From Coffee Sales to Virtual Realms: The Journey of Agora World’s Founder, Ethan Berg and More

Augmented Reality ,Mixed Reality(XR) ,Networking ,Social media ,Software Design ,Software Development ,Start-Ups ,

From Coffee Sales to Virtual Realms: The Journey of Agora World’s Founder, Ethan Berg and More

December 6, 2023

Introduction

In the realm of virtual experiences, where 3D creation often seems like a distant and complex landscape, Ethan Berg stands out as the visionary founder of Agora World. Agora World Described as the “Canva for 3D, is a no-code approach for allowing individuals and teams to prototype, collaborate, and bring their virtual visions to life. Ethan, however, didn’t begin with coding or immersive technologies but rather with something as tangible as coffee sales.

Ethan’s Early Days:

Ethan’s venture into the world of technology began as a student at Temple University in Philadelphia. While in school Ethan navigated the world of entrepreneurship by operating a flourishing coffee company while pursuing his education. But unlike many tech entrepreneurs, Ethan comes from something other than a background of coding and programming. His passion for immersive experiences grew from his love of video games and a pivotal moment with a VR headset during his junior year where he said, “I tried it, and I just remember being in a shooting gallery, and some random person came up to me. We were looking eye to eye, and we shook hands, and when we shook hands, it felt real,”—this moment catalyzed his vision of a future where digital interactions could replicate the richness and authenticity of in-person experiences.

The Genesis of Agora World:

Following Ethan’s extraordinary encounter at the shooting gallery, where a virtual handshake felt surprisingly real, he plunged into the intricate world of 3D creation. Driven by the belief that everyone should have the ability to bring their virtual visions to life, Ethan’s journey took an unexpected turn. In the interview, he expressed frustration with the complexities of existing 3D tools and the lack of collaboration features, turning this frustration into the driving force behind Agora World.

Ethan’s vision revolves around empowering users to prototype and validate their ideas quickly and efficiently before investing significant time and resources. Ethan and his team want to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. In his words, Agora World aims to be a streamlined no-code solution for creating immersive virtual spaces, “Canva for 3D creation”. The journey from a virtual handshake to the inception of Agora World highlights Ethan’s commitment to infusing a human element into the digital landscape and making 3D design a creative endeavor for all. The platform’s focus on collaboration sets it apart, allowing teams to work together seamlessly in real-time—a feature notably absent in many standalone 3D creation tools.

Current Products:

No Code 3D Creation:

Say goodbye to the complexities of creating 3D content and immersive multiplayer experiences. Agora World’s No-Code, Drag-and-Drop 3D Creation tools empower creators to build, collaborate, and share immersive content in minutes. The platform handles all the complex under-the-hood tech, allowing creators to focus on crafting incredible immersive social experiences.

Agora World Unity SDK:

Build captivating immersive experiences and instantly share them on the web, Mac, and Windows. Agora World Unity SDK provides the tools necessary to create worlds, plugins, custom C# code, and rendering pipelines, enabling creators to shape vast, breathtaking 3D landscapes with intricate gameplay and diverse integrations.

Multiplayer Infrastructure as a Service:

Agora World Multiplayer as a Service simplifies the complexities of creating immersive multiplayer experiences. The service handles under-the-hood tech, ongoing maintenance, and improvements, allowing creators to concentrate on crafting incredible immersive social experiences. The platform’s versatility extends to metaverse platforms, games, e-learning and training simulations, collaborative creation tools, and more.

Digital Twins:

Launching on December 8th, 2023, Agora World introduces a No-Code Digital Twin Creation Tool powered by Google and Cesium. Say goodbye to the complexities of creating digital twins as Agora World’s integration with Cesium and Google lets creators focus on bringing their immersive social experiences to life.

A Visionary Team Shaping Agora World’s Success:

A venture of this magnitude isn’t accomplished by an individual alone. Ethan has meticulously built a team that shares his passion and determination. Leading the charge alongside Ethan is Sky Nite, Co-Founder & CTO, hailing from Seattle, WA, USA. With a background in writing, teaching, and designing in the VR industry since 2014, Sky brings a wealth of experience to the table, notably contributing to the educational aspects of Agora World.

The team further boasts the expertise of Atif Toor, Senior Developer, joining from Lahore, Pakistan. A seasoned programmer since 1999, Atif’s natural inclination towards building has seen him work on over 100 projects, spanning applications and games across various devices and emerging technologies. His extensive knowledge in areas like speech recognition, facial recognition, and AI/ML enriches the development spectrum at Agora World.

Cory Warfield, Chief Growth Officer, adds a promotional flair to the team. Hailing from Chicago, IL, USA, and Brazil, Cory’s role as a serial founder and influencer with a community of over 480k on LinkedIn is pivotal for Agora World’s outreach and growth strategies.

As these individuals play essential roles in driving Agora World’s success, it’s crucial to acknowledge the guidance and insights provided by the esteemed advisory board. Louis Rosenberg, CEO and Chief Scientist at Unanimous AI, with a rich history in XR and AI, brings a wealth of knowledge with over 300 patents. Stephen Buerkle, COO & CPO at LucidXR, a seasoned entrepreneur with a track record of 11 tech startups, offers invaluable operational and product insights. Michael Potts, Founder & CEO at Polycount.io, an architect with 25 years of experience, contributes his expertise in balancing optimization, quality, and performance in immersive experiences. Finally, Richard Ward, Metaverse Expert at Boston Consulting Group, with three decades of experience in large enterprises and emerging technology, provides strategic guidance as Agora World navigates the evolving metaverse landscape.

Together, these individuals have played an important role in driving Agora World’s success to where it is now. Their diverse skills and collective vision underscore the collaborative spirit at the core of Agora World’s journey.

Conclusion: Pioneering the Future of Virtual Realms

As Agora World charts an innovative course in the landscape of virtual experiences, it is the brainchild of Ethan Berg, a visionary founder whose journey from coffee sales to the helm of cutting-edge technology is nothing short of remarkable. The genesis of Agora World, stemming from Ethan’s dissatisfaction with the complexities of existing 3D tools, highlights a commitment to democratizing 3D design. His extraordinary encounter at a shooting gallery, where a virtual handshake felt uncannily real, served as a revelation, propelling him into the intricate world of 3D creation and immersive technologies.

The launch of Agora World’s Digital Twins Creation Tool on December 8, 2023, powered by Google and Cesium, marks a pivotal moment in the company’s trajectory. This no-code tool further simplifies the creation of digital twins, allowing creators to focus on crafting incredible immersive social experiences. As Agora World continues to unveil groundbreaking products and features, Ethan Berg and his visionary team are at the forefront of shaping a future where 3D creation is accessible to all, propelling the world into new dimensions of innovation and collaboration.