Enabling Rapid Creation of Social VR experiences With No-Code Interface and Automation

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Zoe Immersive Launches No-Code Metaverse Creation Platform Accessible to Anyone for Work Collaboration, School Engagement and Home Entertainment

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 27, 2022) – Zoe Immersive, an award-winning metaverse software company with a mission to democratize content creation has been working with Meta for almost a year on the launch of the Zoe platform. Zoe enables anyone, regardless of their technical know-how, to create immersive virtual environments for collaboration, entertainment, learning and more. Launching on Meta Quest 2 and compatible with Meta Quest Pro headsets today, the Zoe app empowers a new generation of builders to create and innovate using immersive technologies. The app is currently available as a free download in the Meta Quest Store and will come later to mobile devices. Paid subscriptions are also now available for Pre-order with a 30% discount until November 10th.

“In just minutes, Zoe gives the ability to create and monetize truly interactive experiences and activities,” said Emilie Joly, co-founder and CEO of Zoe Immersive. “With Zoe you can create anything you have in mind. It has been used to host remote workshops, virtual classrooms, project-based-learning activities, meetups, events and create interactive stories, adventure games, and even mini-games for therapy. With Zoe, there are truly no limits to 3D innovation.”

User experience is often cited as one of the greatest obstacles to VR and AR adoption in a market that is expected to be worth more than $5 Trillion by 2025 (McKinsey Metaverse Report 2022). Zoe removes barriers to entry and provides anyone with the means, methods, built-in templates, and tools to create, teach and innovate from anywhere and with anyone. As the Learning Economy expands, Zoe will allow for creators to monetize their learning content through marketplace opportunities.

With Zoe you can create anything you have in mind. It has been used to host remote workshops, virtual classrooms, project-based-learning activities, meetups, events and create interactive stories, adventure games, and even mini-games for therapy. With Zoe, there are truly no limits to 3D innovation.
Emilie Joly – CEO of Zoe Immersive
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More than 30,000 users have already created with the Zoe beta (samples can be seen here) and it can be used in a number of industries including:

  • Business – Collaboration, team building, employee projects, soft skills training
  • Education – STEM activities, storytelling, process explanations
  • Marketing/Entertainment – Branded experiences, online events, adventure games
  • Healthcare – Mindful/meditation experiences, mini-games for therapy and disabilities

Early versions of the Zoe beta were tested with universities and schools, and more than 2,700 educational institutions have used Zoe either on their own or with their students. The global mobile learning market is expected to grow from $42.16 billion in 2021 to $54.36 billion (The Business Research Company report)  in 2022, and school systems need tools that are easy to use and easy to integrate into the classroom. Zoe meets this need by allowing students to learn 21st century skills while also learning valuable planning skills, project management, critical thinking and problem-solving. 

Significance of Zoe

  • No-code, drag-and-drop tools make it extremely simple for non-technical users to host interactive sessions on any topic or in any language.
  • Built-in templates provide a jumping off point for creators, business users, educators, and others to immediately start creating with no ramp up.
  • Real-time collaboration and immediate playback features allow users to develop and change ideas on the fly.
  • Access to Sketchfab’s library of a million free 3D models that can be dragged and dropped into the Zoe platform.

About Zoe Immersive

Based in Los Angeles and Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 2020, Zoe Immersive is an award-winning company with a mission of empowering a new generation of builders to create, inspire and innovate in the metaverse. The Zoe platform enables the rapid creation of interactive 3D scenes through no-code interface, automation, and a wide variety of pre-made templates. With its VR/3D creator Zoe allows users to create and host  immersive workshops, virtual classrooms, project-based-learning activities, meetups, events, interactive art, marketing campaigns, and even mini-games. Zoe has partnerships with leading technology companies such as Meta, Unity, Qualcomm and HTC,  among others. www.zoe.com.

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Zoe Live Event: Hosting Multiplayer VR Workshops In 30 Minutes 🙌

Are you interested to see how immersive technologies can transform the learning experience?

