The operator said this is to accelerate the development of new 5G services.
Via Orange Digital Investment, the operator group is investing in Venture Reality Fund II, which specialises in the extended reality (XR) sector.
This includes augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR) and AI.
Personal and professional uses are expected to include entertainment, industry 4.0 applications, medical research and training.
Full potential
To reach their full potential, they need reliable, ultra-high speed networks (including 5G) and edge computing.
Orange stated it’s been exploring immersive technology for several years and is the first European player in the telecoms sector to invest in the Venture Reality Fund II.
The Fund aims to grow to at least $50 million dollars and which plans to invest in at least 35 companies working in the XR ecosystem taking advantage of 5G.
The Orange and VRF teams are to establish close ties between Orange’s offices and VRF’s offices in California.
Karine Dussert-Sarthe, Product Marketing, Design and Open Innovation Director at Orange, commented, “Contributing to this new ecosystem is a way for Orange to open new opportunities by leveraging our 5G networks and creating new experiences for our customers”.