The Immersive Experience Institute
The Immersive Experience Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2020 that serves immersive and experiential arts creators globally through flagship events (The Next Stage Summit), industry research co-authored with Gensler, and media platforms (No Proscenium, Everything Immersive).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Immersive Experience Institute does
The Immersive Experience Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2020 by Noah Nelson, Eric Vosmeier, and Kathryn Yu, headquartered in Los Angeles with a virtual, distributed operating model. Its mission is to create a sustainable future for immersive and experiential arts and artists worldwide by addressing the absence of formal development pipelines, institutional support, and standardized business playbooks for immersive creators. The Institute serves a primary audience of early-to-mid-career immersive practitioners spanning theatre, XR development, game design, themed entertainment, experiential marketing, and escape room operations, with secondary audiences including students, arts institutions, and industry stakeholders.
The organization's core offerings are organized around three pillars: events (the annual Next Stage Immersive Summit in Pasadena, the Immersive Invitationals in LA and Denver, and the new Next Stage Salon Series), research (the Understanding the Immersive Audience white paper series and the Evolving Immersive Industry Report co-authored with Gensler Research Institute), and media platforms (No Proscenium publication and Everything Immersive event listings site, both of which the Institute sustains as the primary partner). The Institute does not sell software or technical products; its technology footprint is limited to standard event ticketing platforms (Eventbrite, SeeTickets) and a Squarespace-based website.
The Institute's revenue model is diversified across event badge sales ($400 Spotlight Badges, $800 Intensive Badges, $1,000 Pay-It-Forward Packages, $1,200 Educator Packages), tax-deductible donations processed through fiscal sponsor Producer Hub Inc., and Pay-It-Forward/charitable contribution bundles. Reports and white papers are distributed free of charge, positioning them as ecosystem-building assets rather than revenue drivers. The organization operates with a 5-person team, a board of directors drawn from Walt Disney Imagineering, Lucasfilm, and Gensler, and English-language programming across the US with global audience reach through digital channels.
The Immersive Experience Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Immersive Experience Institute
- Legal name
- The Immersive Experience Institute
- Website
- https://immersiveexperience.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Immersive Experience Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2020 that serves immersive and experiential arts creators globally through flagship events (The Next Stage Summit), industry research co-authored with Gensler, and media platforms (No Proscenium, Everything Immersive).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Immersive Experience Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immersive Arts Community & Industry Events
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual Training, Workshops & Masterclasses (Interactive Sessions) (MPAGAOAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Interactive & Immersive Content Production (AR/VR/3D) (BPAFAIAL)
Keywords
Where The Immersive Experience Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Immersive Experience Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Event Badge Sales: The Institute generates revenue through ticket/badge sales for its signature summits and events, including 3-Day Intensive Badges, 2-Day Spotlight Badges, and workshop passes.
- Donations and Contributions: As a non-profit with 501(c)(3) status through fiscal sponsor Producer Hub, the Institute accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting immersive arts and creators.
- Industry Reports and White Papers: The Institute publishes research including the Understanding the Immersive Audience white paper series and co-authors the Evolving Immersive Industry Report with Gensler Research Institute. Materials are available free of charge.
- Sponsorships and Packages: Premium packages such as Pay-It-Forward Packages ($1,000) and Educator Packages ($1,200) combine badge sales with charitable contributions to the Institute.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Day Intensive Badge |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 2-Day Spotlight Badge |
| Subscription | Annual | Pay-It-Forward Package |
| Subscription | Annual | Educator Package |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Day On-Site Badge (2022 pricing) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Streaming Pass (2022 pricing) |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Industry Research Reports |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Immersive Experience Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Immersive Experience Institute is a non-profit organization that produces community events and industry research for immersive and experiential arts creators worldwide. Its core offerings include the annual Next Stage Immersive Summit, Immersive Invitationals in Los Angeles and Denver, the Next Stage Salon Series, the Understanding the Immersive Audience white paper series, and the Evolving Immersive Industry Report co-authored with Gensler Research Institute. It also sustains the No Proscenium publication and the Everything Immersive event listings platform as primary media touchpoints for the immersive community.
Product overview
The Immersive Experience Institute operates as a nonprofit organization that serves the immersive and experiential arts community through a portfolio of events, publications, and media platforms. The core offerings include The Next Stage Immersive Summit (annual gathering with talks, workshops, salons, and panels), the Immersive Entertainment & Culture Industry Report (research publication with Gensler), the Understanding the Immersive Audience white paper series, and The Next Stage Salon Series (peer-to-peer connection events). The organization also sustains media platforms including No Proscenium (publication) and Everything Immersive (event listings website), and produces the Immersive Invitational event series in Los Angeles and Denver partnerships. The organization does not offer a software product or technical platform but provides community resources, educational programs, and industry research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Next Stage: Series of immersive industry and community events including The Next Stage Immersive Summit and The Next Stage Salon Series.
- No Proscenium
- Everything Immersive
- Los Angeles Immersive Invitational
- Denver Immersive Invitational
Products and services
- The Next Stage Immersive Summit The organization's flagship annual gathering of immersive creators, producers, technologists, and enthusiasts. Features talks, workshops, salons, panels, and networking events across themed entertainment, XR, gaming, experiential marketing, and performing arts.
- Understanding the Immersive Audience A series of white papers synthesizing in-depth qualitative research about immersive experience attendees, examining what motivates audiences from interest to engagement to evangelism. Available free of charge.
- Evolving Immersive: The 2025 Immersive Entertainment & Culture Industry Report An extensive industry research publication co-produced with Gensler Research Institute, including research, expert interviews, analyses, and surveys of immersive practitioners, commissioners, craftspeople, and audiences. Available free of charge.
