Virtual Reality is booming, and Vancouver is leading the way
The conference and expo, which takes place Nov. 1-2 at Parq Vancouver, is supported by the biggest names in tech, such as Microsoft and Amazon, and will feature keynote addresses, panels and workshops with more than 1,000 representatives from dozens of major technology companies.
Three years ago, Vancouver was home to around 15 immersive technology companies. Now there are more than 230, from major publishers like Electronic Arts (EA), Microsoft and Nintendo, to startups like Etro Construction, which aims to implement new technologies in the construction industry and has been growing rapidly since its inception in 2015.
Even celebrities see a can’t-miss moneymaking opportunity. Virtual reality gaming company Sandbox VR, which just expanded to Canada by opening a location Richmond, announced $11 million in funding from some big names in Silicon Valley and the entertainment industry, including Justin Timberlake and Katy Perry, actors Will Smith and Orlando Bloom, and former Disney President Michael Ovitz.
Sandbox works with VR and full-body, motion-capture technology for customers to become superheroes, space cowboys, and physics-defying fighters. The company describes the experience as the closest thing to the “holodeck” that exists.