Zubr
Zubr is a Bristol-based AR/VR studio founded in 2015 that designs bespoke immersive experiences and proprietary products, including AR/VR binoculars and a WebAR platform, for heritage, education, entertainment, training, and government clients across the UK, US, and Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Zubr does
Zubr Virtual Reality Ltd is a Bristol-based AR/VR studio founded in 2015 that designs, develops, and deploys bespoke immersive experiences for enterprise and public-sector clients. Core capabilities span photogrammetry, LiDAR scanning, volumetric video capture, stereoscopic filming, and 3D modelling, assembled into applications across mobile AR, WebAR, VR headsets, and proprietary AR/VR binocular hardware. The company reports over 400–500 lifetime projects and 50+ apps shipped to iOS and Android app stores.
The business operates a hybrid model combining professional-services project delivery (bespoke AR/VR development, 3D scanning, animation) with productized offerings: Zubr Binoculars (the only UK AR/VR studio providing both hardware and software for AR/VR binoculars), a WebAR Platform requiring no app download, the Future Places Toolkit for civil engineers, and the Zubr AR Training System for immersive training. Revenue from professional services dominates, with hardware sales and a nascent subscription/recurring software layer providing a thinner recurring base. Customer segments are weighted toward heritage and museums, education, entertainment, and training and simulation, with additional exposure to government, defense, healthcare, and tourism.
Go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by direct client engagement, supported by industry event participation (Museum + Heritage Show, Bath Digital Festival, Encounters Film Festival), an active content and social channel mix, and co-development partnerships with cultural institutions, councils, and brands such as Aardman Animations and American Battlefield Trust. The company is privately held and founder-led (Jack Norris, Director and Creative Director), with no disclosed institutional investment beyond a $50,000 MyWorld grant in June 2023 and recent international expansion into the United States and Greece.
Zubr firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zubr
- Legal name
- Zubr Virtual Reality Ltd
- Website
- https://zubr.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Zubr is a Bristol-based AR/VR studio founded in 2015 that designs bespoke immersive experiences and proprietary products, including AR/VR binoculars and a WebAR platform, for heritage, education, entertainment, training, and government clients across the UK, US, and Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zubr industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AR/VR Immersive Experiences Studio
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time) (MPAHACAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics) (MPAFAGAG), Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise) (MPAFAAAH), Interactive Learning Games & Gamified Courseware (EDAGALAL)
Keywords
Where Zubr is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Zubr business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- AR/VR Development Services: Bespoke AR and VR development projects for clients across heritage, education, entertainment, government, and enterprise sectors. Projects range from mobile AR apps to immersive VR experiences and are delivered on a project-by-project basis.
- 3D Modelling and Animation: High-quality 3D modelling, animation, and scanning services for digitizing collections, creating digital assets, and populating immersive experiences.
- AR/VR Binoculars: Sale and deployment of proprietary AR/VR binocular hardware with accompanying software content. These are installed at heritage sites and events for visitor engagement.
- WebAR Platform: Software-as-a-service style platform providing no-app-required AR experiences, potentially with subscription or licensing components.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Zubr product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zubr is an AR/VR studio that designs, develops, and delivers bespoke augmented and virtual reality experiences, 3D scanning and modelling, and immersive training and interpretation solutions. It also produces proprietary AR/VR binoculars (hardware plus software), a browser-based WebAR platform, an AR-based Future Places Toolkit for civil engineers, and an immersive AR Training System, complemented by full-cycle custom project development for clients in heritage, education, entertainment, training, government, and defence sectors.
Product overview
Zubr is an AR and VR studio offering a portfolio of hardware and software products centered on immersive technology experiences. Core offerings include Zubr Binoculars (AR/VR viewing hardware combining the nostalgia of analogue binoculars with digital augmented reality), the WebAR Platform (browser-based AR accessible without app downloads), the Future Places Toolkit (AR community engagement tool for civil engineers), and the Zubr AR Training System (immersive training environments). The company also provides custom AR/VR development services and 3D scanning/photogrammetry services. Projects span entertainment, education, heritage, visioning, and training sectors. Zubr has delivered over 400 projects and submitted 50+ apps to iOS and Android app stores.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Zubr Binoculars: AR/VR binoculars providing 360° photography experience for immersive viewing without needing a smartphone
- WebAR Platform
- Future Places Toolkit
- Zubr AR Training System
Products and services
- Zubr Binoculars (AR/VR binoculars) Proprietary AR/VR binoculars combining hardware and software that overlay digital information onto the physical world to deliver 360° immersive experiences at heritage sites, theme parks (e.g., Europa Park, Kew Gardens, LA Auto Show), museums, and events — without requiring visitors' own devices.
- WebAR Platform No-app-required augmented reality platform accessed directly through web browsers, enabling immersive AR content distribution without app store friction or usage restrictions. Used by enterprises for trails and experiences such as Gravesham AR.
- Future Places Toolkit Standalone augmented reality toolkit for civil engineers that enables visualisation of urban planning and infrastructure developments for community engagement, public consultation, and stakeholder communication.
- Custom AR/VR Development Services End-to-end bespoke AR/VR project development including 3D modelling, animation, app development, and deployment for clients across entertainment, education, visioning, and training sectors, delivered by an in-house team across the full project lifecycle.
- 3D Scanning and Photogrammetry Services High-fidelity 3D scanning using photogrammetry, LiDAR, and structured light scanning to create detailed digital replicas of objects, artifacts, architectural features, and entire buildings at 1:1 scale for deployment in AR and VR experiences.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 500 projects delivered with 50+ apps submitted to iOS and Android stores
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Zubr
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Zubr technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Zubr partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Encounters Film FestivalcoreCreated VR and 360 Film Player for Encounters Film Festival's Immersive Showcase, serving hundreds of users over 4 days.
