HTC’s Vive X accelerator is a $100 million fund for AR/VR companies that the company announced last year. Today HTC is revealing the second batch of companies that will receive investments and mentorship from the program.

33 seems to be the magic number. After investing in 33 startups in the first batch of Vive X investments, HTC has selected 33 more companies to join the program, after some 700 applications. Here’s the new batch, across Vive X’s operating territories:

San Francisco

  • cognitiveVR provides 3D spatial analytics and user feedback tools for VR/AR, enabling organizations to quickly and easily display analytics on their users’ sessions and collect deep metrics on user behavior and feedback.
  • Construct Studio is a bilingual independent studio dedicated to creating interactive narrative experiences for VR. Construct has recently created their first interactive VR narrative “The Price of Freedom”, based on the real events of CIA mind control program Project MK Ultra.
  • Created by founders of Phosphor Games, the studio behind the worldwide hit VR shooter ‘The Brookhaven Experiment’, Forbidden Mechanics was formed with the single-minded passion to create the greatest competitive online multiplayer shooter for VR.
  • HyperfairVR is a SaaS web-based social VR solution for enterprises. It allows businesses to self-build and easily customize their own branded VR environment, and quickly publish to multiple platforms to engage with customers and employees in VR via avatars.
  • Limitless is a cloud-based platform that aims to make it easier to create VR content. Using the Limitless VR Creative Environment, creators can animate characters directly in VR using motion controls, simplifying the animation process for newcomers and professionals alike.
  • Mindesk developed the first immersive interface for commercial CAD software in the world. With Mindesk, engineers, architects and designers can build their models naturally in VR, while collaborating in real time in the cloud.
  • Realiteer develops and distributes immersive and evidence-based programs in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which has been clinically shown to treat substance abuse, anxiety, and depression. It is working closely with world-class academic researchers to design and build these programs.
  • The Rogue Initiative is a new VR and Digital Media content studio, creating AAA cinematic interactive entertainment. The Rogue Initiative collaborates with established Hollywood talent to co-create and co-own new intellectual property in VR that can be further developed into various franchises.
  • Subdream is a social VR gaming studio founded by serial gaming entrepreneur Jikhan Jung. Subdream plans on releasing quality multiplayer games that can be played at VR arcades and at home.
  • Vertebrae is a native advertising platform for VR and AR. The headset-agnostic tech stack connects advertisers with developers and publishers to deliver immersive, native VR/AR/360 video advertising experiences.
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Beijing

  • Mint Muse develops immersive audio technology and innovations, providing market-leading capture devices, immersive audio workstations, rendering SDKs and live broadcasting solutions for the VR community.
  • Hexa is changing the way we experience our planet by making it easy to create and scale 3D content. Hexa automatically converts 2D photos into 3D assets and enable online retailers to create virtual equivalents of their collections and display them online.
  • Vito, a pioneering VR education game studio, inherits the philosophy of Ge Wu Zhi Zhi, which encourages learning through exploration. Its series of original content includes Nature and Science discovery, Historical and Social stories, and Physical environment simulations.
  • Invrse Reality aims to fuse physical and virtual reality. Our unique interface design and touch input will bring meaningful user experiences to your fingertips.
  • PlusOne is an AR + AI startup creating interactive intelligent human holograms which can be used by enterprises to train their employees to interact more effectively with customers.
  • Multiverse is a world-class VR studio founded by game industry veterans from places like Wevr, Disney, Riot, Ubisoft, Com2us, and CJ E&M. Multiverse is poised to create industry-defining content and help bring VR to the masses. Multiverse’s previous game, Reveries: Dream Flight, is one of the highest-rated VR games worldwide, and a top selling title on the Oculus Store.
  • Red Accent is a game creator with a strong track record developing games for console, PC and mobile. Red Accent is currently working on sports and adventure titles and is based out of Shanghai and San Francisco.
  • Byond is a cloud-based VR publishing platform empowering brands, media companies and agencies to create their own personalized interactive universe in VR. Using Byond’s tools, VR applications can be easily created and published across all platforms.
  • OVA’s StellarX it’s the best tool out there for non-programmers to develop their own VR environments in VR—and through simple grab-and-drop creation.
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Shenzhen

