Business

UK startup snares $20m to recreate gigs with ‘hyper-realistic’ digital avatars

The Guardian Business · 20 September 2026 at 14:00

UK startup snares $20m to recreate gigs with ‘hyper-realistic’ digital avatars

Unit1 hopes to offer cheaper version of shows such as Abba Voyage, showcasing living and dead artists in any venue The former chief executive of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entertainment group has obtained a near-£15m investment for his UK music tech startup that hopes to recreate classic concerts by manifesting musicians as digital avatars.

Unit1 was set up last year by Barney Wragg, an entertainment executive who ran Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Cats-to-Evita empire for five years from late 2011.

It has secured the $20m in funding from a group of investors, including tech backer Balderton Capital through its partner Daniel Waterhouse, who made early investments in Spotify.

Read the full article on The Guardian Business ›

5News aggregated this summary from the outlet’s public feed. The full article, with all the context, is on www.theguardian.com — the content belongs to The Guardian Business.

UK startup snares $20m to recreate gigs with ‘hyper-realistic’ digital avatars

More from The Guardian Business

China agrees to ‘halve’ hybrid car exports to EU in landmark deal

Lost generation: the AI threat to Britain’s next great directors

EU ‘pulling out all stops’ with minerals projects as it tries to avert China trade war

Tory tax break for banks has cost UK public purse £6bn, says TUC

More in Business

My husband isn't leaving me anything in his will, would I be on the hook for fees if he goes into care?

Donald Trump launches committee to investigate Fed governor Lisa Cook

China agrees to ‘halve’ hybrid car exports to EU in landmark deal

Lost generation: the AI threat to Britain’s next great directors

US telcos shed $45bn in value after SpaceX announces spectrum purchase

Ex-Deutsche Bank trader jailed for rigging rates has conviction overturned