A deep tech spin-out from the University of Oxford is transforming the construction industry with breakthrough real-time 3D mapping technology – and Oxford Innovation Space and Oxford Innovation Finance have been there every step of the way.
Founded in 2022 by Dr David Wisth, NavLive builds on five years of research at the Oxford Robotics Institute. That research led to the company’s pioneering handheld scanner, which uses edge AI and LiDAR to instantly generate high-precision 2D and 3D site scans, streamlining workflows for architects, engineers and construction professionals.
“The technology was born out of years of research, and we knew there was huge demand for quick, accurate 3D mapping in the construction industry,” explains Dr David Wisth, Chief Technology Officer at NavLive. “Our game-changing scanner allows for faster, real-time measuring – saving both time and money.”
Support to scale
Oxford Innovation Space played a pivotal role in NavLive’s journey by providing flexible workspace and tailored business support in Oxford.
Initially based at Grassroots, the team benefited from close proximity to academic collaborators and fellow entrepreneurs. As NavLive grew, they moved into the Oxford Centre for Innovation, upgrading their office space three times as the team expanded.
“The innovation centres gave us the flexibility to grow our space as we expanded from two people to ten,” says David. “The centre teams went out of their way to support us by providing one-to-one business support, informing us of relevant grants and even allowing us to test our scanner in the building. The close proximity to the university was also a huge benefit as we were working with students and academics.”
Investment to accelerate growth
To commercialise its technology, NavLive needed significant capital. Support came from Oxford Innovation Finance, which runs one of the largest and most active angel networks in the UK. Following a successful pitch – their first ever to an angel group – NavLive raised investment as part of a wider £4 million funding round, which also included a £700,000 grant from Innovate UK.
“Oxford Innovation Finance made the process straightforward,” David recalls. “We did a dry run with them beforehand, and they were able to advise us on what angels would be looking for. We received lots of great feedback, made connections with investors and raised funds.”
A strong future ahead
Since then, NavLive has expanded its team to 16, graduated from the innovation centre to offices in Oxford and London, launched commercially, generated UK sales and been named a finalist in the prestigious Trimble 0–60 Challenge 2025 – a global accelerator for early-stage startups in construction and engineering.
The company has ambitious plans for the future, including expanding into the US market and doubling its team size over the next year.
NavLive’s journey highlights the vital role that innovation centres play in nurturing early-stage businesses and the power of a collaborative approach to supporting SMEs.
“Oxford Innovation has been super important to our growth journey,” David concludes. “Accessing the right space at the right time helped us get here faster and gave us the flexibility to grow. If these innovation centres didn’t exist, we’d have been forced to leave Oxford.
“Oxford has an amazing entrepreneurial ecosystem, and Oxford Innovation is a key partner for any entrepreneur. Providing space, investment and business support to start-ups, the team act as a springboard to get you to where you need to be.”
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