Press Coverage

"Whoever gets this right could score big. Research firm Research 2.0 estimates the 3D avatar market for business will grow to $8 billion in annual revenues in 2014. That doesn’t include the training and collaboration markets. "
"...it's clear to me that this could suit things like team check-ins, sales meetings, and online education. But with this app, virtual-space business meetings attended by avatars can in fact work. "
"They have really captured the essence of what it feels like to be in a real meeting room."
"VenueGen's technology would one-up products from companies such as WebEx, a unit of Cisco Systems and GoToMeeting..."
"VenueGen had an impressive demonstration of its service, which lets users upload their photos and create a virtual avatar representation of themselves for serious Web-conferences"
"The cloud is big -- every part of the cloud is getting mined or exploited, says DEMO conference chief Matt Marshall."
"From NPR News Wire: VenueGen is addressing the market’s need for a more participative and productive way to conduct virtual meetings."
"I have a feeling that the concept may be tinkered with and have so many options that it may claim its own niche in business conferencing! Very interesting indeed!"
"It's certainly a very interesting alternative to traditional web conferencing, allowing you to act via an avatar."
" While we saw plenty of praise-worthy submissions, there were some that really got us excited about where the world of mobile tech is heading. Here are a few of our favorite products that could really shake up your mobile tech universe this year."
"the most clean and smart interface of any 3D immersive environment... a viable "next-gen" replacement for existing Web conferencing solutions, which have struggled to create the same level of intimacy and presence"
"I have never been a fan of Second Life (I just could not figure out its value), but I feel very differently about VenueGen."
"VenueGen replaces the videoconferencing, camera, codec, HD display and all of the environmental treatment required to optimize the traditional (videoconferencing) experience - like lighting, accountsics, furtniture, etc.... with equipment every business already has - a networked computer. Since it's based on voice over IP, there's no need to buy dedicated lines, video gear, or audio bridges."
"It provides just any team with the chance to become involved in something that just a couple of years before would have been deemed a work of fiction."
"Engaged, active and immersed attendees communicate directly, make decisions more efficiently, learn faster, and are more productive than with any online alternative to VenueGen. The days of the boring conference calls, expensive travel arrangements, and complex videoconference systems are over. And I love that it's green and clean."
" This vendor demonstrates the breadth of social-software tools. On one hand, they can use the social network to solve problems. In addition, they can provide a platform for engagement in virtual environments that's superior to more traditional settings."
" VenueGen was awarded with Gartner Inc.’s “Cool Vendor” award yesterday. Gartner has a successful track record of identifying technology trends. The list of Cool Vendors...is about the most innovative, impactful and intriguing solutions in recent history. Congrats to VenueGen"
"Online collaboration tools have been gaining interest from small and medium businesses recently because these products can help companies streamline business processes and improve productivity."

VenueGen: Analyst Reports

"Business unit leaders with distributed teams who are trying to improve team unity and collaboration should try nTeams and VenueGen for their next meeting. It is simpler and faster to become productive in than full-scale virtual worlds, such as Second Life, Protosphere and OLIVE... makes virtual meetings more compelling, engaging, and cost/time-efficient should be welcomed by enterprise managers."
"VenueGen is a huge leap forward in enterprise-level 3-D virtual meetings, primarily for the features that personalize and bring a human element back into the meeting...VenueGen may truly be an idea whose time has come.” While I've seen a number of 3D collaboration solutions, VenueGen's gesture and posture algorithm truly sets this product apart. It frees the user from constantly manipulating controls in order to generate a sense of authenticity"
3D Presence and Virtual Meetings
" VenueGen requirements are pretty minimal... and give more information than in a 2D event (like WebEx or GoToMeeting). So you get all the advantages of 2D content in an easy to use 3D collaborative space where the interactions are not only more immersive but you can deal with the avatar as a fair representation of the person in the meeting, not just a disembodied voice."
" VenueGen is a Web-based immersive environment designed for meetings, conferences, classroom-style learning and training. It has built-in VoIP, high-quality graphics, and intuitive controls for non-verbal communication.... I really like the simplicity of VenueGen"