Check out the recap of our first LinkedIn Live. Get hands-on with a new way to host your next interactive virtual workshop, class or team meeting.

🚀 Event overview:

→ Introduction from the Zoe team

→ Live demonstration, latest features and use-cases

→ Best Practices: How you can start hosting your first virtual workshop.

Check it out for a fun and interactive session!

About Zoe Immersive

Zoe Immersive is an award-winning immersive software company based in Los Angeles and Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 2014, Zoe Immersive democratizes content creation and  education technology using 3D/AR/VR technologies. The company has created Zoe, an easy-to-use, cross-platform, 3D- world creator for education learning and entertainment. The Zoe technology empowers non- and low-level coders to build and share interactive and engaging 3D multi-user experiences in a collaborative marketplace. The company has partnerships with leading technology companies such as Meta/Oculus, Unity, HTC, Google, and Microsoft, among others. www.zoe.com.

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Unity for Humanity Grant Awarded to Zoe Immersive in Collaboration with West Allis-West Milwaukee School District

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Unity Charitable Fund Grant Brings the Metaverse into the Curriculum of Underrepresented Communities to Provide the Next Generation of Learners with 21st Century Skills

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 26, 2022) – Zoe Immersive, an award-winning metaverse software company with a mission to democratize content creation, and the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District have been awarded a $100K grant from the Unity Charitable Fund, a fund of Tides Foundation. This grant will allow the deployment of metaverse learning programs to support over 300 educators and students in the Title I School District. The Zoe Metaverse Program will empower students to easily create fully interactive and immersive experiences, which increase awareness around social and environmental issues. Learners will have the opportunity to develop key digital skills, such as user experience design, storytelling, coding logic, and how to leverage virtual reality to immerse others in their perspectives.
“At Unity, we believe the world is a better place with more creators in it. As someone who was raised near West Allis, Wisconsin, I was thrilled to see this grant awarded to Zoe Immersive, as their programme embodies that belief, by ensuring education is accessible to all, regardless of zip code.” Said Jessica Lindl, vice president of social impact at Unity. “It’s more important than ever to connect young people with the skills needed for future jobs, as these help chart a clear path from learning to earning opportunities.”
At Unity, we believe the world is a better place with more creators in it. I was thrilled to see this grant awarded to Zoe Immersive, as their programme embodies that belief [...]
Jessica Lindl – Vice president of Social Impact @Unity
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Through this program, educators will be provided a four week online training program delivered by Virtual Research, led by educators and innovators Kwaku Aning, Liz Nebo, and Kevin Merges (Innovation Academy). Student outcomes will be measured through Zoe analytics by educational partners, which will include assessment of immersiveness, UX design, game design skills and soft skills, such as collaboration, communication and management abilities. The project impact will also be measured through follow-on assessment of the students’ progress, such as job applications or education applications for colleges, general change in motivation, and confidence of participants. The program is designed to enable educators to easily replicate the curriculum year after year, building awareness and ensuring more students gain similar skills rather than a “one-off” approach.
“We are ecstatic to be awarded this grant and to help students easily build the skills and confidence to work in the metaverse,” said Emilie Joly, CEO of Zoe Immersive. “With a strong partner in West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, together we can help students achieve even greater success by including 3D/AR/VR learning into their curriculum.”
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We are ecstatic to be awarded this grant and to help students easily build the skills and confidence to work in the metaverse.
Emilie Joly – CEO of Zoe Immersive
During this program, Zoe will be working with West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, which contains 18 schools and 7,400 students. The district’s minority enrollment is 50% and 65% of students are economically disadvantaged. “Our district embraces student growth with a framework of an innovative curriculum, deeper learning work and integration of emerging technologies,” said Deidre Roemer, Director of Leadership and Learning at West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. “We are excited to empower our learners and teachers through this significant support from the Unity Charitable Fund and Zoe Immersive.”
Unity (NYSE: U) is the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content. Unity for Humanity is a program within Unity Social Impact that celebrates and empowers creators who are using real-time 3D to inspire change. The program represents the company’s strong belief that the world is a better place with more creators in it and its commitment to empowering creators with the resources and guidance to bring these powerful experiences to life.

