Viro Media

Viro Media is a technology company.

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Updated: Feb 17, 2026 ·

Recent News & Mentions

Mar 1, 2017FundingViro Media - Seed

Financial History

Viro Media has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in March 2017.

Total Raised

$3.0M

Valuation

N/A

Funding Rounds Raised

Date	Round	Lead Investors	Other Investors
Mar 1, 2017	$3.0M Seed		ACME Capital, Altari Ventures, Amazon Alexa Fund, Azimuth Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, BoxGroup, Broadway Angels, Eclipse Ventures, ENIAC Ventures, ff Venture Capital, First Round Capital, Glencrest Group, IPD Capital, Pareto Holdings, Quiet Capital, Root Ventures, SOSV, Alex Tang, Blake Mycoskie, Charlie Songhurst, Derrick Li, Francisco Larrain, Jeremy Yap, Louis Beryl, Nicolas Berggruen, Shervin Pishevar

Financial History

Viro Media has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.

Total Raised

$3.0M

Valuation

N/A

Deep Dive

High-Level Overview

Viro Media is a technology company that developed Viro, a cross-platform platform enabling web and mobile developers to build immersive AR and VR applications using familiar tools like React Native and Java.[1][2][4] It targets developers creating experiences for devices such as Google Daydream, Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, iOS, and Android, solving the problem of fragmented VR/AR development by allowing "write once, deploy everywhere" across head-mounted displays (HMDs).[1][2][4] The platform lowers barriers for non-specialist developers, accelerating content creation in early VR/AR markets, with early funding under $5M and apps built on it serving consumers in remote collaboration (Streem), AR baking (Food Network), and immersive video sharing (Vidi VR).[1][5]

Headquartered in Seattle with a small team (under 25 employees, recently as few as 2), Viro Media raised $2.5M in 2017 led by Lowercase Capital, SoftBank NYC, and Eniac Ventures to expand its 3D render engine and React Native integration.[1][2][3]

Origin Story

Viro Media was co-founded in 2015 by Danny Moon, Raj Advani, Vik Advani, and Robin Har, all veterans of UpNext—a 3D mapping startup acquired by Amazon in 2012.[2] The team stayed at Amazon post-acquisition, integrating their tech into Kindle tablets and the Fire Phone, which honed their expertise in 3D visualization.[2] Spotting VR's potential but frustrated by game engines' limitations for dynamic, content-focused apps, they pivoted from building a single app to creating a developer framework.[2] Early traction came from launching Viro as an open-source stack combining a custom 3D render engine with Facebook's React Native, enabling familiar web/mobile devs to target VR HMDs.[2] By 2017, a seven-person team at WeWork Westlake secured $2.5M funding to onboard more developers and "democratize VR development."[2]

Core Differentiators

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Write once using React Native or Java, deploy to mobile VR/AR devices like Cardboard, Daydream, Gear VR, iOS, and Android—eliminating per-platform silos.[1][2][4]
Familiar Developer Tools: Leverages React Native (open-source from Facebook) and JavaScript, so web/mobile devs can build 3D/VR without learning game engines, speeding development.[2][4][6]
Custom 3D Render Engine: Powers immersive experiences with tools for dynamic, interactive AR/VR apps, as seen in production uses like Streem's remote AR collaboration and Food Network's AR baking.[2][5]
Proven Ecosystem Adoption: Enabled real-world apps (e.g., Vidi VR for 3D video sharing), fostering a community of developers adding AR/VR features rapidly.[5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Viro Media rode the 2015-2017 VR/AR wave, addressing content scarcity amid hardware launches like Google Daydream and Samsung Gear VR, when developer friction slowed ecosystem growth.[2] Its timing capitalized on React Native's rise, bridging web/mobile skills to immersive tech and influencing AR/VR by empowering non-gaming devs to create consumer apps.[2][6] Market forces like mobile HMD accessibility (e.g., Cardboard) favored lightweight platforms like Viro, amplifying startup output in remote collaboration and experiential media.[5] By open-sourcing tools, it shaped developer practices, contributing to ARCore integrations and broader adoption before VR hype matured into AR-focused markets.[5][6]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Viro Media's React Native focus positioned it as a pioneer in accessible AR/VR dev, but its small scale (<25 employees, <$5M funding) and 2017 activity suggest dormancy amid VR market shifts to standalone headsets like Quest and AR glasses.[1][2][3] Next could involve reviving for spatial computing trends (e.g., Apple Vision Pro, Android XR), leveraging its cross-platform strength for mixed-reality apps in collaboration or e-commerce. Evolving developer needs for AI-assisted immersive tools may drive partnerships, expanding influence from niche VR enabler to metaverse infrastructure player—echoing its founding mission to democratize 3D experiences.[2][6]

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How much funding has Viro Media raised?

Viro Media has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.

Who are Viro Media's investors?

Viro Media's investors include ACME Capital, Altari Ventures, Amazon Alexa Fund, Azimuth Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, BoxGroup, Broadway Angels, Eclipse Ventures, ENIAC Ventures, ff Venture Capital, First Round Capital, Glencrest Group.