Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality in British Columbia
British Columbia (B.C.) is a hub for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) companies looking to create the future of entertainment, education, healthcare, and more. Vancouver is recognized as a leading VR/AR ecosystem in the world with more than 230 immersive technology companies at work in 2019, second only to the Bay Area/Silicon Valley. Companies are already using mixed reality (MR) – blending the best of their technologies to build practical tools across a wide variety of applications, with opportunities present in nearly every region of the province. AR/VR/MR and virtual gaming in B.C. is a promising investment for many sectors.
AR/VR/MR AND MORE
260
There are 260+ immersive technology companies in B.C., second only to Silicon Valley
DigiBC (2021)$2.3B
B.C. immersive technology companies generated $2.3B in annual revenues
DigiBC (2021)35%
B.C. accounts for 35% of all AR/VR revenue activity in Canada
BC Business (2020)An aptitude for innovation, a pool of highly skilled labour, and a West Coast lifestyle that attracts talent from around the world brings countless possibilities to investors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries choosing B.C. as their home base:
- Strong roots – A key reason for B.C.’s thriving AR/VR Industry is its strong roots in digital entertainment— Film/TV, VFX, animation, video game and interactive media industry in the Lower Mainland region, all of which have played a substantial role in laying the groundwork for the rise of AR/VR.
- Clusters of creativity – Imagination and innovation aren’t exclusive to the major cities. While Vancouver and Victoria are busy technology epicentres, there are incubators and accelerators available in Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops, and other growing communities.
- Education with experience – The workforce in B.C. has access to world-class educational opportunities: all of its major post-secondary institutions provide comprehensive training in leading edge facilities.
- Virtual entrepreneurs – An aptitude for innovation and a pro-development ecosystem create an ideal balance of work and play for entrepreneurs and investors. The mix of lifestyle and tech amenities allows innovators to have the flexibility to create during the workweek, then explore the lifestyle B.C. is known for.
- Cross-sector potential – B.C. companies provide value-added AR/VR platforms to advance training and education methods and systems, and to enable interactive experiences for a variety of other applications in many sectors such as life sciences, digital media and entertainment, aerospace, and natural resources to name a few.
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