Agog

What Agog does

Agog is a private philanthropic organization (Delaware LLC, DBA "Agog: The Immersive Media Institute") founded in March 2024 by Chip Giller, founder of the climate-media outlet Grist, and Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of the Schmidt Family Foundation, Schmidt Ocean Institute, Schmidt Sciences, and 11th Hour Racing. The organization is headquartered at a Menlo Park, CA mailing address and operates with 11–50 employees. It functions as a field-builder, grantmaker, and community convener dedicated to supporting creators and nonprofits using extended reality (XR) — including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality — for social and environmental impact.

Agog's programs span the full XR-for-good stack. Its grantmaking has disbursed $6.5M across 26 projects in the first cycle (2024) and over 30 grants and collaborations in 2025, with a new May 2026 open call offering up to $1M for climate-impact projects. Flagship programs include the PHI Immersive XR-for-Impact Residency co-developed with PHI Studio Montreal ($15,000 CAD artist fee), the Agog Immersive Impact Award presented annually at SXSW, sponsorship of Tribeca Festival's immersive program alongside Onassis ONX, and an XR Impact Creators Lab co-developed with Arizona State University's Narrative and Emerging Media Program. Persistent community infrastructure centers on Agog House, a custom virtual world in VRChat hosting monthly public programs that recorded 11,506 visits in its first two weeks.

Technology and distribution assets include a WebXR progressive-enhancement website (Three.js, React XR), a spatial brand system built with agencies Upstatement and 14islands, and the free "See Your Brand in 3D" guide on XR-ready brand identity published in September 2024. Agog monetizes nothing commercially; revenue is philanthropic in nature and the organization funds its programs through founder and ecosystem support, disbursing grants rather than generating sales revenue.

Name

Agog

Legal name

Agog LLC

Website

https://agog.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Agog is a private philanthropic organization founded in 2024 that provides grants, residencies, and community programs to creators and nonprofits using XR (virtual, augmented, and mixed reality) for social and environmental impact.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic XR-for-Good Grants and Programs

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Worlds & Social Sandbox Experiences (persistent social spaces) (MPAFAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Awards Ceremonies & Competitions (Judging, Voting) (MPAGAOAN), Event Monetization & Sponsorship Tech (Virtual Booth Leads, Ads, Sponsored Sessions) (THAHAOAK)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Immersive media funding
• XR for social good
• Creator residencies
• Spatial brand guides

Headquarters

HQ city

Menlo Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Grants and program disbursements (grants to XR creators and nonprofits), Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grant Disbursement: Agog operates as a philanthropic organization that raises and disburses grants and funds to creators and nonprofit organizations working on XR-for-good projects. Revenue comes entirely from philanthropic contributions (founded by Chip Giller and Wendy Schmidt). Grants fund immersive media creation, creator residencies, hackathons, labs, and impact campaigns. The organization does not sell products or services commercially.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Agog is a philanthropic organization that raises and disburses grants, residencies, and program support to creators and nonprofit organizations using extended reality (VR, AR, mixed reality) for social impact. Its offerings include grantmaking cycles (up to $1M for climate-impact projects), the PHI Immersive residency program, the annual Agog Immersive Impact Award at SXSW, the persistent Agog House community space in VRChat, and free educational resources such as the See Your Brand in 3D spatial branding guide.

