When we first contacted Oslo-based Imerso early in 2018, the company was not yet ready to discuss their technology, which I thought was a method for performing 3D capture with a mobile device. In August, we connected to discuss the company’s solution, which uses BIM and multiple methods of 3D capture to create an intelligent digital twin of the job site, perform as-built QA/QC, and offer advanced analytics across multiple jobs.
In the time since, Imerso has kept busy. The company recently announced $2m seed funding round and a partnership with Leica Geosystems.
First, the seed round: the money is coming from Vito ONE and NewMark Capital, and includes further participation from 500 Startups and TRK Group. According to Tech.eu, the company plans to put their new funds to work expanding beyond the Nordics.
When we caught up with Imerso for the feature, the company had a lot of good things to say about Leica’s BLK360 scanner. It turns out that Leica feels the same way about Imerso, because the startup is now the geospatial giant’s first commercial partner in Norway.
In a blog post on its website, Imerso explained how the BLK 360 can help its customers scan more frequently and create a “living, digital twin of any site”:
“Laser scanning is traditionally seen as an field requiring specialized expertise and utilizing very expensive equipment for specific circumstances, such as documenting existing conditions as the basis for project planning. The BLK360 changes this: by making 3D scanners affordable yet retaining high accuracy, Leica has opened up a whole range of new use-cases across building life-cycles. Full 3D surveying of work sites at weekly – or even daily – intervals are now economically viable, allowing companies to access a wealth of data about their own processes without breaking the bank.”
For more information about Imerso’s solution, see its website here.
