HTC launches $10 million VR fund to promote the planet’s sustainability

HTC has launched a $10 million virtual reality fund for content and technologies that will drive sustainable development around the world.

Taiwan-based HTC makes the HTC Vive VR headset, and its VR for Impact program was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. VR is expected to be a $25 billion industry by 2021, according to tech advisor Digi-Capital.

The fund will promote content that supports the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2020. HTC said that VR provides a tremendous opportunity to develop and share ideas in impactful ways that lead to change, and through VR for Impact, HTC Vive will fund and support content and technologies that create the most powerful experiences to transform our world.

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The fund will promote experiences that improve awareness and education and lead to action.

Above: UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Image Credit: UN

“The potential for Virtual Reality to help us learn, understand, and transform the world is limitless. VR for Impact is a challenge to the VR community and content developers across the globe to help drive awareness and to solve the biggest challenges of mankind,” said Cher Wang, chairwoman and CEO at HTC, in a statement. “HTC Vive will fund the best ideas using Virtual Reality that truly drive awareness and positive change in our world. We encourage all players in the VR ecosystem to join, as only together can we drive real impact.”

HTC is soliciting ideas at its website, and the first winning projects will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2017.

“HTC is a pioneer in recognizing the work the UN has done to promote social change through virtual reality,” said Gabo Arora, creator of the UN’s VR initiative and creative advisor to the World Food Programme, in a statement. “The Vive’s room-scale VR capability can be a powerful tool for immersive storytelling, education, and training; their support will empower more people to effect global change, give voices to the most vulnerable, and provide access to new possibilities for the most marginalized.”