  • Transmind offers more than just a fun multiplayer game. Players can assume different identities in a virtual world and socialize with others, while watching videos, playing games, casually chatting, and even finding their significant others.
  • Aurora AR’s goal is to be the leader in augmented reality glass optics and device design. Our first product is a 135-degree field of view augmented reality glass that works under daylight, and is cost-effective for consumers.
  • Kiwi Technology specializes in providing consumer products with detecting and tracking technology through an RGB camera, along with 3D graphics and visual effects. KiwiFace mobile and VR SDK have been widely adopted by over a dozen major live-streaming/short video/VR products, reaching hundreds of million devices by the first half of 2017.
  • Shengda provides VR solutions and training for vocational and K-12 education to replace hazardous experiment/training for employees, such as working with high- voltage engines in electrical vehicles. Shengda also helps local governments build up VR education centers in Shenzhen, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Jilin.
  • Brokencolors builds and integrates head-based sensing technologies that bring the users’ gaze, facial expressions, and mindsets into the virtual world. Our sensing technologies are creating a more immersive experience for VR users.
  • bHaptics enables users to enjoy VR with visual, auditory, and haptic feedback. Our distinguished haptic devices and haptic authoring software are the ideal solution for conveniently adding appropriate haptic feedback to various VR content.
  • SoccerDream is a VR football training technology that helps clubs and academies make their players smarter, and keep them highly motivated, just as the world’s top clubs do.
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Taipei

  • Opaque Space is a premier developer of consumer and simulation VR experiences. Opaque Space is developing the acclaimed VR game Earthlight and collaborating with NASA to develop VR training tools for the next generation of astronauts.
  • Snobal builds tools to enable businesses to better collaborate and engage via interactive, photo-realistic 3D virtual experiences. Snobal aims to extend and enhance existing customer, partner and workplace engagement and co-creation experiences in roles responsible for leading growth, strategy, marketing, communications, and research and development.
  • Memora is a global leading 360-degree camera manufacturer that provides a new way to communicate and archive moments in 360VR and AI.
  • Xikaku develops AR technology for applications in industrial and medical fields. Our first product, the X-Visor, is an analysis and visualization system allowing factory personnel do precise and efficient machine inspection using an overlay of real-time sensor data. Our systems provide a platform to dramatically enhance the capabilities and skills of human resources in mission critical applications.
  • Appnori Inc. is a sports-focused VR game development company, developing games such as baseball and table tennis, which can be enjoyed by all users regardless of age.
  • VRANI’s goal is to provide VR’s fantastic experiences to users by focusing on interactive VR characters. Through four core-playing experiences, Easy-Play, Extreme-Play, Interactive-Play and Multi-Play, we create fun and easy casual VR content.
  • TEGway is a manufacturer of flexible thermoelectric device (F-TED). TEGway developed the world’s first high performance F-TED. Based on F-TED technology, TEGway is introducing “ThermoReal”® solution which enables players to feel temperature and pain in the game/VR/AR environment.

Each accepted company gets an undisclosed investment and hands-on mentorship from HTC. Although part of HTC, the company says Vive X investments do not include “onerous deal terms that would exclude other platforms,” so that devs remain free to put their VR/AR wares where they see fit.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • Get Schwifty!

    An amazing commitment considering how few sales of Oculus and Vive there are out there…

    • J.C.

      In terms of investment, it’s likely less than Oculus has put into their stable of games.

      I don’t know about the cost of living in the Chinese cities listed, but I don’t understand why they picked San Francisco. If they wanted to stretch the value of their investment, they’d put their studios in lower cost cities.

      If it’s because “that’s where VR developers are”, then VR devs are idiots. Here they are, working on projects that currently have a very small audience, while trying to pay a ridiculous mortgage/rent. If VR devs DON’T primarily live in San Fran, then HTC is pretty dumb to pick a high cost area to set up their VR studio.

      I dunno. Maybe there’s some legitimate reason, but I sincerely doubt they’re getting the best bang for their buck in SanFran.

      • Foreign Devil

        I see the same thing happen with low margin animation companies .. they all congregate in the worlds most expensive cities and and pay very tiny salaries to the artists who can’t afford to live in those cities. The studio rent is ridiculous and most go belly up after 5 years. All in order to impress potential visiting clients with “central” studio.

        • J.C.

          That’s probably what’s happening with HTC. So, visiting clients are impressed with throwing away massive amounts of money? You’d THINK investors would want to see their money spent on actually PRODUCING something, not a trendy office location.

          • PF-346

            “HTC has selected 33 more companies to join the program, after some 700 applications.”

            HTC actually talked with a lot of selected applicants – it is mainly about those 33 companies accepting the Vive X co-op terms at last, and has less to do with the office locations.