About Zoe Immersive

Zoe Immersive is an award-winning metaverse company based in Los Angeles and Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 2020, Zoe Immersive democratizes 3D/AR/VR content creation by empowering new generations of learners in the metaverse. With Zoe, novice to experts can create their own interactive worlds with a simple and visual interface, and easy-to-use, cross-platform, world creator. Zoe has partnerships with leading technology companies such as Meta, Unity, Qualcomm and HTC, among others.
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About West Allis-West Milwaukee School District

At the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, our schools provide engaging learning experiences in classrooms where students are welcomed, challenged, and supported. We provide students with purposeful, authentic learning experiences in an environment that is equitable for all. For us, when students are in schools where they are valued and know they belong, and they are empowered to learn things that interest them, they work harder. That is our theory of action and why we do this incredibly important work.
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Photo © West Milwaukee Intermediate School - WAWM

Contacts for Zoe Immersive

Sketchfab and Zoe Immersive Partner to Drive EdTech Content Creation

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Using Mobile or VR Platforms, Teachers Can Create Engaging Immersive Experiences using Quality 3D Models

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 4, 2022) – Zoe Immersive, an award-winning metaverse software company with a mission to democratize content creation, and Sketchfab, the leading platform for 3D and AR on the web, today announced a partnership. This collaboration provides educators with developer-grade graphics and software technology to easily integrate into curriculum to help students create immersive content. To support the partnership, Zoe will conduct several webinars aimed at educators. The training will feature a walkthrough of how to use Zoe in the classroom, and will include spokespeople from some of the educational institutions who have already implemented the technology into their lessons. Zoe will include an introductory video and how-to guides on its website.
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Sketchfab’s database of assets provides endless options for educators to customize their lessons, making the process with Zoe easier than ever.
Emilie Joly – CEO of Zoe Immersive
In addition to using Zoe on Oculus Quest, educators can now access the Zoe app on iOS devices. This easy access gives ubiquitous flexibility in creating a fully interactive experience in only a few hours – a skill previously reserved for those with extensive knowledge of game engines or visual effects programs. Zoe’s intuitive tools, with simple and visual interfaces, allow for the creation of complex 3D virtual learning spaces that can be used to explain processes, solve problems, tell stories, create games, and more. Educators and students can now drag and drop objects from Sketchfab’s online 3D library to create interactive experiences while also learning valuable planning, project management, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Zoe also prepares students for the 21st Century workplace by developing digital skills, such as design, creating user interfaces, programming, and working with movement and space.
“Educators will be able to breathe new life into their lesson plans and coursework while teaching their students valuable real-time 3D technology skills,” said Emilie Joly, co-founder and CEO of Zoe Immersive. “Sketchfab’s database of assets provides endless options for educators to customize their lessons, making the process with Zoe easier than ever.”
Zoe makes it super easy to combine Sketchfab assets into a scene, and their focus on education is a perfect match for the diversity of content published on Sketchfab.
Alban Denoyel – CEO of Sketchfab
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Educators at universities and schools across the country already use Zoe to create high-fidelity interactive experiences that inspire learners. More than 1,800 educators from top-tier institutions already use the Zoe platform, including Mountain Creek State High School, Washington State University, Crosstown High School, Colorado Spring Schools, Downey Unified school district, Greenwich Alliance for Education, SDJA, Western Middle School and Lausanne Collegiate School.

"Our mission at Sketchfab is to make 3D content accessible, easy to find and use,” said Alban Denoyel, Sketchfab Co-founder and CEO. “Zoe makes it super easy to combine Sketchfab assets into a scene, and their focus on education is a perfect match for the diversity of content published on Sketchfab."

