Mixed reality tech firm at Newcastle’s Toffee Factory joins Microsoft Partner Program

Digital technology firm Luminous Group has joined Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Partner Program.

Ben Bennett, the company’s managing director and founder, said the partnership will help Luminous realise its potential “at the forefront of mixed reality” tech.

The program was set up to ensure Microsoft customers have a strong, varied base of partners to work.

Ben said: “Mixed reality has enormous growth potential in a wide range of commercial environments.

“The Microsoft partnership program is the greatest validation that we’re pushing our business in the right direction. We can start to push even more boundaries of possibility.”

The business was founded in the North East 30 years ago as Digital Surveys and changed its name in 2016.

Based at the Toffee Factory building in Newcastle, today Luminous focuses on the delivery of 3D mapping, virtual, mixed and augmented reality systems for industries including oil and gas, health and safety, training and warehouse logistics.

Luminous is the company behind RIVO, a platform for use with Microsoft’s HoloLens technology that allows users to draw up accurate mapping information in real time, tagging 3D objects into real-world locations.

Leila Martine, product director of commercial mixed reality for Microsoft, commented: “We are delighted to have Luminous accredited as a Mixed Reality Partner.

“We are impressed with the Group’s vision for its RIVO platform, which we believe has ground-breaking and disruptive potential by providing mixed reality asset mapping tools across a variety of industries.”

In addition to its Newcastle HQ, Luminous has offices in London and Seattle.