- UpfestcoreCollaboration on Six Sisters augmented reality murals - animating 6 street artworks by female artists in Bristol.
- Aardman AnimationscoreR&D collaboration to scan Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep sets for virtual exhibition and virtual production feasibility study.
- University of Bristol Theatre CollectioncoreCollaborated on Making a Scene AR theatre app, providing photogrammetry scans of 15 model box pieces from their archive.
- CalviumcoreCalvium developed the content management system (CMS) and app hosting for Beckford's Tower project, allowing Bath Preservation Trust staff to add additional content in the future.
- Bath Preservation TrustcoreCollaboration on AR experiences for Beckford's Tower museum, working with Senior Curator Amy Frost and Interpretation Consultant Iona Keen on digital interpretation.
- American Battlefield TrustcorePartnered with American Battlefield Trust to deliver Liberty Trail AR suite - comprehensive digital interpretation for South Carolina's Liberty Trail battlefield sites.
- South Carolina Battleground Preservation TrustcoreCollaboration on Liberty Trail AR project to preserve and present Revolutionary War battlefields in South Carolina.
- British Embassy WashingtonminorSupported the Liberty Trail AR project as part of USA 250 commemorations.
- Derry City and Strabane District CouncilcorePartner on TIDE project for Afloat and Ashore VR experience at Tower Museum.
- USI (Urban Scale Interventions)coreBelfast-based creative design agency that interpreted passenger diaries and developed interactive VR experience script for Tower Museum VR.
- Bristol Old ViccoreLed workshop creation and facilitation for Making a Scene AR theatre careers app, working with archive materials.
- CalviumcoreDeveloped app and CMS for Liberty Trail AR experiences.
- WatershedcoreCo-developed VR player for Encounters Film Festival, with venue hosting at Watershed in Bristol.
- Limina CinemacoreProvided User Interface wireframes and environment mockups for accessible VR player development.
- Bedminster Business Improvement District (BID)minorSupported Six Sisters AR mural project to encourage locals and visitors back to Bristol streets post-pandemic.
- University of Bristol Botanic GardensminorHosted AR art exhibition showcasing pollinator-plant relationships through augmented reality.
- Scott FletchercoreCommissioned Zubr to adapt Bill's Attic archive into VR experience and dome installation as project director and creative producer.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Zubr competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Make Real: UK-based immersive technology studio building VR, AR, and gamified training solutions for enterprise and education. Directly comparable to Zubr's training/simulation work for organizations like Network Rail and HS2.
- Happy Finish: Global AR/VR and 3D content production agency serving retail, automotive, and cultural clients. Comparable in delivering 3D, AR, and VR creative services to enterprise and brand customers.
- Marshmallow Laser Feast: Award-winning immersive experience studio working in VR, AR, and real-time 3D for cultural institutions and entertainment. Comparable in building high-profile, award-winning AR/VR experiences for museums, festivals, and brands.
- Rewind: UK-based immersive content and AR/VR studio serving broadcast, brand, and cultural heritage clients. Overlaps with Zubr on AR/VR content production and volumetric capture for enterprise and cultural use cases.
- Nexus Studios: London-based immersive studio working in AR, VR, and interactive storytelling for brands, museums, and cultural institutions. Closely comparable in offering AR/VR experiences for heritage and education sectors.
- Dimension Studio: UK-based immersive content studio producing AR, VR, and real-time 3D experiences for entertainment, brands, and cultural institutions. Directly comparable to Zubr as a creative AR/VR agency serving heritage, entertainment, and enterprise clients.
- Inition: London-based AR/VR/XR agency developing immersive experiences and installations for brands, museums, and enterprise. Comparable in offering bespoke AR/VR development and immersive installations across sectors.
Broad incumbents
- Talespin: Larger XR platform company focused on enterprise learning and workforce training in VR/AR. Comparable in serving safety and skills training customers with immersive technology, though at greater scale and with a software-platform orientation.
Emerging players
- PIXO Group: US-based XR solutions provider focused on enterprise training and simulation. Overlaps with Zubr's VR/AR training and simulation work for safety-critical and industrial use cases.
Others
- Aardman Animations: Bristol-based animation studio and Zubr's named R&D partner for scanning Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep sets. Relevant as an adjacent content IP owner and ecosystem partner in the UK's immersive content scene.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Zubr social profiles
Digital presenceZubr financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zubr leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Zubr funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zubr M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zubr
What does Zubr do?
Zubr is an AR/VR studio that designs, develops, and delivers bespoke augmented and virtual reality experiences, 3D scanning and modelling, and immersive training and interpretation solutions. It also produces proprietary AR/VR binoculars (hardware plus software), a browser-based WebAR platform, an AR-based Future Places Toolkit for civil engineers, and an immersive AR Training System, complemented by full-cycle custom project development for clients in heritage, education, entertainment, training, government, and defence sectors.
Is Zubr a public or private company?
Zubr is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Zubr founded?
Zubr was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Zubr based?
Zubr is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Zubr make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. AR/VR Development Services are the primary driver. The others are 3D Modelling and Animation, AR/VR Binoculars and webAR Platform.
Who are Zubr's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Make Real, Happy Finish, Marshmallow Laser Feast, Rewind, Nexus Studios, Dimension Studio and Inition. Talespin is listed as a broad incumbent. PIXO Group is listed as an emerging player. Aardman Animations is listed as an others.
Does Zubr have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zubr.
What industry is Zubr in?
Zubr's product category is AR/VR Immersive Experiences Studio. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHACAN, Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time), with a secondary code of MPAFAGAG, VR/XR Hardware & Accessories (Headsets, Controllers, Trackers, Haptics). Its NAICS code is 611420 and its SIC code is 7372.