VOISS
VOISS is a research-backed extended reality platform that delivers VR-based social skills training for middle school students with autism and learning disabilities, offering 140 XR scenarios covering 181 unique skills. Founded on 15+ years of University of Kansas research and piloted with K-12 school districts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2025
- HeadquartersLawrence, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What VOISS does
VOISS, Inc. is a Lawrence, Kansas-based extended reality (XR) company that builds a VR-based social skills training platform for middle school students with autism spectrum disorder and learning disabilities. The Student App delivers 140 interactive XR scenarios covering 181 unique social skills, providing a simulated environment where students can rehearse social interactions without real-world consequences. The platform is grounded in 15+ years of federally funded research conducted by the University of Kansas Department of Special Education (ranked #1 among public universities), with Principal Investigator Dr. Sean Smith managing $25M+ in research funding and Co-PI Dr. Maggie Mosher contributing $11M+ in grant funding and 15 peer-reviewed publications.
The product portfolio comprises four components: the VOISS Student App (the core XR application across Google Play, Apple App Store, and Meta Quest), the VOISS Admin Website (assessment, individualized learning path creation, and progress monitoring for educators, therapists, and parents), VOISS Advisor (a role-specific content library supporting generalization of learned skills into real-life settings), and iKNOW (a next-generation platform in development that will add AI-powered natural language avatar conversations). Technical development is executed by Digital Buckeye under contract to the University of Kansas, and the platform maintains FERPA, COPPA, PPRA, and GDPR compliance. A proprietary Technology Immersive Presence Scale (TIPS) is used to measure user presence in virtual environments across users aged 8-65.
VOISS generates revenue through a freemium consumer channel (free VOISS Part 1 download with in-app purchase) and an institutional channel (licenses purchased by schools and districts through register.voiss.org). The bulk of capital to date has come from non-dilutive federal grants — $5M across two OSEP awards for Project VOISS and Project iKNOW — supplemented by a $25,000 ACCEL-KS proof-of-concept grant from KU Innovation Park. Pilot adoption exists with Blue Valley School District, Olathe School District, and Kansas City Archdiocese schools; the company has named Olathe, Montana, and Denver, CO customers in its testimonials but has not disclosed commercial revenue figures.
VOISS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VOISS
- Legal name
- VOISS, Inc.
- Website
- https://voiss.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2025
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VOISS is a research-backed extended reality platform that delivers VR-based social skills training for middle school students with autism and learning disabilities, offering 140 XR scenarios covering 181 unique skills. Founded on 15+ years of University of Kansas research and piloted with K-12 school districts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VOISS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education XR/VR Software
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Open Educational Resources (OER) & Curriculum Repositories (EDAFACAJ)
Keywords
Where VOISS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lawrence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
VOISS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Software Platform Licenses: VOISS generates revenue through sale of its VR social skills training platform, with the main VOISS app available for free download and purchase options for full platform access. Additional revenue likely comes from institutional licensing for schools and districts.
- Freemium App Distribution: The platform offers a free download tier (VOISS Part 1) on Google Play and Apple App Store, with paid features or additional content available through purchase, enabling broad user acquisition before conversion to paid tiers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free download tier with in-app or full platform purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
VOISS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VOISS is a research-backed extended reality (XR/VR) platform that delivers scenario-based social skills instruction for middle school students, particularly those with autism and learning disabilities. The platform combines 140 interactive XR scenarios covering 181 unique social skills with an educator admin website for assessment and progress monitoring, plus a VOISS Advisor content library for generalizing learned skills to real-life situations. It is built upon 15+ years of federally funded research from the #1 ranked public Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas.