Product overview

Agog: The Immersive Media Institute is a philanthropic organization (not a traditional software company) that supports the XR-for-good ecosystem through grantmaking, residencies, awards, community programs, and educational resources. The organization operates programs including the Agog Immersive Impact Award (annual SXSW award), PHI Immersive Residency (in partnership with PHI Studio Montréal), Agog House (VRChat-based community space), grantmaking initiatives (with $6.5M+ in early grants), and the 'See Your Brand in 3D' guide for XR brand development. These programs work together to support creators using VR, AR, and mixed reality for social impact, community building, and climate action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agog Grantmaking Program Open-call grantmaking program for XR creators and nonprofits using immersive media for social impact. Includes early grants totaling $6.5M across 26 projects in the first cycle and an up to $1M open call for climate-impact projects.
• PHI Immersive: XR for Impact Residency Co-developed residency with PHI Studio in Montréal providing North America-based creators with a $15,000 CAD artist fee plus technical and creative team access and connections to Agog and PHI networks.
• Agog House (VRChat Community Space) Persistent virtual world in VRChat hosting monthly public programs and community meetups exploring the social impact of immersive media, also livestreamed on YouTube for global audiences.
• Agog Immersive Impact Award Annual award presented in partnership with SXSW recognizing XR projects that advance social good, honoring creators using immersive storytelling to foster community and build empathy.
• See Your Brand in 3D Guide Free comprehensive guide providing strategies and practical advice for establishing XR-ready brand identities and spatial computing presence for organizations.
• Open Call for Climate-Impact Projects Time-bound open call offering up to $1M in grants to support creators and nonprofits using immersive media to drive climate action and civic engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 grants and hands-on collaborations funded in 2025 alone; 26 projects funded in first year (2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• MIT Open Documentary Lab / AR and Public Space Artist CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026MIT Open Documentary Lab's AR and Public Space Artist Collective, supported by Agog, created 'Layers of Place: Austin' — a site-specific AR exhibition at SXSW 2026 that overlays real-world Austin locations with stories of racial justice, memory, and environmental care. Agog hosted an Agog House preview event with Blake Kammerdiener (SXSW programmer) featuring a sneak peek of the project.
• Indigenous Screen Office (ISO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Agog provided support for the Indigenous Screen Office's first-ever U.S. immersive fund — a $500,000 fund for Indigenous XR creators in the United States, announced April 23, 2026 in Toronto. This partnership extends Agog's commitment to expanding access and visibility for Indigenous creators in immersive media.
• PHI (Studio, Montreal)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-developed the PHI Immersive: XR for Impact residency program, open to North America-based creators whose projects address social justice and urgent global issues. The residency provides a $15,000 CAD artist fee plus access to PHI Studio's technical and creative team and connections to Agog and PHI networks. Mira Musank was the 2025/2026 resident. Agog House in VRChat hosted a behind-the-scenes event for the 'Blur' immersive experience co-produced with PHI Centre Montreal. Applications for the next cohort close May 3, 2026.
• Arizona State University (ASU) — Narrative and Emerging Media ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnered to create the XR Impact Creators Lab — a five-day immersive storytelling lab bringing together artists, organizers, scholars, and creative technologists. Led by Professor Nonny de la Peña (ASU NEM founding director) and Agog's Head of Production Mary Matheson. Curriculum covered 360 filmmaking, Gaussian Splats, spatial audio, motion capture, and game-engine worldbuilding. The lab also featured sessions with industry leaders including Sundance New Frontier, Atlas V, and The New Yorker. Agog and ASU are co-branded on the program.
• South by Southwest (SXSW)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership to co-create and present the Agog Immersive Impact Award as part of SXSW's XR Experience programming. Award recognizes visionary creators using XR to foster community, spark action, and build a more just and sustainable future. Inaugural award given to Cameron Kostopoulos for 'In the Current of Being' (2025); second award given to Kate Voet and Victor Maes for 'A Long Goodbye' (2026). SXSW programs and curates the XR Experience; Agog sponsors and co-brands the award.
• Tribeca Festival / Onassis ONXflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Agog and Onassis ONX partnered with Tribeca Festival to co-present the Tribeca Immersive program 'In Search of Us' (2025), showcasing 11 groundbreaking XR projects across filmmaking, futurism, activism, and immersive art. Agog sponsored the immersive program and created a digital field guide for attendees. The partnership highlights works by award-winning artists including Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Cameron Kostopoulos, Idris Brewster, and Michèle Stephenson.
• Black Public Media / PitchBLACKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Agog supports Black Public Media's annual PitchBLACK Immersive Forum — a program featuring XR creators pitching projects to a panel of funders and industry leaders, with selected projects eligible for up to $75k in funding. The partnership aims to expand access and visibility for Black creators in immersive media.
• International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) DocLabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Agog supported the development of a report from the IDFA DocLab R&D Summit (November 2025) — authored by Kent Bye — covering civic design, multiplayer XR distribution, immersive exhibition models, AI ethics, and arts funding sustainability. The report synthesizes insights from artists, researchers, technologists, curators, and producers on the future of immersive and interactive art.
• The Music Center (Los Angeles)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-hosted 'HOME: A Storytelling Lab' — a three-day working session in December 2024 bringing together XR creators, placemakers, and community leaders to envision Downtown Los Angeles in 2085. Participants used XR tools to explore accessible public spaces, just food systems, and environmental well-being. Agog also supports The Music Center's Innovation Social series, including 'OUT OF THE ASHES' — an immersive work by Nonny de la Peña and Rory Mitchell about LA wildfire recovery.
• Electric SouthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Sponsored the 2024 New Dimensions Lab — a seven-day residency bringing together interdisciplinary artists and creative technologists from across Africa to workshop and develop non-fiction XR projects with guidance from global advisors. Agog's sponsorship focused on social XR and impact storytelling components of the lab.
• Reality Hack at MITcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Agog sponsors a prize track at the annual Reality Hack at MIT hackathon (January), supporting creators using XR to foster connection and imagine a more sustainable world. In 2026, Agog's 'EcoDreaming: XR for Collective Futures' prize track focused on climate, community, and collective futures. Agog staff (Raul Carvajal, Vanessa Lawand Pfeiffer) served as mentors and judges, supporting approximately 80 teams. About 50 travel scholarship recipients were supported to attend.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: Large-scale philanthropic institution funding creative storytelling, equity, and emerging tech, including grants to XR nonprofit projects. Compares as a deeply resourced, broader-scope peer in impact-driven storytelling philanthropy.
• Knight Foundation: Major US philanthropy funding arts, journalism, and emerging technology including immersive media and VR journalism. Compares as a higher-tier philanthropic peer funding XR-for-good adjacent to Agog's mission.
• Sundance Institute New Frontier: Long-running XR/immersive film program within Sundance that commissions and showcases XR-for-good storytelling. Comparable to Agog as a cultural-philanthropy hybrid curating XR creators at major festivals, though with much larger institutional scale.

