Indonesian edtech-focused VR platform bags pre-series A funding

Shinta VR has raised an undisclosed amount of pre-series A funding from TigaLapan Investama Group and Investa Syailendra Nuswantara (INSAN).

Shinta VR founders (from left) Andes Rizky, Andrew Steven Puika, and Akira Sou / Photo credit: Shinta VR

The Indonesia-based virtual reality developer was founded in 2016 by Andes Rizky, Andrew Steven Puika, and Japan-born Akira Sou. It started out as a developer of VR content and software aimed at helping companies do demos of their products and services. However, Rizky told Tech in Asia that the company no longer focuses on that business model.

Shinta has shifted to three newer models: a VR-based learning platform for K-12 called Millealab; an enterprise training platform known as SpaceCollab; and a virtual character platform that can be used to build a virtual YouTuber.

Millealab is Shinta’s main offering. Hundreds of schools in Indonesia have used the platform, and it has trained more than 5,200 school teachers to build VR-based learning materials since 2019.

According to Rizky, all of Shinta’s platforms can provide a metaverse experience – a trend got a lot of hype after Facebook rename its company as Meta – albeit in a smaller scope. Despite their focus on education, the platforms are also trying to gather users’ emotional responses in a VR-based environment.

“The emotional response is critical in developing larger scale metaverse world,” Rizky explains.

Shinta plans to use the fresh funds to hire more talent and to do further research on its existing and future VR platforms. Prior to its latest round, the company had raised external funding from Telkomsel Innovation Centre (TINC) and Japan-based Rentracks Cocreation.