Samsung NEXT Ventures

Afference is an electronics manufacturing company that specializes in wearable technology designed to enhance the interaction between the digital and physical worlds. The company's primary product is a haptic glove that utilizes neural stimulation to simulate the sensation of touch. This innovative device allows users to engage with various digital environments, including extended reality settings and traditional two-dimensional gaming, thereby facilitating a more immersive and realistic experience. Afference aims to enable users to achieve greater digital dexterity with 3D content through its advanced wearable solutions.

Mawari, Inc. specializes in cloud rendering and streaming technology tailored for interactive augmented reality (AR) experiences. The company offers an AR-focused streaming software development kit (SDK) that efficiently delivers rendered 3D content to various devices. Central to its technology is a unique, patent-pending compression method that reduces the size of 3D assets, facilitating real-time rendering and streaming capabilities for smartphones and AR glasses. Mawari's cloud platform supports the widespread distribution of 3D content across different extended reality (XR) devices and platforms, enhancing user accessibility and experience.

Wolf3D specializes in creating realistic 3D avatars and models for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications, as well as for gaming. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, with an office in Los Angeles, the company employs advanced 3D scanning technology to generate detailed avatars from smartphone captures. Their platform enables the 3D printing of human sculptures and the creation of anatomical models for surgical planning, thereby enhancing the capabilities of developers in integrating 3D content into games and VR environments. Wolf3D has also operated its scanning technology in various public venues, including airports and museums, expanding its reach across multiple industries.

MovieBot is an innovative platform designed for Gen-Z video creators, allowing them to easily produce interactive 3D movies. It empowers users to transform simple text prompts into animated videos featuring customizable characters and environments. By leveraging advanced augmented reality and mixed-reality technologies, MovieBot synchronizes user experiences across devices, enabling real-time 3D storytelling. The platform aims to inspire creativity among teenagers, providing them with the tools to craft elaborate narratives and visual experiences from the comfort of their own homes.

8i is a Wellington-based company that specializes in virtual reality software and technology, focusing on volumetric video solutions. The company provides enterprise-grade hologram capture stages using camera arrays, alongside a sophisticated software stack that employs proprietary computer vision and machine learning models to fuse, edit, and compress holograms. This technology enables the transformation of photoreal holograms into immersive digital experiences that can be viewed in virtual reality, augmented reality, and on the web. By simplifying the creation and distribution of 3D content, 8i enhances communication and interaction through the realistic representation of humans in holographic form, allowing clients to easily create and share engaging experiences.

2Sens is focused on developing real-time computer vision technology that delivers an immersive mixed-reality experience by seamlessly integrating 3D virtual content into the real world. This technology is designed to work with smartphones, allowing users to capture and experience mobile videos in 3D and 3D stereoscopic formats. By utilizing advanced video processing techniques, 2Sens aims to provide a comfortable and lifelike virtual reality experience that enhances how users interact with their environments.

8i is a Wellington-based company that specializes in virtual reality software and technology, focusing on volumetric video solutions. The company provides enterprise-grade hologram capture stages using camera arrays, alongside a sophisticated software stack that employs proprietary computer vision and machine learning models to fuse, edit, and compress holograms. This technology enables the transformation of photoreal holograms into immersive digital experiences that can be viewed in virtual reality, augmented reality, and on the web. By simplifying the creation and distribution of 3D content, 8i enhances communication and interaction through the realistic representation of humans in holographic form, allowing clients to easily create and share engaging experiences.

8i is a Wellington-based company that specializes in virtual reality software and technology, focusing on volumetric video solutions. The company provides enterprise-grade hologram capture stages using camera arrays, alongside a sophisticated software stack that employs proprietary computer vision and machine learning models to fuse, edit, and compress holograms. This technology enables the transformation of photoreal holograms into immersive digital experiences that can be viewed in virtual reality, augmented reality, and on the web. By simplifying the creation and distribution of 3D content, 8i enhances communication and interaction through the realistic representation of humans in holographic form, allowing clients to easily create and share engaging experiences.