If you thought Pokémon Go was mind-blowing, let us introduce you to the future of Virtual and Augmented Reality. It’s not all fun and games here, but then again, even the educational ones are like a dream come true. Very soon, this brand of hands on learning will replace textbooks in classrooms (and even the medical field) in the same way that Google has replaced the trusty dictionary, thesaurus, and Wikipedia the encyclopedia. Some of these companies are even going full sci-fi and creating immersive worlds that rival any video game on the market in terms of exploration and adventure. If you’re looking to be inspired, or just hoping to have your faith in humanity renewed a little bit, here’s our list of the 5 Freshest VR/AR Companies in 2018.
WeAR
WeAR is a heavy hitter in the VR/AR space. They’re way more than a power glove and goggles combo. They develop apps and solutions with augmented, mixed, and virtual reality technologies for mobile platforms, eyewear devices, and VR headsets. Basically, if you can dream it, they can do it. Speaking of dreams, their dream is to implement AR, MR, and VR technologies into the everyday life of billions of users. And they’re already on their way, turning upside down the way that people do PR, marketing, sales, education, training, advertising, events and entertainment.
EON Reality
If you’ve been in this space at all, you’ve heard of EON Reality. They’ve been developing Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Software and knowledge transfer solutions since 1999. If they were a person, they’d almost be old enough to buy beer. Their flagship software is considered the industry standard Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality software for creating professional VR and AR knowledge transfer content. They also boast an AVR Platform that’s a premiere suite of AR and VR products serving enterprise and also education.
Hyperverse
Nothing makes better friends than shared moments of beauty and an eye-opening adventure. At least that’s what the people at Hyperverse believe. They’re out to set the new standard for free-roam full immersion virtual reality parks. It’s basically like the holodeck in Star Trek the Next Generation, but right now. There’s multiple stories, plot lines, and things to explore in various worlds that they’ve personally created. As they say on their website, what’s the point of having all the new worlds if they don’t sweep you off your feet?
Discovr Labs
According to their LinkedIn, DISCOVR delivers cultural and educational experiences through digitally immersive learning environments. Their mission is to challenge the ways in which everyone digests educational content. Vice writes this about them, “Virtual reality, thought to be dead after it failed in the hands of ’90s technology, is back. And this time it could change education for the better.” But it’s not just the classroom where they shine. They’re also putting these same experiences in the hands of medical professionals for visualizations and training. Way more fun than a textbook.
GeoCV
As seen in Forbes, TechCrunch and more, GeoCV is a PropTech startup that is virtually opening the doors in real estate. Their signature 3D + 360 tours allow people to take virtual tours of houses on the real estate market via 3D enabled smartphones. These walkthroughs are photorealistic experiences with textured floor plans, and even virtual staging. With an eye even more on the future, they’re also looking to scale to brick and mortar B2B industries, using 3D space representation throughout the life cycle, from construction to interior design, property management, insurance and relocation.
Get your tickets for Ascent 2019: