(The Bridge) – Cluster, the Japanese startup behind a virtual reality-based event and environment platform under the same name, announced on Tuesday that it has raised about $460,000 (or 50 million yen) from Skyland Ventures, East Ventures, and several angel investors.

Upon obtaining this funding, the company was rebranded from its previous name Fictbox. Skyland Ventures participated in the previous funding round in January.

The Cluster platform allows event organizers to hold meet-ups, events, and other gathering opportunities using VR without fear of booking a venue or paying a high rent. For participants, they can virtually participate in an event by wearing a headset and communicating with each others, even from home.

Thanks to recent advances in server integration technologies and a protocol optimized for Internet of Things (IoT), even if more than 1,000 connections are established simultaneously, users are unlikely to feel a heavy load on the system.

Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy