It looks like even the circus can get in on some of that tech investment money.
The modern traveling technological spectacle known as Two Bit Circus has scored $6.5 million dollars in Series A funding. The group of investors, which include Intel Capital, were lead by Techstars Ventures and Foundry Group.
Two Bit Circus is part performance art, part gadget symposium, a roaming exhibit that takes advantage of modern technology, science, and interactivity and morphs it into a live storytelling and educational experience. One of the group’s major projects under the Two Bit Circus umbrella, the Steam Carnival, has a gaming and virtual reality focus. Audience members are exposed to game-based exhibits that use both digital and real-world objects to form a cohesive interactive experience.
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A major focus of this round of funding will be to push the Steam Carnival concept into a national brand, while also bolstering its virtual reality and game development resources. This will also help build up Two Bit Circus’ conference and event presence.
With this cash also comes two new additions to Two Bit Circus’ board of directors: Mark Solon, managing partner at Techstars Ventures, and Ryan McIntyre, managing director and co-founder of Founder Group.
“Two Bit Circus’ traction to date, with its high-profile customers, clearly demonstrates their leadership position in this expanding market,” said Solon.
Two Bit Circus’ resident roustabout and CEO, Brent Bushnell (son of Atari founder, Nolan Bushnell), is obviously excited about the deal, “We’re thrilled to be working with such great partners to bring our crazy circus to a broader audience.”
The timing for this funding comes on the heels of the Steam Carnival’s next appearance, which will take place at San Francisco’s Pier 48 from November 6 to the November 8.