11 May 2026, Edinburgh: Esk, global immersive entertainment and technology company, has closed a successful £2.6 ($3.5) million funding round led by Maven Capital Partners (“Maven”). Funding was provided by the Maven VCTs and the British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland (“IFS”), which is also managed by Maven.
 
Esk specialises in licensing iconic IP from rightsholders including blue-chip brands such as Netflix, Paramount and BAFTA and transforming it into impactful, live entertainment formats providing services to promotrs and venue operators on an international scale. The company has also developed a proprietary media control system, combining bespoke hardware and software to deliver reliable, high-quality audio-visual playback for live entertainment. Created in-house in response to repeated failures with existing incumbent industry solutions, the system is designed to deliver dependable synchronisation and performance in medium to large venues internationally.
 
Since its 2022 launch, Esk has delivered over 550 shows worldwide and the company already boasts a number of major entertainment brands, venues, and agencies as customers. With promoters, venues, and audiences increasingly favouring formats anchored in recognisable IP, and demand being driven by fan communities, gaming franchises, and streaming-era cinematic universes, there has been a significant market shift within the rapidly evolving derivative IP live events market. Current and upcoming Esk productions touring globally include: ‘Top Gun: Maverick – Live in Concert, ‘OCEAN In Concert’ with narration by David Attenborough, Netflix’s ‘Life on Our Planet – In Concert’ and ‘Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage On Wheels – Live On Stage’, a brand-new musical adaptation of the award-winning BBC animated series ‘Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures’ which received its World Premiere at the 2026 Southbank Centre Imagine Festival and will commence its UK tour following a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August. Esk also recently partnered with BAFTA and Nibbs Events to adapt ‘BAFTA’s Games in Concert’ – a landmark live concert celebrating 20 years of BAFTA Games Awards music, combining live orchestra, choir, and dynamic game visuals in a cinematic performance.
 
Sam Weatherstone, CEO of Esk, said: “We started Esk with a deep appreciation of live performance and immersive experiences, and a recognition that audiences have a huge appetite for in person, communal ways to enjoy the stories, creators and worlds they love – and to discover new ones. This investment from Maven and the British Business Bank is a massive vote of confidence in the company and our approach, and we look forward to building out our capabilities even further with their support.”
 
Jamie Warner, Investment Associate at Maven, said: “Esk’s significant experience delivering highly acclaimed live entertainment experiences across the globe has attracted an impressive base of customers and IP creators and has allowed the business to rapidly grow. We are very much looking forward to supporting the Esk team scale this exciting business.”
 
Sarah Newbould, Senior Investment Manager at Nations & Regions Investment Funds, the British Business Bank, said: “This investment demonstrates the role the Investment Fund for Scotland plays in backing high‑growth, innovative businesses, helping them access the funding they need to scale, invest in new technology and compete globally. Esk exemplifies the type of ambitious company IFS  was established to support, and we look forward to seeing how this investment contributes to its next stage of growth.”