HTC Vive marks Earth Day by unveiling the first grant recipients from its $10 million program targeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; projects include launching the first VR satellite into space later this year.
Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport, HTC Vive, making the VR for Impact award announcement
HTC VIVE today announced the first grant recipients in its VR for Impact program. VR for Impact is Vive’s $10 million commitment to drive VR content and technologies that will increase awareness and create positive impact in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Vive is commemorating Earth Day by unveiling projects from three creators with unique visions for how VR can address the UN’s set of defined goals for the planet such as “Climate Action” and “Zero Hunger”. These projects include SpaceVR, the first virtual reality satellite launching into space later this year, Tree, a creatively immersive perspective on deforestation, and The Extraordinary Honey Bee, a joint project with Haagen-Dazs®, Reach Agency and SPECTACLE to raise awareness about dwindling bee populations. All projects that receive funding by VR for Impact will be available on Viveport, HTC’s app store for VR.
Announced at the World Economic Forum 2017, Vive’s VR for Impact is a multi-year program providing grants to VR projects in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The UN goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Through VR for Impact, HTC Vive is committing $10 million dollars to industry partners and content developers to create VR experiences that improve awareness, education, and lead to action.
“We believe virtual reality and the immersive experiences it delivers have the potential to positively impact the biggest challenges that mankind faces,” said Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport, HTC Vive.”We welcome the first VR for Impact grant recipients who will introduce VR as a powerful tool in raising awareness for the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, and what better way to mark Earth Day than to unveil projects with three unique visions for helping the planet.”
Vive launched VR for Impact as a multi-year program, and SpaceVR, Tree and The Extraordinary Honey Bee represent the first grants awarded. Vive is planning to announce additional grant recipients for 2017 through the end of the year.
SpaceVR is the world’s first virtual reality platform allowing users to experience space first hand through the immersion of VR. Founded in 2015, the team has built the first VR satellite, the Overview 1, which will launch later this year on Space X. Once in orbit, SpaceVR will stream video that users can experience in full virtual reality or as 360-degree video. For more information on SpaceVR, please visit www.spacevr.co.
Tree is a critically acclaimed virtual reality experience enhanced by haptic feedback to immerse viewers in the tragic fate that befalls a rainforest tree. The experience brings to light the harrowing realities of deforestation, one of the largest contributors to global warming. Tree is an official selection of Sundance Film Festival New Frontier and Tribeca Film Festival Immersive 2017. For more information on Tree, please visit http://newreality.co
The Extraordinary Honey Bee is a joint project with Haagen-Dazs®, Reach Agency and SPECTACLE looking at the alarming rate at which bee populations are falling. In Honey Bee, users will shrink down to the size of a bee for a guided VR experience where they learn of the risks bee colonies face and solutions currently being implemented to offset their decline.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUt2PC0Ks4Y
For more information on VR for Impact, please visit https://vrforimpact.com/.
