Vizor.io
Vizor is a platform for creating and sharing VR on the web, working with industry leaders to create a new medium for storytelling.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor investor investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | $2.3m | Seed | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Vizor.io, established in Helsinki, Finland around 2014-2015, operated as a platform for creating and sharing WebVR content. The company was founded by individuals including Jaakko Manninen and Kaarlo Kananen, with Wendell Davis also cited as a co-founder. The founding team's background is rooted in the demoscene, a subculture where programmers compete to create impressive audio-visual displays with minimal code, viewing code as a form of competitive art. This ethos influenced Vizor's direction, aiming to simplify VR content creation for a broader audience.
The firm's core offering was a web-based visual authoring tool that allowed users to generate and publish VR experiences without needing to write code. Functioning as a visual programming environment for WebGL and WebVR, the platform featured a drag-and-drop interface, a 3D compositing editor, and an asset management system. Users could assemble 3D models, audio, video, and images to build interactive scenes. The platform supported a wide range of devices, from mobile phones with Google Cardboard to high-end headsets like the Oculus Rift, and enabled one-click publishing to the web. Advanced features included a visual programming language with over 300 nodes for logic and networking, live previews, and data flow visualization.
Vizor.io's business model appeared to have multiple facets. It positioned itself as the "Youtube of VR," suggesting a content portal strategy. In its early stages, the company launched a crowdsale for its own cryptocurrency, VIZR, which could be used to purchase assets and code within its ecosystem. This token could also be used for tipping creators or buying advertising. The company successfully raised $2.3 million in a seed funding round in April 2017, with backing from investors such as The Venture Reality Fund, Boost VC, and Lifeline Ventures. This funding followed an earlier round in October 2015. However, reports from late 2019 suggest the platform became defunct.
Keywords: WebVR, virtual reality content creation, visual programming, VR development platform, Jaakko Manninen, Kaarlo Kananen, Helsinki startup, 3D authoring tool, VR sharing, web-based VR, Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard, VR storytelling, interactive VR, The Venture Reality Fund, Boost VC, Lifeline Ventures, VIZR cryptocurrency, demoscene, VR editor