I first learned about Surrogate.tv earlier this year when the platform hosted a Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit competition. Nintendo’s real-world adaptation of the well-known racing game effectively demonstrated the capabilities of the technology – although, it should be noted, there was a noticeable delay in the remote control system that impacted precise handling.

Naturally, Mario Kart represents only a single offering within the platform’s extensive catalog. The service provides a remarkably wide variety of experiences, encompassing everything from pinball and robot combat to virtual claw machines. This breadth of options is arguably the platform’s most significant advantage.

The Finnish company announced today that it has secured $2.5 million in seed funding, with Supernode Global leading the investment and participation from PROfounders, Brighteye Ventures, and Business Finland. This new investment builds upon a $2 million pre-seed round announced by the company in the previous year.

The company’s core innovation is a system for extremely low-latency streaming and robotics, allowing users to remotely operate physical objects much like a streaming video game. A recent example of this is a collaboration with Ubisoft, where participants maneuvered small Viking vessels against strongman Hafþór Björnsson, for reasons that reflect the unusual nature of 2020.

It appears Surrogate.tv intends to move beyond operating solely as an entertainment destination, aiming to license its teleoperation technology to other parties. This is a direction many have likely been exploring, particularly given the widespread limitations on in-person gatherings this past year.