Virtual World Society

What Virtual World Society does

Virtual World Society (VWS) is an independent US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Seattle that operates as a mission-driven convening and thought-leadership platform at the intersection of spatial computing, immersive systems (VR/AR/MR), and artificial intelligence. Its stated objective is to ensure these emerging technologies are designed, deployed, and governed to expand human agency rather than diminish it. VWS serves four primary persona segments — policymakers and government leaders, technologists and industry leaders, educators and community organizations, and civil society change-makers — through global convenings, expert councils, demonstration projects, standards/briefs/playbooks, podcasts, essays, and a flagship immersive experience.

Its core product is "Bridge to One," a personalized, emotionally rich XR decision-journey launched in 2024 that transports participants through three diverging AI-driven futures (global conflict, a fractured bifurcated world, and a thriving post-scarcity abundance era). The experience is positioned as a modern "Christmas Carol" for the post-AGI age, targeted at policymakers, technologists, and leaders, and was co-produced with immersive studio Phenomena under creator/Chairman Alvin Wang Graylin. Distribution runs through Meta Horizon-compatible XR hardware, with personalization data (preferred names, audio, visual media) processed locally on-device per VWS's privacy policy. Beyond Bridge to One, VWS produces proof-of-concept demonstration projects in education, culture, and community impact, and operates AI education and training programs.

VWS does not sell products or services. Revenue is generated entirely through donations accepted via PayPal, with project-specific donor support disclosed for Bridge to One. The organization is governed by an 11-member board including founder Tom Furness (Honorary Board Member), Chairman Alvin Graylin, and recognized XR pioneers Louis Rosenberg, Avi Bar-Zeev, Mark Billinghurst, and Leslie Shannon, alongside one named full-time staff member in admin and marketing. Visible partners include Accenture, PwC, IEEE, and AWE. There are no disclosed funding rounds, patents, certifications, or M&A activity; growth and revenue figures are not publicly available.

Name

Virtual World Society

Legal name

Virtual World Society

Website

https://virtualworldsociety.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Virtual World Society is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes policymakers, technologists, educators, and civil society to shape governance and human-centered standards for spatial computing, immersive systems, and AI. Its flagship product is the Bridge to One immersive XR experience on potential AI futures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Technology Advocacy

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Metaverse & Social Virtual Worlds (BPAMAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Virtual Events (All-Hands, Town Halls, Product Launches) (MPAGAOAI), STEM & Lab Simulation Media (Virtual Labs, AR/VR) (EDAGALAF)

Keywords

• Nonprofit technology advocacy
• Immersive experience design
• Emerging technology policy
• Spatial computing projects
• Human-centered technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Virtual World Society operates primarily through donations from individuals and organizations. The organization accepts donations via PayPal.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Virtual World Society (VWS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes leading minds from industry, academia, government, and civil society, builds demonstration projects that benefit humanity, and produces frameworks and recommendations to enable responsible, human-centered technology. Its flagship product is "Bridge To One," an immersive metaverse experience combining photorealistic 3D models, geospatial data, and spatial computing, VR, AR, MR, and AI to take users on an emotional journey through the world's most precious places.

Product overview

Virtual World Society is an independent nonprofit organization that operates as a platform-plus-programs model. Its primary named product is Bridge To One, an immersive experience created in collaboration with Phenomena that guides participants through three potential AI-driven futures. Beyond this core experience, the organization offers thought leadership initiatives (global convenings, essays, podcasts), demonstration projects (pilot programs in education, culture, and community impact), and frameworks for change-makers (standards, briefs, and playbooks for human-centered technology). The organization also runs AI education and training programs, convenings, and community support initiatives, all centered on ensuring spatial, immersive, and intelligent technologies serve humanity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridge to One: A personalized, emotionally rich decision-journey that transports participants through three diverging AI futures: global conflict, a fractured bifurcated world, and a thriving post-scarcity era of abundance.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AccenturecoreOthersDisplayed as partner logo on VWS website. Nature of partnership not explicitly detailed but appears as part of VWS's network of partners and peers.
• PwCcoreOthersDisplayed as partner logo on VWS website. Nature of partnership not explicitly detailed but appears as part of VWS's network of partners and peers.
• IEEEcoreOthersDisplayed as partner logo on VWS website. Nature of partnership not explicitly detailed but appears as part of VWS's network of partners and peers.
• AWE (Augmented World Expo)coreOthersDisplayed as partner logo on VWS website. Nature of partnership not explicitly detailed but appears as part of VWS's network of partners and peers.
• PhenomenacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Bridge to One immersive experience. Phenomena collaborated with Alvin Wang Graylin and VWS to create the personalized decision-journey through three potential AI futures. Development team included Awane Jones, Justin Able, Luke Madle, and Steve Jones from Phenomena.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Future of Life Institute: Nonprofit focused on steering transformative technologies - especially AI - to benefit humanity. Directly comparable to VWS in mission, independent nonprofit structure, and emphasis on governance frameworks, though FLI is significantly larger and more policy-influential.
• Partnership on AI: Multistakeholder nonprofit convening industry, academia, and civil society on AI best practices. Closely comparable to VWS's convening model and standards/frameworks output, with a broader multi-stakeholder base.
• AI Now Institute: Research institute examining the social implications of AI and producing policy frameworks. Comparable to VWS in producing standards, briefs, and playbooks for human-centered AI governance, with stronger academic research orientation.
• XR Safety Initiative (XRSI): Nonprofit building safety, privacy, and ethics frameworks for XR and emerging technologies. Closely comparable to VWS in mission, scope (immersive systems governance), and independent nonprofit structure.

Broad incumbents

• XR Association: Industry trade association representing XR hardware, software, and content companies. Comparable to VWS as a convening body around immersive technology, though industry-funded rather than independent nonprofit and focused on commercial policy rather than human-centered frameworks.
• IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems: IEEE program developing standards and ethical guidelines for emerging technologies. Already a named VWS partner; comparable in producing frameworks for human-centered technology and standards for AI/spatial systems.
• Metaverse Standards Forum: Industry-led forum coordinating interoperability standards for metaverse and immersive technologies. Comparable to VWS in convening stakeholders around immersive technology standards, though industry-led rather than independently nonprofit.
• World Economic Forum (Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution): International organization convening leaders to shape governance of emerging technologies. Comparable to VWS in convening function and policy framework production, though orders of magnitude larger and more established.

Others

• Phenomena: Production studio that co-developed Bridge to One with VWS. Comparable as a partner and as an immersive storytelling production capability, relevant for understanding VWS's product execution capacity.

Emerging players

• Singularity Group (Singularity University / Singularity Forum): Organization focused on exponential technologies and their societal implications, with education programs and convenings. Comparable to VWS in futurism framing and education/community programming, though more commercially oriented.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@virtualworldsociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virtualworldsociety
• Xx.com/VRWorldSociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/virtualworldsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Virtual World Society