Loading organizations...
Key people at Birdly.
Birdly is a Paris, France-based enterprise software company that originally developed Slack-integrated bots to simplify corporate workflows before pivoting to a professional mentoring platform known as Plato. The startup initially focused on expense management and CRM integrations, allowing users to access data from platforms like Salesforce and Zendesk directly within communication channels. Following a strategic pivot, the company transitioned into Plato, a subscription-based service connecting software engineers and product managers with experienced tech leaders. Backed by investors including Y Combinator, Slack, and Jason Lemkin, the entity raised $3.3 million in seed funding to support its new direction. Operating with a three-person team during its transition, the Plato platform scaled to generate $200,000 in revenue in its first 70 days of operation. Birdly was founded in 2014 by Quang Hoang, Simon Bouchez, Jean-Baptiste Aviat, and Colin Chartier.
Key people at Birdly.
Birdly is a company that develops an immersive full-body virtual reality (VR) flight simulator experience, allowing users to "fly" like a bird through intuitive arm and hand movements rather than traditional controls. It serves museums, zoos, aquariums, entertainment venues, and tourist attractions worldwide by providing a unique, engaging way to explore natural and imaginary environments, enhancing education and entertainment through VR technology. Birdly solves the problem of sensory disconnect and nausea common in conventional VR by synchronizing visual, acoustic, and equilibrium cues with the user's body movements, creating a convincing and exhilarating flying sensation. The company has shown growth momentum by expanding its accessibility through flexible purchase and leasing models and continuously enhancing its platform with new experiences and gamified content[2][3][6].
Birdly was founded as a spin-off from the Zurich University of the Arts in 2015 by the team behind SOMNIACS AG, an award-winning immersive experience company focused on unlocking emotions through unforgettable VR experiences. The idea emerged from the desire to fulfill humanity’s ancient dream of flying by combining biomechanics, robotics, game design, and VR technology into a seamless full-body flight simulator. Early traction came from installations at prominent public institutions and entertainment venues, where Birdly quickly became known for its innovative approach to experiential storytelling and conservation education[4][2].
Birdly rides the trend of immersive VR experiences that blend education, entertainment, and emotional engagement. The timing is favorable due to advances in VR hardware, robotics, and real-time 3D mapping (e.g., Google Earth integration), which allow for highly realistic and interactive experiences. Market forces such as growing demand for location-based entertainment and experiential learning in museums and public spaces work in Birdly’s favor. By offering a novel, Instagram-friendly attraction, Birdly influences the broader ecosystem by setting new standards for VR edutainment and conservation storytelling, encouraging other developers to innovate in full-body immersive experiences[3][6][4].
Birdly is poised to expand its global footprint by leveraging new deal models that lower barriers for institutions to adopt its technology. Future trends shaping Birdly’s journey include continued improvements in VR hardware, AI-driven content personalization, and increased demand for hybrid physical-digital experiences. As Birdly evolves, it may deepen its influence by integrating more educational content and expanding into new sectors such as corporate training or therapeutic applications. Its unique blend of biomechanics and immersive storytelling positions Birdly as a leader in transforming how people connect emotionally with nature and technology, fulfilling the timeless human dream of flight in a compelling, accessible way[3][6][2].
