For the set up of this very ambitious project, we find the following companies side-by-side: Tecteo/Voo (triple play distribution), BizzDev (mobile telephony), Neuro TV (real time 3D motors), Victor 3D (post-production, special effects), Media Res (production broadcast cf. Arte Belgium), Acapela (voice synthesis), Triptyk (serious games, internet), No-Télé (HD cars, set management), ACIC (real time image analysis) and Dame Blanche (sound post-production). I-Movix, that other Walloon technology ambassador, specialist in high speed images and the processing of high speed image fluxes, is getting ready to also join this dream team.
The start capital of the primarily private company, but in which Hoccinvest, IMBC and of course Wallimage Entreprises participate, elevates to €1,090,000 in numerical value. Every entity also brings its share of licenses and know-how.
Virtualis Ltd already positions itself as creator of new interactive IP media content between broadcasting, mobile telephony and internet. The goal markets are entertainment, advertising and industry applications. The company will use a commercial name which is to be determined.
The equipment, good for 500 square meters of surface, equipped with 3 HD cameras with tracking and with 3D real time motors allowing the association of real and virtual images will at first be set up in the No-Télé premises in Tournai. Early 2010 the studio will move to Mons in a new building built in the scientific parc Initialis, as part of Digital Innovation Valley. The studio in Tournai will then be recycled towards research and development.
The managers are strong figures out of the Belgian audiovisual world (Dominique Janne and Pascal Keiser will be executive co-administrators and the president of the Board of Directors is Jean-Pierre Winberg), and Virtualis Ltd. will cooperate with several research programmes of the Walloon Region:
Numediart, 3D Media (Polytech Mons and UCL), and the research centres CETIC and Multitel. The initial investment made by private partners amounts to €4 million.
Recognising the possibilities of the project, Philippe Vandervoort, general manager of Microsoft BeLux has already announced a partnership between Virtualis Ltd, Microsoft and MSN. But every partner will certainly draw profit from this cooperation. The uplifting effect should have spectacular consequences for all.
Séduit par les possibilités de ce projet, Phillip Vandervoort, Directeur général de Microsoft BeLux, a d’ores et déjà annoncé un partenariat entre Virtualis SA Microsoft et MSN. Mais chacune des entreprises impliquées tirera aussi un profit direct de sa collaboration. L’effet dynamisant devrait avoir pour tous des conséquences spectaculaires.
