{
  "id": 8810935,
  "title": "UK-based Unit1, which develops \"hyper-realistic\" digital avatars of musicians to recreate classic concerts, raised nearly £15M from Balderton Capital and others (Alex Lawson/The Guardian)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/uk-based-unit1-which-develops-hyper-realistic-digital-avatars-of",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-21T01:00:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Techmeme",
    "slug": "techmeme",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/20/uk-startup-15m-investment-concerts-digital-versions-musicians"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Unit1, a UK-based music tech startup, has raised nearly £15m in funding from investors including Balderton Capital. The company, founded by Barney Wragg, develops \"hyper-realistic\" digital avatars of musicians to recreate classic concerts.\n\nUnit1 aims to offer a lower-cost version of shows like Abba Voyage, allowing living and dead artists to perform in any venue. The company creates digital avatars through a combination of archive footage, hiring actors and musicians who resemble or play like the artist, and blending the footage together.\n\nUnit1 has already tested its technology with Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, who worked with Wragg at EMI. In the pilot, Tunstall was filmed in a London studio by motion capture cameras as she recreated a two-decade-old performance.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Guardian Business",
        "title": "UK startup snares $20m to recreate gigs with ‘hyper-realistic’ digital avatars",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/uk-startup-snares-20m-to-recreate-gigs-with-hyper-realistic-digital",
        "published": "2026-09-20T13:00:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}