About Zoe Immersive

Zoe Immersive is an award-winning metaverse company based in Los Angeles and Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 2020, Zoe Immersive democratizes 3D/AR/VR content creation by empowering new generations of learners in the metaverse. With Zoe, novice to experts can create their own interactive worlds with a simple and visual interface, and easy-to-use, cross-platform, world creator. Zoe has partnerships with leading technology companies such as Meta, Unity, Qualcomm and HTC, among others.
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About Sketchfab

Sketchfab is empowering a new era of creativity by making it easy for anyone to publish and find 3D content online. With a community of millions of creators who have published millions of models, it is the largest platform for immersive and interactive 3D. Sketchfab’s technology is integrated with every major 3D creation tool and publishing platform, and is compatible across every browser, operating system, desktop, and mobile. Sketchfab also supports VR and AR on compatible hardware.
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Dreamscape Immersive & Zoe Immersive Partner to Simplify 3D Creation for Collaborative Virtual Reality Experiences

Zoe’s no-code immersive 3D-creation platform will support Dreamscape Learn virtual classrooms, as well as Dreamscape VR applications, for enterprise and government

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LOS ANGELES, CA (December 1, 2021) – Dreamscape Immersive, the world’s leading location-based virtual reality company, today announced it has licensed the technology behind Zoe Immersive’s 3D creation platform. Zoe’s easy-to-use, cross-platform no-code 3D world creator toolset allows anyone, from novice to expert, to create and share interactive immersive experiences -- a skill previously reserved for those with extensive knowledge of game engines or visual effects programs. Dreamscape will leverage the Zoe technology to build cutting-edge collaborative VR experiences, such as virtual classrooms, immersive training exercises, and remote conferencing capabilities. Now, everyone -- including educators, students, and executives -- will be able to create multi-user interactive experiences, built on Dreamscape’s revolutionary VR platform. By merging motion capture with body mapping and advanced kinematics, Dreamscape experiences allow large groups to interact with each other with a level of immersion never before achieved in the industry.
“We see the future of education, work, and play as virtual activities, where shared social spaces serve as the backbone for learning, exploration, and problem-solving. Our vision is critical on making such spaces accessible and adaptable to all,” said Walter Parkes, co-founder, and CEO of Dreamscape. “Zoe Immersive’s toolset is a great democratizer of this process. By simplifying VR creation and putting these powerful tools into the hands of many, our companies hope to further expand the availability of the unique immersive VR experiences which can be built on the Dreamscape platform.”
We see the future of education, work, and play as virtual activities, where shared social spaces serve as the backbone for learning, exploration, and problem-solving. Zoe Immersive’s toolset is a great democratizer of this process.
Walter Parkes – CEO of Dreamscape Immersive
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The Zoe Immersive and Dreamscape Immersive partnership will expand the reach of Dreamscape Learn, a joint venture between Dreamscape and Arizona State University to transform education through immersive learning experiences. With the integration of Zoe’s technology that allows for the creation and hosting of 3D virtual learning spaces and games, Dreamscape Learn empowers educators to create their own high-quality virtual classrooms without any coding experience.  Using Zoe’s simple and visual interface, teachers and students can import 3D models by simply dragging and dropping objects into projects, as well as program interactivity into the learning environment with intuitive controls. Lesson plans and coursework quickly come to life as advanced, adaptive VR educational experiences.
Outside the classroom, Dreamscape will utilize Zoe technology to develop training and professional learning applications for corporate and government entities, putting customized, easily adjustable curriculum within reach. The toolset will also serve Dreamscape’s remote networking, virtual collaboration, and avatar-driven conferencing capabilities.
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Partnering with Dreamscape means that together we can bring new compelling ways for individuals and companies to influence learning and communication.
Emilie Joly – CEO of Zoe Immersive
“Zoe and Dreamscape are like-minded companies -- we both believe in the power of virtual reality for everyone,” said Emilie Joly, co-founder and CEO of Zoe Immersive. “Partnering with Dreamscape means that together we can bring new compelling ways for individuals and companies to influence learning and communication and do it in such a manner where anyone, regardless of their skills, can create 3D environments to share. ” Backed by investors Dart, Copper Wire Ventures, HTC, and Alpana, Zoe also has more than 133 individual investors who have signed on to the company’s StartEngine campaign.
Become a Zoe Investor
The news comes on the heels of growth for Dreamscape. The company recently partnered with Verizon to form a 5G innovation lab, designed to advance 5G and Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) virtual reality applications. Dreamscape also opened its fifth virtual reality destination, featuring a slate of original immersive entertainment experiences that combine Hollywood storytelling with cutting-edge full-body tracking technology.
Both companies are headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Geneva, Switzerland.

