WXR Fund recently launched the XR Ecomap, a new, free site that enables interactive search and promotion of XR related companies, resources and jobs.

There are fundamental reasons why there is more to the current Metaverse enthusiasm than hype. In particular, it is not about the virtual worlds themselves, although content is very important, it is the growth in the surrounding technology ecosystem that is supporting and signaling an accelerated virtual future. As in the early days of the internet and mobile, now is the time for innovators, entrepreneurs and brands to explore what can be created as a fundamental computing shift occurs. The possibilities of connection, communication and commerce in the Metaverse are vast, and with the growth of the surrounding ecosystem, the Metaverse is here to stay.

WXR Managing Partner Martina Welkhoff recently had the honor of speaking at a unique event hosted in Altspace by LinkedIn. Talent executives from Fortune 500 companies gathered to discuss how VR could be used within their organizations from recruiting and onboard to training, team building, and collaboration.

WXR Fund raises their inaugural fund to invest in women led startups building augmented reality, virtual reality and artificial intelligence companies

The XR ecosystem has hit a critical inflection point with the maturity of early stage companies, accessibility of hardware, 5G rollout and the overall market acceleration the pandemic has yielded. It's more important than ever that large corporate platforms and small startups find ways to collaborate effectively to move the space forward and rise to meet evolving customer expectations. In this discussion with leaders from some of the most influential companies on the corporate XR landscape, including Verizon, Snap, and Niantic, we discussed how the field of XR is evolving and how we can all work to connect the dots.

WXR continued our exploration of virtual events with Verizon 5G Labs and hosted a small, highly interactive gathering in Rec Room focused on education and XR. We assembled a group of educators, entrepreneurs, and technologists to explore the various spaces and tools Rec Room has to offer and brainstorm how they might be able to use XR in their classrooms or businesses.

Check out the video for highlights of the event.

We’ve all had the collaborate virtually over the past few months, so for our most recent event with Verizon 5G Labs, we decided to look beyond video conferencing to the Future of Collaboration. We invited leaders from three cutting edge XR collaboration applications to present: Andrea Ancieto-Chavez of Digital Film Tree, Melissa Chan and Clay Walsh of The Wild, and Inga Petryaevskaya of Tvori. After learning about some of the tools being developed, we hosted a fireside chat with Lauren Ruffin of Crux and Jonathan Williams of VRX to discuss collaboration in action as artists and producers in the space.

The pervasive pain caused by racial injustice in our country is unfortunately a reality known all too well to Black Americans, and that urgently needs to change.

We are committed at the WXR Fund to building a more inclusive foundation for the XR industry and are always working to examine our own biases and blindspots. We believe in the power of diversity to build superior technology, stronger economies, and ultimately a better world.

During this time of physical distancing, humanity’s need for contact and connection has become even more obvious, and perhaps, more necessary. Use of video services like Zoom are skyrocketing, and not just from people working from home, but also due to the need for social interaction, events and entertainment. Innovation in this space is occurring rapidly. Major tech companies are acquiring other companies and launching products to prepare for a new normal as the economy shifts even more from the physical to the digital.