Uptale’s Bold Bet on Immersive learning: A Counter-Current to Tech hype
In a world frequently enough swayed by fleeting technological trends, Uptale is charting a different course. the French start-up, co-founded in 2017 by Sébastien Leang, Aurélie Truchet, Dwayne Iserier, and David Ristagno, is doubling down on immersive technologies for professional and higher education training. Despite skepticism surrounding the fusion of VR and professional applications, Uptale has secured a €9 million fundraising round at the end of 2024, marking a pivotal moment in its journey.
“As our creation in 2017, we have kept the milestone of immersive learning but we have changed our positioning by specializing in field formation and targeting blue-collar workers,” said Dwayne Iserier, Uptale’s CMO, during the HR Technologies france show on January 30, 2025.
Immersive Technologies: Moving Beyond the Exploratory Phase
The immersive technology market, while still maturing, has moved past its exploratory phase. “We are trying to remain serene in this innovation ecosystem that has experienced doubts and focus on the needs of our customers. We know that this works for specific use cases such as onboarding in safety and industrial applications,” Iserier explained.
This confidence has fueled Uptale’s decision to accelerate its growth. “this is our first fundraising. We have been self-funded from the start. We consider that it is indeed time to accelerate, move upmarket, better support the customer, and develop the product,” he added.
The funds will be directed toward:
- Strengthening commercial and marketing advancement,
- Expanding international business,especially in North America (United States,Canada) and Asia (Singapore,Japan),
- Innovating with an AI and VR mix to enhance content creation and educational efficiency.
Stellantis: A Flagship Deployment for Uptale
Uptale’s technological platform enables companies to design immersive learning experiences in virtual and augmented reality for field training and employee development. With a team of 50 employees and a customer base of 300,including industry giants like Stellantis,Alstom,Michelin,Schneider Electric,Carrefour,and Airbus,Uptale is making waves globally.
“As 2019, we have been working extensively with Stellantis, creating hundreds of immersive modules for thousands of automotive group operators. We have proven the relevance of VR in these conditions,” Iserier noted. The company aims to equip 1,000 VR headsets per client and deliver one million immersive training sessions by 2025.
A Robust Economic Model
Uptale’s business model revolves around a subscription-based licensing system for its spatial learning platform,complemented by personalized support for customers.This includes assistance with equipment, usage, and content production.
Meta: A Key Player in Uptale’s Ecosystem
In the immersive technology landscape, Uptale leans heavily on Meta (formerly Facebook), which has made significant strides in VR and the metaverse since acquiring Oculus in 2014. While Meta has prioritized AI development in recent years,it continues to explore VR applications in business and education.For hardware needs, Uptale partners with Matts Digital, alongside other collaborators like Lenovo and Accenture.
Investors Backing Uptale’s Vision
Uptale’s €9 million fundraising was supported by:
- We Positive Invest 2 (Arkéa Capital Impact Fund),
- Go Capital,
- Business angels including Karim Jouini (Expensya), Karim Beguir (InstaDeep), Jean-Stéphane Arcis (Talentsoft), and Guillaume Amblard (VC, ex-BNP paribas).
Key Highlights of Uptale’s journey
| aspect | Details |
|————————–|—————————————————————————–|
| Founded | 2017 |
| Co-Founders | Sébastien Leang, Aurélie Truchet, Dwayne Iserier, david Ristagno |
| Fundraising (2024) | €9 million |
| Key Customers | Stellantis, Alstom, Michelin, Schneider Electric, Carrefour, Airbus |
| Target Markets | Industry, Logistics, Distribution, Education |
| 2025 Goals | 1,000 VR headsets per client, 1 million immersive training sessions |
Uptale’s unwavering focus on immersive learning is not just a bet—it’s a testament to the transformative potential of VR in training and education. As the company continues to innovate and expand, it is poised to redefine how industries approach employee development.
