Interplay Learning, a provider of online training for skilled trades utilizing virtual reality (VR) and 3D simulations, announced it has completed a $5.5 million Series A round of financing. The round will support onboarding talent in its Austin, Texas offices and customer success team, in addition to aggressively accelerating expansion into new markets and developing new platform features.

The financing builds on a year of explosive growth for the firm, including:

• A 40 percent month-over-month growth of SaaS platform users ranging from small businesses to Enterprise-level customers.
• Recently signed three major HVAC manufacturers as customers, including the largest HVAC distribution company in the world.
• Completed its first international license deal.
• On track for 400 percent growth this year.
• Continues with plans to penetrate four new industries, including electrical, plumbing, heavy equipment repair and facility maintenance.

“Interplay's platform, coupled with on-the-job training, has quickly become the foundation for our internal training program,” said Robyn Hass, Chief Financial Officer of Core Mechanical. “The content really engages our junior technicians, so they actually use it and can see a clear path on how to grow their technical skills. This means we can hire for attitude and train for skill.”

The firm experienced significant acceleration two years ago after hiring Pixar’s CTO, enabling their R&D team to build a breakthrough 3D/VR training platform called SkillMill. It allows its instructional designers to build VR simulations in 1/10 of the time it takes in-house teams or agencies to create similar experiences.

Interplay Learning’s new way to on-ramp and advance skills for the industrial workforce features a catalog that includes dozens of interactive video courses by top industry experts and state-of-the-art 3D troubleshooting simulations. Course materials are accessible by desktop, laptop or VR-headset and provide an immersive learning experience for engagement and field-like experience.

The solution delivers both cost-effective HVAC NATE CEU hours and Solar NABCEP CEU hours. An administration capability allows service managers to track their team’s skill advancement. The subscription-based solution offers monthly and annual pricing.