Ex-Kuju Founders Form Consultancy And Investment Firm

Former Kuju (Battalion Wars 2) founders Ian Baverstock and Jonathan Newth have formed a consultancy and investment firm that will specialize in video games, web and interactive media spaces. The pair's new UK-based company, Tenshi Ventures, aims to capitalize on the growing digital space that today includes everything from packaged games to social networking. "The rate of change in the games, web and social networking world is absolutely phenomenal at the moment," said Baverstock in a statement. "There are amazing opportunities to bring our experience of running technology businesses and raising money for them to start up companies in these areas," he added. Newth said, "Europe is replete with creative and innovative teams, and we aim to help transform some of these very early stage businesses into the successes of tomorrow." Tenshi Ventures still has close ties with Kuju, as the firm said it is providing consulting and non-executive services to the developer. Kuju's studios include Headstrong Games, Zoe Mode, DoubleSix and Vatra. In April this year, Baverstock and Newth said that they would be stepping down from their operational roles at Kuju. The duo founded the company in 1989 as Simis, and it has endured through purchase and buyback from Eidos Interactive and a multi-year public floating on London's AIM stock market, before being taken private again in late 2006.