VenueGen: Interviews with Press

"I don't like web conferences; I never can tell who is talking, I get tired of staring at static PowerPoint slides on the screen, and it's hard to get a word in when I have something to say. So I could be a future user of VenueGen's 3D virtual meeting technology."
"There might not be many people left in Second Life, but at DEMO spring 2010 one company wants to take that virtual world template and bring it into the board room. VenueGen had an impressive demonstration of its service, which lets users upload their photos and create a virtual avatar representation of themselves for serious Web-conferences"
"Virtual-meeting startup VenueGen is announcing today a virtual meeting platform that is both visually appealing and easy to use. To date, most meeting platforms have been neither. It’s a lot more than Cisco’s WebEx meeting platform ..."

What the experts say about the 3D Web

" 3D virtual world applications have the ability to deliver results in the enterprise superior to competing technologies in the marketplace. Virtual world applications are significantly less expensive than video conferencing, telepresence and travel. Furthermore, they represent a more interactive and engaging medium than traditional 2D web applications.”
“Activity in this space is accelerating ...real and virtual worlds are converging, a development that will change the way we work. Investors would be well-served by paying close attention to the virtual corporate sector"
" By year-end 2010, virtual reality and the emergence of virtual worlds in different markets will be the leading cause of competitive disruption in Web business models.”
“There will be a shift in the way online meetings are conducted in the future with...human controlled avatars emerging."
" Participants like it. They are discovering that events in virtual worlds are actually enjoyable and far better than traditional web or video conferencing. The ability to interact with other attendees is more natural and fun. It’s about shared experience versus shared information."
" Within five years, the 3-D Internet will be as important for work as the Web is today.”
“The Internet is on the cusp of its next major evolution”
“Executives should begin investigating and experimenting with virtual worlds soon because of their promise for remote collaboration and training..."
" Ninety five percent of survey respondents reported some level of success with their 2008 / 1Q 2009 immersive technology deployments.”
“The Immersive Internet holds great promise. Learning, training, meetings, conferences, data visualization, design and prototyping, business activity rehearsal, human resource management, and remote system and facility management can all be done faster, better, and cheaper. Other benefits include the ability for people in disparate locations to work together, increased innovation, competitive differentiation, development of new business capabilities, and increased revenue."

What customers say about VenueGen

Caroline Avery
Vice President
ACS
Application:
Collaborative Meetings
"The trial confirmed my suspicions that teams would work more dynamically in this environment. The teams found it very refreshing to be in different virtual locations. Deb (the team lead) felt that this enabled getting to know the team members, having a relaxed environment and having fun. Also, the team confirms that they do feel a sense of presence when they are looking at documents together in a 3D setting. This immersive feeling is stronger than when they only review documents via WebEx. Deb feels that this immersion does contribute to a more productive working environment."
Richard Kristof
CEO
American Research Institute
Application:
Corporate Training
Collaborative Meetings
"VenueGen is the closest experience we have found to actually being in a physical room together. The group dynamics are significantly better than web and video conferencing. Everyone loves it and it has made our meetings much less tiring. When they saw their face on their avatars they stopped calling the avatar “it” and started calling it “me”. I’ve never seen technology adopted any faster in our organization."
Constance Johnson, PhD, RN
Director
Duke/HL7 Consortium
Application:
Distance Learning
Collaborative Meetings
"After working in virtual environments over the past three years, I truly believe that you have an excellent product and have taken the most salient concepts required for an immersive experience and brought them into your product. After seeing people struggle with Second Life, it is a pleasure working with VenueGen."
Tony O'Driscoll, PhD
Duke Business School
Professor and 3D Author
Application:
Distance Learning
Collaborative Meetings
"VenueGen definitely got it right. It’s natural and intuitive. It works the way you think it should and you really don’t need any training to get going."
Len Annetta, PhD
Professor
North Carolina State University
Application:
Education
Collaborative Meetings
"I've been following VenueGen for a few years and I use it for some classes. It takes the best from Second Life, WebEx, etc. and puts it into one package."