Success Story: iOpener - maps real-world races to games-world

Excited about computer games? Then you might want to check out this brand new gaming technology. iOpener has developed a technology to map real-world competitions such as Formula 1 to an artificial world, allowing even couch potatoes to compete - virtually - with Alonso and Hamilton in the real race and in real time. Initial focus is on motor sports games, but the technology can be leveraged for more than 10 different game genres in online, PC, video and mobile games.

ESA has supported iOpener at the ESTEC Business Incubator in Noordwijk with seed funding and know-how, after the company won the regional Dutch prize of the European Satellite Navigation Competition 2006. iOpener became the first Venture-Capital-backed ESA spin-off, when Triangle Venture Capital Group provided the company with €4.1 million in funds.

The technology allows the efficient transmission of telemetric data from a plurality of moving objects and their mapping into the game’s virtual world. “Our product enables gamers to race live against professionals” says Andy Lürling, CEO and co-founder of iOpener.

iOpener is now based in Aachen (Germany) and Delft (the Netherlands) to leverage the expertise found at the world-class technical universities in both locations. The truly European team, composed of Dutch, French, English and Germans, is growing steadily.

iOpener successfully developed the Proof of Concept and is currently preparing the market introduction after intensive research of both the games and race industries. iOpener licenses its patented technology, using satellite navigation technology, to the gaming industry. Launch in the consumer market is planned for September 2008.