XR Access
XR Access is a Cornell Tech research initiative founded in 2019 that convenes researchers, developers, and disability advocates around accessible XR, operating the annual Symposium, an XR Association–co-developed GitHub repository, and a research network; it entered hibernation at end of 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersNew York City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What XR Access does
XR Access is a non-profit research initiative of Cornell Tech, founded in 2019 by Larry Goldberg and Shiri Azenkot, dedicated to advancing accessibility in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (XR) for people with disabilities. The organization operates a community-driven model rather than a commercial product business, with its core deliverables being the annual XR Access Symposium (New York City; hybrid since 2023), the XR Accessibility GitHub repository co-built with the XR Association, the Research Network, regular Round Tables held every fourth Monday, and a public resource library containing guidelines, reports, and hundreds of hours of recorded content. Its research output spans blind and low-vision access, audio cues, haptic feedback, avatar design, and workflow integration, with collaboration through the Metaverse Standards Forum and an NSF-funded REU summer research program co-hosted with Columbia University.
Underlying technology is principally a content and community platform: a free developer-facing GitHub organizing accessibility code snippets by platform (Unity, WebXR, ARCore), a clickable guidelines prototype filtering by user ability, platform, or team role, and a long-form content engine (reports, YouTube library, symposium recordings) rather than a proprietary software product. The intended beneficiaries are XR accessibility researchers, XR developers and designers, and disability advocates who lack practical resources, standards, or representation in immersive-technology design.
The revenue model is non-commercial and depends on tiered corporate Symposium sponsorships (Bronze $5,000 to Platinum $50,000+ on multi-year contracts) and individual donations routed through Cornell University, with no disclosed product sales, licensing, or fee-for-service revenue. On October 21, 2025, XR Access announced it would enter hibernation at year-end due to shifts in the XR funding landscape and broader changes in the research environment, pausing active programming while preserving published resources and migrating its Slack community to read-only.
XR Access firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- XR Access
- Legal name
- XR Access Initiative
- Website
- https://xraccess.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- XR Access is a Cornell Tech research initiative founded in 2019 that convenes researchers, developers, and disability advocates around accessible XR, operating the annual Symposium, an XR Association–co-developed GitHub repository, and a research network; it entered hibernation at end of 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
XR Access industry classification
Industry- Product category
- XR Accessibility Research and Community Programs
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains (MPAFAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Assistive Input & Mobility Access (Alternative Keyboards/Mice, Switch Access, Eye Gaze) (EDAFAKAH), VR/AR/XR Game Studios (MPAFAAAE)
Keywords
Where XR Access is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
XR Access business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for the annual XR Access Symposium, with tiered donation levels ranging from $5,000 (Bronze) to $50,000+ (Platinum). Provides visibility and presentation opportunities at the largest event dedicated to XR accessibility.
- Donations: One-time or recurring monetary donations of any size to support XR Access programs, research, and sustainability. Donations processed through parent organization Cornell University.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Platinum Sponsorship: $50,000+ USD with maximum visibility and presentation benefits |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Gold Sponsorship: $25,000 USD with presentation and branding benefits |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Silver Sponsorship: $10,000 USD with booth and recognition benefits |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Bronze Sponsorship: $5,000 USD with basic acknowledgment |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
XR Access product offering
Product offeringCore offering
XR Access is a non-profit research initiative of Cornell Tech that advances accessibility in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (XR) for people with disabilities. It delivers community programs including the annual XR Access Symposium, a monthly Round Table series, a free XR Accessibility GitHub repository (developed with the XR Association), an XR Access Research Network, and published guidelines and reports. All resources and events are aimed at helping XR developers, designers, researchers, and advocates build inclusive immersive experiences.
Product overview
XR Access is a research initiative of Cornell Tech dedicated to making virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (XR) accessible to people with disabilities. The organization operates as a community-driven initiative rather than a commercial product company, offering a portfolio of programs including the annual XR Access Symposium, the Research Network, community Projects, and an XR Accessibility GitHub repository (partnered with the XR Association). These offerings work together to advance XR accessibility through research, education, resource sharing, and community building, with all resources designed to support developers and practitioners in creating accessible immersive experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- XR Accessibility GitHub Repository
Quantifiable outcome
- Convened thousands of researchers, developers, and advocates through seven symposia
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use XR Access
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
XR Access technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature2 records
XR Access partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Cornell TechcoreXR Access is a research initiative of Cornell Tech. Executive Director Shiri Azenkot continues work with the Enhancing Ability Lab at Cornell Tech. Cornell Tech provides institutional backing and processes donations.
