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May 09, 2016 | Tom Ballard

Agilibility’s Cyndi Buchanan invited to “Oculus Launch Pad 2016”

Agilibility

By Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer, PYA

Knoxville-based Agilibility, a virtual reality-focused company profiled in a March 2016 teknovation.biz article, has been invited to participate in the one-day “Oculus Launch Pad 2016” accelerator set for May 21 in Menlo Park, CA.

“It’s a big deal for us,” Owner Cyndi Buchanan told us on Friday. “It’s a great networking opportunity with the chance to earn a scholarship of $5,000 to $50,000.”

The funding would be used to complete a special project Agilibility is undertaking in conjunction with the East Tennessee Technology Access Center (ETTAC). The tagline for the latter – “Transforming disabilities into possibilities” – aptly describes the goal of the Smoky Mountain VR Project.

“It is a virtual reality app that allows individuals to go to their favorite hiking spots,” Buchanan explained. For those with disabilities, this is usually impossible.

“We have created two experiences but want them to be available in an app,” Buchanan added. The two VR-based hikes are to Max Patch Trail in North Carolina and Mount Cammerer Trail near the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

The Oculus boot camp, as it is described in this March announcement, will be held at Facebook’s headquarters in Menlo Park, CA. Facebook is Oculus VR’s parent.

Buchanan said she learned of the opportunity three days before the application deadline.

“I’m part of a Women in VR group,” she said. “Someone from Oculus posted the notice. They were looking to have more women involved. I decided to take a chance.”

To learn more, click here to read the Agilibility announcement.


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