Nonvoice Agency launched a venture capital fund to invest in global 5G and AR start-ups in a bid to expand the next-generation apps ecosystem.

Founder Simon Buckingham told Mobile World Live Nonvoice Ventures will provide backing for app developers in four main categories: enterprise; AR games; 5G and e-sports; and other consumer apps.

He highlighted AR as a big focus for investments, as the technology was becoming “the killer application for 5G”, demonstrating mixed reality spatial computing and the capabilities of the next-generation networks.

The first companies being backed by the fund are Proxy42, an Italian developer working on a social sports platform, and AR app creator MojiLaLa.

Buckingham explained Nonvoice Ventures had a “unique” model, focusing on working alongside the developers on a daily basis, unlike traditional VC approaches.

“It’s more of what we call a venture capital studio”, where start-ups are a part of the company’s ecosystem, “where we can help them a lot with product advice, with financial advice, with deal-making expertise”, Buckingham explained.

Initially, the fund is using investments by individuals and Nonvoice Agency agents, but Buckingham expects the VC side to include external capital from other partners, including operators, within the next six months as discussions on such a move were at an advanced stage.