- XR AssociationflagshipPartnership to create the XR Accessibility GitHub repository - a central hub for accessibility solutions for developers. Joint effort to provide practical resources for AR, VR, and MR developers.
- Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF)coreCollaboration on the 'Good Intentions, Real Barriers' research project investigating accessibility in XR workflows. XR Access contributes to standards development for accessibility in the metaverse.
- Columbia UniversityminorCo-host of the NSF-funded REU summer research program in accessible XR alongside Cornell Tech.
- MIT Reality HackminorXR Access involvement in MIT Reality Hack hackathon including an accessibility workshop and 'Inclusive User Testing in VR' project submission.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights3 records
XR Access competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): The W3C's accessibility initiative develops web accessibility standards (WCAG) and related guidelines. XR Access was effectively trying to extend accessibility standards into 3D/immersive environments where WAI's guidance is limited, making it an adjacent peer.
- International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP): IAAP is a membership organization advancing the accessibility profession globally. It overlaps with XR Access in building a professional community around accessibility, though with a broader scope across all digital accessibility domains.
- American Foundation for the Blind (AFB): AFB is a longstanding non-profit organization working on blindness and visual impairment, including accessibility of technology. It serves overlapping communities (blind/low-vision users) but covers broader accessibility rather than specifically XR.
- Mozilla Foundation (Accessibility): Mozilla produces open-source accessibility research and tools (e.g., open-source assistive technologies, browser accessibility). It is a comparable non-commercial tech organization producing developer-facing accessibility resources, though with a broader web/AI focus.
Emerging players
- AccessNow: AccessNow is a disability rights organization focused on digital and physical accessibility. It is a peer in the broader disability advocacy space that touches technology access, though it is more advocacy-oriented than XR-specific.
- Games for Change: Games for Change is a non-profit that uses games and immersive media for social impact. It is comparable as a community-driven initiative convening developers around socially purposeful uses of interactive and immersive technology.
Direct peers
- Inclusive Design Research Centre (OCAD University): A research center at OCAD University focused on inclusive design of digital systems, including XR. It is comparable as an academic-affiliated research center producing accessibility guidelines and resources for emerging technologies.
- XR Association: The XR Association is the industry trade organization for XR (AR, VR, MR) companies and was XR Access's flagship partner in creating the XR Accessibility GitHub repository. It represents the broader XR industry that XR Access was built to make accessible.
- Metaverse Standards Forum: A multi-stakeholder organization developing interoperability standards for the metaverse. XR Access contributed to its accessibility working groups, making it a direct peer in the XR accessibility and standards ecosystem.
Regional players
- Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (Georgia Tech): A research center at Georgia Tech developing assistive technologies and accessibility solutions, including emerging technologies. It is a peer academic-affiliated accessibility research initiative, though based at a different US institution than Cornell Tech.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
XR Access social profiles
Digital presenceXR Access financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
XR Access leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
XR Access funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
XR Access M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about XR Access
What does XR Access do?
XR Access is a non-profit research initiative of Cornell Tech that advances accessibility in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (XR) for people with disabilities. It delivers community programs including the annual XR Access Symposium, a monthly Round Table series, a free XR Accessibility GitHub repository (developed with the XR Association), an XR Access Research Network, and published guidelines and reports. All resources and events are aimed at helping XR developers, designers, researchers, and advocates build inclusive immersive experiences.
Is XR Access a public or private company?
XR Access is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was XR Access founded?
XR Access was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is XR Access based?
XR Access is headquartered in New York City, United States, in the North America region.
How does XR Access make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are donations.
Who are XR Access's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and Mozilla Foundation (Accessibility). Emerging players are AccessNow and Games for Change. Direct peers are Inclusive Design Research Centre (OCAD University), XR Association and Metaverse Standards Forum. Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (Georgia Tech) is listed as a regional player.
Does XR Access have an API?
No public API is recorded for XR Access.
What industry is XR Access in?
XR Access's product category is XR Accessibility Research and Community Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAFAF, XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains, with a secondary code of EDAFAKAH, Assistive Input & Mobility Access (Alternative Keyboards/Mice, Switch Access, Eye Gaze). Its NAICS code is 62412 and its SIC code is 8300.