About Dreamscape Immersive

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Dreamscape Immersive is a world-leading VR company pioneering immersive experiences for entertainment, enterprise, and education.
Dreamscape was founded in 2017 by cinematic heavyweights, live events experts, gaming veterans, and medical researchers, who came together under a collective mission: to leverage singular VR technology with Hollywood-certified storytelling to create unforgettable shared virtual reality experiences.
The company’s location-based VR venues began rolling out across the US and Middle East in December 2018 to unprecedented audience enthusiasm, with additional domestic and international locations coming soon. The company currently services the defense and intelligence sector through immersive training and guided simulations for mission-critical skills.  Most recently, Dreamscape introduced Dreamscape Learn, a new partnership with the nation’s leading innovator in education Arizona State University, to transform learning through exploration.
The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with a facility in Geneva. To learn more about Dreamscape, please follow @visitdreamscape or visit our site at: dreamscapeimmersive.com.

About Zoe Immersive

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Zoe Immersive (formerly Apelab) is an award-winning VR/AR software company based in Geneva, Switzerland, and Los Angeles. Founded in 2014, Zoe Immersive democratizes content creation and  education technology using 3D/AR/VR technologies. The company has created Zoe, an easy-to-use, cross-platform, 3D- world creator for education learning and entertainment. The Zoe technology empowers non- and low-level coders to build and share interactive and engaging 3D multi-user experiences in a collaborative marketplace. The company has partnerships with leading technology companies such as Meta/Oculus, Unity, HTC, Google, and Microsoft, among others. www.zoe.com.

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Early Access Program: Zoe Mobile

Zoe is coming to Mobile! If you’re familiar with Zoe VR, you should find your way pretty quickly: import 3D models; rotate, scale, resize them; set up interactions, and play.
Get a chance to access the very first version of Zoe Mobile by subscribing to the Early Access program:
Subscribe to Early Access
Through this program, you’ll be invited to give us feedback which will help us improve the app. We can’t wait to hear what you think of it!

World Premiere at the Geneva International Film Festival

It’s official: the first multiplayer adventure built with Zoe has been selected to premiere at the Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF). “The Legend of Kami” will be available from November 5th to 18th in the Virtual Territories section of the festival in Plainpalais, Geneva.

True to the Festival’s DNA, the selection of more than 150 works showcases the diversity of formats and the multidisciplinarity of the audiovisual industry. The three main competitions will celebrate narrative innovation, formal courage and radicalism in a program never before seen in Switzerland.
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Meet Sylvain Joly, Head of Design & Co-founder

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Sylvain is our co-founder and Head of Design. He created the first 360 interactive story when he was only a student and went on to supervise all aspects of design for immersive projects involving Fortune 500 companies. He makes sure the Zoe platform can be used by anyone!
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about visual and interactive media. I studied and practiced in various fields: illustration, graphic design, motion graphics, visual effects, web design. I’ve also always strived to innovate. In 2012, I created the first interactive story on 360° that made use of the gyroscope in iPhones and iPads. It went viral overnight and got us our first WIRED magazine interview. Shortly after, I joined Emilie and Maria to continue working on similar innovations.

We worked on high-end projects for Google, Samsung and Oculus with hardware that wasn’t accessible to the public yet. I always have a blast figuring out how to design content for those platforms. The tools we created were initially made to help speed up my design process; then those expanded to our whole team and now everyone gets to learn and use it to build their own content.

