HTC’s $100 million USD accelerator programme for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology has recently held three separate demo days globally, in Taipei, San Francisco and Shanghai. 33 startups from eight countries showcased their newest innovations across hardware, entertainment, enterprise solutions and tools and services.
The demo days marked the debut for companies chosen to be part of Vive X’s most recent batch of funded partners, helping propel companies into the next phase of their business, giving them an opportunity to present before an audience of hundreds of investors as well as press and potential business partners.
Vive X runs the programme from four offices currently in Taipei, Beijing, Shenzen and San Francisco. A fifth incubator location has now been added, Tel Aviv, Israel, with a focus on AR and artificial intelligence (AI). The 33 startups that took part in the demo days are as follows:
San Francisco
- cognitiveVR
- POPMATCH
- HyperfairVR
- Limitless
- Mindesk
- Realiteer
- The Rogue Initiative
- Subdream Studios
- Vertebrae
- Construct Studio
- vRetail
Beijing
- Hexa
- Vito Reality
- Invrse
- PlusOne
- RAVR Labs
- Byond
- 7Invensun
- OVA’s
Shenzhen
- Aurora AR’s
- Kiwi Technology
- Shengda
- Broken Colors
- bHaptics
- SoccerDream
- Transmind
Taipei
- Opaque Space
- Snobal
- Xikaku
- Appnori
- VRANI’s
- Memora
- ThermoReal Inc.
In addition to the startups and new location announcement, Vive X has now also opened the call for submissions for the next batch of candidates across all five locations, with applications ending on 15th August 2017.
“The most recent batch of Vive X companies is focused on key stratiegic areas to grow the VR/AR ecosystem,” said Marc Metis, Global Head of Vive X at HTC Vive in a statement. “Vive X partnered startups are innovating in VR and AR tools and services, user experience, artificial intelligence, social applications, and solutions for strategic verticals and enterprise.”
On top of supporting early stage startups with Vive X, HTC Vive is also part of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance (VRVCA), a $10 billion investment fund that specialises in supporting mid-to-late stage VR and AR companies. For those businesses that have moved beyond those early startup stages, VRVCA is now open and accepting applications at vrvca.com.
Since its launch the Vive X programme has helped numerous companies including 7invensun, ObEN and TPCast. The latter is likely the most well known among HTC Vive owners, developing a wireless solution for the headset.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Vive X and the startups looking to advance the VR industry, reporting back with the latest breakthroughs.
via Mint VR