addition to the program’s 13-week schedule of mentorship, training and collaboration, Sensible Object will develop new game concepts that illustrate the potential of voice Artificial Intelligence (AI) to augment the play experience. At the completion of the program, a demo day will be held in Seattle on October 17th, where Sensible Object will present prototypes and meet with potential investors.