Within (Virtual Reality)

Within[1] is a technology company based in Los Angeles that creates, acquires, and distributes premium 360-degree video, AR, VR and XR experiences and products across web, mobile, console and headsets.

WITHIN
TypePrivate
IndustryVirtual Reality
Founded2014
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California
Key people
Chris Milk (Founder & CEO), Aaron Koblin(CTO & Founder))
ProductsWITHIN App
Websitehttp://with.in/

History

Originally named Vrse,[2] Within was founded in 2014 by Chris Milk, and Aaron Koblin, creator of Google’s Data Arts team.[3] The company has produced and distributed some of augmented and virtual reality's most seminal's works, including Clouds Over Sidra, in partnership with the United Nations (2015), Lambchild Superstar (2017), co-directed by Milk and OK Go's Damien Kulash,[4] and the children's augmented reality reading app, Wonderscope (2018). In April 2020, after 2 years in development, Within released its most bleeding edge product yet, Supernatural, an in-home fitness, health and wellness service for virtual reality, that combines real-life trainers, with rhythm mapped exercises, set amidst the world's most beautiful locations. In 2020, Within was named one of FastCompany's Most Innovative Companies[5] and Supernatural was named "Best App" in Fast Company's 2020 Innovation by Design Awards. In 2017, Within announced it had raised a $40 million Series B round of funding led by Temasek and Emerson Collective.[6] In 2016, the company announced it had raised a $12.56 million funding round, lead Andreessen Horowitz, which also led their seed round.

Investors

On June 16, 2016, Within rebranded from Vrse and raised a $12.65 million series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from 21st Century Fox, WME, Tribeca Enterprises,[7][8][9] Annapurna Pictures, Vice and Freelands Ventures.[9] Current investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Temasek, Emerson Collective, 21st Century Fox, Raine Ventures, WME, Live Nation, Vice Media, Tribeca Enterprises, Annapurna Pictures, and Legendary Pictures.

Product

Within's VR app supports all major headsets, including Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Samsung Gear VR, HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation®VR, and Google Daydream and is available on the iOS App Store, Google Play, Steam and the Oculus Store. Within hosts content that is compatible with iOS and Android operating systems and accessible on iPhone, Android phones, Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, HTC Vive, Oculus Quest, and Oculus Rift.

Within has partnered with The New York Times, NBC, VICE, United Nations, U2, Annapurna Pictures, Conservation International, TOMS, Charity: Water and Apple to produce and distribute content.

Installations & Events

In 2016, Within (known as VRSE at the time) showed roughly 1,200 attendees a synced 360-degree video collage at a TED Talk.[10]

Awards

Within was named[11] the #1 VR app for iOS by Apple Insider, featured[11] as "Best New App" on iTunes and is the most downloaded and highest rated[12] cinematic VR app for Google Cardboard.

Within VR films were selected[13] for the Tribeca Film Festival and chosen[9] for the Sundance Film Festival, respectively, in both 2015 and 2016. Within film, "The Displaced", won[14] the Most Next Award at the 2016 AICP Awards[15] and the 2016 Cannes Lions Grand Prix in the Entertainment category.[16] Within Founder Chris Milk’s SNL40 VR special won the Best Online Film & Video Award at the 2016 Webby Awards. Milk’s "Clouds Over Sidra" won the Interactive Category at the 2015 Sheffield Doc/Fest Awards.[17] In 2020 Within was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies.[18] Within's Supernatural won "Best App" in Fast Company's 2020 Innovation by Design Awards.[19]

Competitors

References
  1. Janko Roettgers (2016-06-16). "VR: Chris Milk's Within Raises $12.5M from Fox, Legendary, Liz Murdoch". Variety. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  2. Watercutter, Angela (2016-06-16). "The VR company Vrse is changing its name to Within, and about to spend $12.56 million of VC money". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  3. Franklin, Oliver (2014-11-17). "LA filmmaker mixes immersive technology with film | WIRED UK". Wired.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  4. "LAMBCHILD SUPERSTAR: Making Music in the Menagerie of the Holy Cow | 2018 Tribeca Film Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  5. "The 10 most innovative virtual and augmented reality companies of 2020". Fast Company. 2020-03-10. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  6. Roettgers, Janko (2017-07-26). "Chris Milk's VR Studio Within Raises $40 Million Series B Round of Funding". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  7. Jordan Novet (2016-06-16). "Virtual reality startup Vrse raises $12.56 million, changes name to WITHIN | VentureBeat | Deals | by Jordan Novet". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  8. Carolyn Giardina (2016-06-16). "Virtual Reality Startup VRse Raises $12.56 Million; Rebrands as 'WITHIN'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  9. "Chris Milk's Vrse the latest VR firm to raise money, this time from Fox and WME". Los Angeles Times. 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  10. https://vrscout.com/news/vrse-chris-milk-ted-2016/
  11. Hughes, Neil (2015-08-01). "The best virtual reality apps for iPhone, compatible with Google Cardboard". Appleinsider.com. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  12. "The best VR content for Google Cardboard". Gizmag.com. 2015-11-11. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  13. "The Complete Lineup for Experiential Storytelling at the Tribeca 2016 Festival Hub | Tribeca". Tribecafilm.com. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  14. "Year 2016 | From the Archives of the AICP Awards | AICP Awards". Aicpshow.com. 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  15. "Awards". AICP. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  16. Nudd, Tim (2016-06-24). "The New York Times VR Film 'The Displaced' Wins the Lions Entertainment Grand Prix". Adweek. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  17. "Sheffield Doc/Fest: Sheffield International Documentary Festival". Sheffdocfest.com. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  18. "The 10 most innovative virtual and augmented reality companies of 2020". Fast Company. 2020-03-10. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  19. "Innovation Awards Finalists Named". PsycEXTRA Dataset. 2004. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
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