Q: What is your role within the team?
Ergonomics, usability, feedback,... At the end of the day, our software needs to be as simple to use as possible, by as many people as possible. As Head of Design, this is my primary goal, and I make sure that philosophy stays true amongst my team. I also keep a close eye on the feedback from members of our community, since they are the ones who ultimately use our platform.
Q: How do you see the future of the company?
Zoe has a great potential as an immersive platform for collaboration, sharing, teaching, co-creation. A platform like Zoe is essential – now more than ever – for its ability to inspire and bring people together.

Connect with me on LinkedIn here.

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Meet Maria Beltran, Co-Founder and Head of Product Development

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Maria is our co-founder and Head of Product Development. Originally from Bogota she is based in Switzerland and heads the development of the Zoe platform. Maria is a true innovator, an award-winning product designer and has worked on numerous products at the intersection of new technologies and design.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background?
After obtaining my Bachelor in Industrial Design at the prestigious ECAL in Lausanne, Switzerland, I turned myself towards programming and new technologies. I followed the Interaction Design Master degree at the HEAD where I met co-founders Emilie and Sylvain. In 2014, we decided to found our own studio focused on creating unique user experiences with emerging technologies – from cutting edge augmented reality installations, to immersive theater and virtual reality experiences that won multiple awards around the world. At the same time I started working at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology on educational robotics. I gained expertise in both user centered digital products and educational tools for what has now become Zoe Immersive.
Q: What is your role within the team?
Though I am not a programmer, I’ve always been interested in coding and I am familiar with computational thinking. Understanding the basics of abstraction I can easily communicate with developers and engineers. Zoe is a design driven product and my role is to ensure the bridge between programming and design. I lead a team of technical designers and developers, facilitating and contributing to the implementation of the software.
Q: How do you see the future of the company?
The need for a platform like Zoe is now undeniable. As early as 2017 we were already shaping a marketplace to foster 3D immersive creation. With the Creator Economy growing and remote virtual collaboration and learning becoming essential, we are bringing real value to new generations.

Connect with me on LinkedIn here.

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Meet the Team: Q&A with Emilie Joly, CEO & Co-founder

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Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background?
As my fellow co-founders, I obtained a Master’s degree in Interaction Design at the Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD). Early on, I had a strong interest in adapting new technologies in compelling ways, and we quickly started working on spatial computing - first using smartphones and tablets, then diving into VR with the first Oculus development kits. We also had the chance to work with the Google team on early versions of their Tango Tablets and other amazing hardware you will never see in the market!
I was quickly placed in the role of CEO and was able to get R&D funding from companies such as Facebook and Google who were working on the first iterations of immersive hardware at the time.
Q: How did Zoe come to be?

The embryo of what later became Zoe was created in those first years: a way for our design team to work quickly and effectively amongst programmers, a workflow focusing on quick iterations and ease of use rather than technical hurdles.

Zoe itself started when we realized how our tools had an impact on new generations during our time at the HTC Vive X accelerator in San Francisco. By empowering them into creating interactive worlds of their own they became more engaged, excited and connected with their learning experience. We especially had a high impact on non-technical groups which was a great win for us.

Q: How do you see the future of the company?

Zoe means “life”, and bringing ideas to life is exactly what our platform allows creators to do. We live in a world where collaboration, creation and communication skills are becoming mandatory. We also know that learning by doing is more efficient than consuming information and trying to memorize course material.

There are popular learning platforms that focus on video or 2D output, but 3D is what new generations are used to and will grow with. I’m 36 and I played my first 3D game back when I was 10; and when you look at video games like Roblox and Minecraft, the engagement level is really high, over 42 M daily active users! A marketplace that is making good use of 3D for learning and creating purposes doesn’t exist… yet.

Zoe embodies this vision of a future where anyone can create, share and learn in 3D, as if they were in the same physical space regardless of their geographical location. Right now these creative capabilities are still restricted to highly skilled/technical teams, but we aim at enabling everyone to create & program virtual worlds of their own and become an active participant in the next era of Spatial Computing. Some might call it a metaverse!

Connect with me on twitter here: @EmilieJ0ly and add me on LinkedIn to continue the conversation!

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