Direct peers

• PHI Centre: Montreal-based contemporary art organization operating immersive residencies, including the co-developed PHI Immersive program with Agog. Compares as a creator residency operator and XR-production partner for impact-driven projects.
• Electric South: Nonprofit running the New Dimensions Lab residency for African XR creators and supported by Agog sponsorship. Compares as a mission-driven XR-creator residency and ecosystem builder with similar grant/funder relationships to Agog's grantees.
• Indigenous Screen Office: Indigenous-led screen funding body that launched its first US immersive fund ($500K) with Agog support. Compares as a directly partnered funder running a parallel targeted XR grant program for Indigenous creators.
• IDFA DocLab: Interactive/immersive documentary program within the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, supported by Agog. Compares as a festival-side XR-curation and field-publishing peer producing industry reports and exhibitions.
• Onassis ONX: Onassis Foundation's XR/digital culture program curating immersive exhibitions and partnerships with festivals including Tribeca's 'In Search of Us'. Compares as a cultural philanthropy arm funding and showcasing XR-for-good creators.
• Tribeca Festival Immersive: Tribeca's XR/immersive programming arm that curates and exhibits immersive works, including 'In Search of Us' co-presented with Agog. Compares directly as a festival-based XR showcase supporting social-impact narrative work.

Emerging players

• Reality Hack at MIT: Annual XR hackathon at MIT with 600+ global participants, sponsored by Agog. Compares as a community-building/hackathon peer in the XR-for-good ecosystem creating emerging-creator pipelines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WeAreAgog
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weareagog
• Instagraminstagram.com/weareagog
• Xx.com/weareagog

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 Agog