An immersive technology and digital twin specialist based in Otley has secured a £100,000 commercial loan under the British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme.

The funding package will back an immediate recruitment drive and an upgrade to Apollo3D’s scanning equipment following a 30 per cent surge in annual inbound enquiries.

The business, founded in 2017 by Mark Shepherd, creates detailed 3D digital replicas of physical buildings for sectors including retail, healthcare, hospitality, and facilities management. Its software and mapping technology are currently used across the UK and Europe by major organisations such as Primark, Marks & Spencer, Greene King, and the NHS.

The £100,000 capital injection will enable Apollo3D to expand its current 12-strong workforce by hiring 7 new employees over the next 12 months. The recruitment push focuses on building a dedicated commercial team, including a dedicated business development manager and specialised sales staff, to roll out its proprietary ‘Infinity Virtual Tours’ platform to a wider market. The remaining funds are earmarked for immediate investment in state-of-the-art 3D camera hardware to increase onsite technical scanning capacity, as well as R&D opportunities.

The expansion follows a record financial year for the firm, which delivered £550,000 in revenue - a 20 per cent year-on-year increase. The business is now on track to hit a strategic turnover target of £1 million within the next 18 months.

Mark Shepherd, director and founder of Apollo3D, said: "Over the last year, we have seen digital twins move from a great marketing tool to an everyday operational necessity for organisations trying to cut travel costs, check building compliance and manage large estates remotely.

"This growth-backed funding gives us the financial footing to scale our business development operation properly. Up until now, our growth has been driven largely by word-of-mouth and project milestones, such as completing our 3,000th virtual tour. Bringing in new talent allows us to actively pursue major corporate contracts and build a permanent presence in new sectors."

The Growth Guarantee Scheme, provides accredited lenders with a 70 per cent government-backed guarantee to unlock finance for viable UK small and medium-sized enterprises looking to invest and grow. Managed by the British Business Bank, the scheme supports smaller businesses that can afford to take on additional debt finance but might otherwise be held back by stricter traditional lending criteria.

Rob Wilyman, director at Apollo3D, added: "The launch of our Infinity Virtual Tours platform has generated significant new commercial interest, not just from our customer base in Yorkshire but from operators across Ireland, Europe, and the United States.

"To make the most of these overseas pilot projects, we need more people on the ground and the latest technical hardware in the field. This loan means we can hire specialised sales staff immediately rather than pacing our recruitment over a longer period. It allows us to move from being a technical scanning service to a true software-led partner for building management and estate analytics on a global scale."

Apollo3D's project portfolio includes the virtual mapping of more than 350 international stores for fashion retailer Primark to support its European LED lighting infrastructure rollout, which cut contractor physical survey times by more than 80 per cent.