Product overview
VOISS is a research-backed extended reality platform designed to help middle school students develop essential social skills. The product portfolio consists of the VOISS Student App (the core XR/VR application with 140 scenarios covering 181 social skills), the VOISS Admin Website (a management platform for educators and parents to assess students and monitor progress), and VOISS Advisor (a supplementary content library for generalizing learned skills to real life). The company is also developing iKNOW as the next-generation platform that will incorporate AI-powered natural language interactions with avatars. VOISS is developed in partnership with the University of Kansas Department of Special Education and supported by over 15 years of federally funded research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- iKNOW: Increasing Knowledge and Natural Opportunities With Social Competence - the next generation of VOISS, exploring AI integrations for the platform.
Products and services
- VOISS Student App An extended reality (XR/VR) application for middle school students with autism and learning disabilities to practice 181 unique social skills through 140 simulated interactive scenarios. Available on Meta Quest VR headsets, iOS, and Android devices.
- VOISS Admin Website A web-based management platform for educators, therapists, and parents to inventory student social skills, create customized learning paths, and monitor progress for generalization.
- VOISS Advisor An evidence-based content library and resource platform with role-specific content tracks for teachers, therapists, parents, counselors, and administrators to support generalization of VR-learned social skills to real-life situations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Increased social validity reported for VR-delivered interventions compared to traditional approaches
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use VOISS
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
VOISS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
VOISS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Digital BuckeyecoreDigital Buckeye serves as the primary vendor for The University of Kansas, providing technical development and technical support services for the VOISS application. They are responsible for the actual software development and ongoing technical maintenance of the platform.
- University of Kansas - Department of Special EducationcoreThe Department of Special Education at University of Kansas is the originating institution behind VOISS, ranked #1 among public universities. They provide the research foundation, evidence-based pedagogy, and principal investigators (Dr. Sean Smith as PI) for ongoing development. The platform is developed and supported by this department.
- University of Kansas - Center for Research on LearningcoreThe Center for Research on Learning at KU serves as the home for the research team behind VOISS. Multiple researchers including Dr. Amber Rowland are affiliated with this center, which focuses on collaborative, practical, and engaging adult professional learning with emphasis on evidence-based practice.
- Blue Valley School DistrictmajorBlue Valley School District is a pilot partner providing real-world educational environments for testing and validating VOISS interventions with actual students in school settings.
- Olathe School DistrictmajorOlathe School District serves as a pilot partner for VOISS, with educators using the platform to target specific social skills for students. Featured as a customer reference in testimonials.
- Kansas City ArchdioceseminorKansas City Archdiocese schools participate as pilot partners for VOISS, contributing to the diverse range of educational settings for testing and validation.
- KU Center for Technology CommercializationmajorThe technology transfer office at University of Kansas that supports commercialization efforts for innovations like VOISS, helping bridge the gap between academic research and market-ready products.
- KU Innovation ParkmajorKU Innovation Park is the nonprofit business incubator in Lawrence, Kansas that houses VOISS through its ACCEL-KS program. They provide proof-of-concept funding ($25,000), mentorship, and educational resources to support innovation and commercialization efforts.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
VOISS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
VOISS social profiles
Digital presenceVOISS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
VOISS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VOISS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
VOISS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VOISS 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 VOISS
What does VOISS do?
VOISS is a research-backed extended reality (XR/VR) platform that delivers scenario-based social skills instruction for middle school students, particularly those with autism and learning disabilities. The platform combines 140 interactive XR scenarios covering 181 unique social skills with an educator admin website for assessment and progress monitoring, plus a VOISS Advisor content library for generalizing learned skills to real-life situations. It is built upon 15+ years of federally funded research from the #1 ranked public Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas.
Is VOISS a public or private company?
VOISS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was VOISS founded?
VOISS was founded in 2025. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is VOISS based?
VOISS is headquartered in Lawrence, United States, in the North America region.
How does VOISS make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Software Platform Licenses are the primary driver. The others are freemium App Distribution.
Does VOISS have an API?
No public API is recorded for VOISS.
What industry is VOISS in?
VOISS's product category is Special Education XR/VR Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFACAJ, Open Educational Resources (OER) & Curriculum Repositories. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 7372.