- The Next Stage Salon Series Standalone salon events that facilitate peer-to-peer connections in the immersive community, featuring special guests and interactive discussion formats.
- Los Angeles Immersive Invitational Event series co-presented with After Hours Theatre Company showcasing immersive works, with partnerships including Los Angeles LGBT Center.
- Everything Immersive Website platform providing event listings for immersive experiences, helping connect creators with audiences and serving as a directory for live and digital immersive events.
- No Proscenium Publication dedicated to exploring immersive and experiential arts, serving as a primary sustaining partner and media outlet for the immersive community.
- Denver Immersive Gathering Annual immersive gathering held in Denver, produced in partnership with After Hours Theatre Company and Immersive Denver.
- Spotlight Series Event series featuring industry leaders and spotlight presentations showcasing innovative work in the immersive field.
Quantifiable outcome
- Industry-standard research publications cited across the immersive field worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Immersive Experience Institute
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Immersive Experience Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Immersive Experience Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and secondary.
- No ProsceniumprimaryNo Proscenium is a publication dedicated to exploring the immersive and experiential arts. The Institute is the primary sustaining partner of No Proscenium, providing organizational support and co-developing content and community initiatives.
- Everything ImmersiveprimaryEverything Immersive is an event listing site that serves the immersive community. The Institute is the primary sustaining partner, supporting operations and content development.
- Gensler Research InstitutecoreCo-authored the Evolving Immersive: 2025 Immersive Entertainment & Culture Industry Report with Gensler Research Institute. This partnership brings together Gensler's global design expertise with the Institute's immersive industry focus.
- After Hours Theatre CompanycoreCo-presenter of the Los Angeles Immersive Invitational and Denver Immersive Invitational series. Partnership involves programming, production, and curation of immersive creator showcases.
- Immersive DenversecondaryProgramming partner for the Denver Immersive Gathering, bringing Institute programming and partnerships to the Denver immersive community.
- Pasadena PlayhousecorePresenting partner for The Next Stage Immersive Summit 2025. Host venue for Spotlight programming on the main stage.
- ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the ArtscorePresenting partner for The Next Stage Immersive Summit 2023 at ASU's California Center at the Herald Examiner Building in Los Angeles.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Immersive Experience Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Third Rail Projects: Independent immersive theater production company behind 'Then She Fell' and other site-specific works. Comparable in scale and focus as a creator-driven immersive arts organization producing audience-facing work and community programming in the same niche.
- IndieCade: Non-profit organization that produces independent games festivals, conferences, and year-round community programming. Directly comparable to the Institute as a similarly sized non-profit arts community body running flagship events, educational programming, and serving a niche creative constituency.
- ARTECHOUSE: Immersive art and technology venue producing large-scale installations combining art, science, and technology. Operates at the intersection of immersive arts, education, and audience research, sharing the Institute's focus on advancing immersive culture.
- Punchdrunk: Pioneering immersive theater company (creators of 'Sleep No More') and a global leader in immersive performance. Comparable as an institution defining standards and audience expectations for the immersive arts field, though primarily UK-based.
- After Hours Theatre Company: Los Angeles-based immersive theater producer that co-presents the Institute's Immersive Invitationals in LA and Denver. Direct community peer serving the same local immersive creators and audiences with complementary event programming.
Emerging players
- Meow Wolf: Immersive arts company producing large-scale permanent immersive installations across the US. Serves overlapping audiences and creators but operates at a significantly larger commercial scale and as a for-profit venture-backed entity.
Broad incumbents
- Sundance Institute: Established non-profit arts organization running the Sundance Film Festival, labs, fellowships, and grants. Highly analogous institutional model (events, labs, fellowships, community-building) though serving independent film rather than immersive arts.
- Theatre Communications Group: National non-profit service organization for the American theatre field providing resources, advocacy, and convening for performing arts professionals. Structurally analogous as a community-serving non-profit for a performing-arts constituency, though broader in scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Immersive Experience Institute social profiles
Digital presenceThe Immersive Experience Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Immersive Experience Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
The Immersive Experience Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Immersive Experience Institute 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 The Immersive Experience Institute
What does The Immersive Experience Institute do?
The Immersive Experience Institute is a non-profit organization that produces community events and industry research for immersive and experiential arts creators worldwide. Its core offerings include the annual Next Stage Immersive Summit, Immersive Invitationals in Los Angeles and Denver, the Next Stage Salon Series, the Understanding the Immersive Audience white paper series, and the Evolving Immersive Industry Report co-authored with Gensler Research Institute. It also sustains the No Proscenium publication and the Everything Immersive event listings platform as primary media touchpoints for the immersive community.
Is The Immersive Experience Institute a public or private company?
The Immersive Experience Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Immersive Experience Institute founded?
The Immersive Experience Institute was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Immersive Experience Institute based?
The Immersive Experience Institute is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Immersive Experience Institute make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Event Badge Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions, industry Reports and White Papers and sponsorships and Packages.
Who are The Immersive Experience Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Third Rail Projects, IndieCade, ARTECHOUSE, Punchdrunk and After Hours Theatre Company. Meow Wolf is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Sundance Institute and Theatre Communications Group.
Does The Immersive Experience Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Immersive Experience Institute.
What industry is The Immersive Experience Institute in?
The Immersive Experience Institute's product category is Immersive Arts Community & Industry Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAOAJ, Virtual Training, Workshops & Masterclasses (Interactive Sessions), with a secondary code of BPAFAIAL, Interactive & Immersive Content Production (AR/VR/3D). Its NAICS code is 7121 and its SIC code is 7900.