Photo Credit: Christophe RASCLE
UK music technology startup Unit1 has secured $20 million (£15 million) in new investment to develop a scalable approach to digital avatar concerts, with the company aiming to recreate performances by both living and deceased artists.
Founded by former Andrew Lloyd Webber executive Barney Wragg, Unit1 combines photorealistic digital performers with live musicians, LED screens, lighting, and physical stages designed to transfer between venues, as per The Guardian. Balderton Capital led the latest funding round, with support from Mercuri and former U2 manager Paul McGuinness, to advance technology development and forge industry partnerships. Unit1 demonstrated its motion-capture capabilities with Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, digitally adapting her appearance while recreating a Later… with Jools Holland performance.
Unit1 positions its technology as a portable alternative to custom venues like London’s ABBA Voyage, enabling virtual shows to tour existing locations. Beyond non-touring living musicians, the startup plans to recreate historical shows, such as Queen at Live Aid, early Beatles at the Cavern Club, or Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, by combining archival material with new performances from lookalike artists.
