We are living at what may well be an interesting point in history. At a quarter of the way through the 21st century we are truly starting to see what many Sci-Fi films had predicted. More and more people are spending time in the virtual or digital world versus the “physical world”. Many know it as “virtual reality” (VR) and “augmented reality” (AR). With headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro or Meta’s Quest anyone can easily spend time in another part of the world or, in some cases, another world altogether. Want fully immersive front row seats at this month’s Superbowl? You can. Wanna watch a soccer match in the UAE? You can do that too. Your friends can join you as well!
Behind the scenes though this takes a ton of work. For starters, that video feed has to be securely hosted somewhere and it needs to be compatible across all types of devices. This is where local entrepreneurs Zach Handshoe, originally from Round Rock, and Michael Butterfield, originally from Minnesota, come into play and are quite literally (and metaphorically) laying foundations for this new unchartered territory.
ENTER SPATIALGEN
Company co-founders Zach and Michael first met a few years ago as colleagues at ExxonMobile when Zach joined Michael’s team in the IT/Simulation department.
Fast forward to 2023 and Apple’s announcement of the long awaited Vision Pro. Knowing this was something Handshoe wanted to get in on, he naturally asked his colleague and friend to join in that endeavor. That was July. By October Michael had realized that “the only way this works is to 100% fully commit”. Which is precisely what they did. That decision is already paying dividends. In only a year’s time the start up has already claimed a 70% world-wide market share in the industry.
According to Zach, “a sense of presence and innovation is the driving motivation”. The next step is helping promoters and content creators build a bigger market.
When asked why they chose to remain in The Woodlands versus somewhere more obvious like Austin or San Francisco, it was Michael who explained that it’s the quality of life and cost of living here. They simply can’t be beat. As a new homeowner he can’t imagine going anywhere else. Neither would we.
If you’d like to get a more in-depth view of the world they are creating, book a demonstration, or to get in touch with this inspiring team, they may be reached at https://spatialgen.com/.