Unity Technologies, the world’s largest real-time 3D (RT3D) platform for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR), has kicked off its Unity for Humanity campaign to promote the development of creatives using the company’s world-leading technologies.
To discuss the details of the initiative, XR Today had the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Lindl, VP of Education and Social Impact, Unity.
The conversation comes after Lindl, a key figure in the global sustainable initiatives industry, joined XR Today for an interview on the future of Unity’s collaboration with the XR Association (XRA).
The XRA is a world-leading organisation dedicated to outlining best practices, building community, and expanding use cases for XR technologies.
Unity’s membership with the XRA will remain crucial and pivotal to the development of immersive solutions worldwide.
Additionally, the Immerse Technology for the American Workforce Act, which the company supported amid its membership, aims to tackle skills and talent shortages across the United States.
Summit Goals and Objectives
Speaking on the primary goals for this year’s Unity for Humanity campaign, Lindl stated that the initiative’s grants were key for the company’s work linked to social responsibility and impact.
Explaining the company’s objectives in further detail, she said,
“Our annual Unity for Humanity grants are a critical part of our Social Impact work. Each year, Unity for Humanity grants empower the creator community with direct funding and in-kind support to build out projects that address any of the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs)”
She also told XR today about how the Unity for Humanity grant scheme received its funding. According to the executive, Unity had “set aside 750 thousand shares to fund our long-term charitable work.”
She said: “At our initial public offering (IPO), we set aside 750,000 shares to fund our long-term charitable work. Doing so allowed us to provide sustainable support.”
Lindl added that “the $500,000 allocated for 2024’s Unity for Humanity grants draws from that fund.”
The executive outlined the steps to approving awards for the grant,
“When a project is selected as a grant winner, we determine individual awards based on their budget and production status. Our support goes beyond just funding—Unity also provides a great deal of technical know-how and marketing support so these projects can become reality and reach broader audiences”
Reaffirming Commitments to Developer Communities
However, recently Unity faced substantial scrutiny regarding John Riccitiello, Former Company CEO’s decision to change its pricing structure, leading to public outcry from the firm’s developer base.
Despite the incident, the real-time 3D (RT3D) gaming engine firm has changed its executive leadership to Jim Whitehurst, who has reaffirmed Unity’s pledge to transparency and fair pricing schemes.
Whitehurst, a former Red Hat executive, vowed to honour the commitments at the recent Unite Event, stating,
“We should never, ever surprise you with a decision that has a material impact on you that you don’t know about. […] So going forward, we will demonstrate that behavior to you and with you as we make decisions about Unity in our community”
Lindl noted that across the company’s leadership structure, “Unity is listening to our community” to improve the platform for its developer base.
She noted that her enterprise wanted to achieve greater support for creators and developers across its global user base to “get the support they need” to build a “more sustainable, inclusive world.”
Explaining in greater detail, she said,
“From top leadership on down, Unity is listening to our community and renewing our focus on the core engine to give creators the best platform and experience.
She added: “Through Unity for Humanity, we’re also making sure impact creators get the support they need to shape a more sustainable, inclusive world.”
Unity for Humanity Ambassadors
One of the core principles of the Unity for Humanity campaign is collaborating with talented ambassadors to work with developers and creatives.
Doing so has allowed Unity to connect with its audiences to communicate the need for creativity in the XR industry and how future generations can channel it for their projects.
For the current grant cycle, Unity has worked with US singer-songwriter Jewel as a judge for Unity developer submissions. Jewel Kilcher has been nominated four times at the Grammy Awards and is a celebrated singer, songwriter, poet, and actress. She has also sold over 27 million albums worldwide.
She joins an illustrious lineup of previous judges like US Hip-Hop Artist, Actor, and Activist Lonnie Rashid Lynn (Common). The multi-award-winning superstar hosted the Unity Social Impact Summit in 2021 and delivered an inspiring keynote speech encouraging young creatives to tap their fullest potential.
For this year’s event, Lindl said: “Jewel is this year’s Unity for Humanity’s guest judge and will help us select an RT3D project that directly addresses the theme of wellness.”
Former Unity for Humanity Projects
From the initial Unity for Humanity campaign in 2019, the project has impacted numerous creatives with financial and vocational support.
Some of the projects delivered from the competition have included the following:
Samudra, a puzzle game that follows a child’s adventure across a polluted sea. Through the immersive experience, players can explore and reveal truths about the actions of ‘surface-dwellers’ that have caused the pollution in the deep-sea world.
Another has been HistoryMaker VR, which is a content creation tool. The creative experience “allows learners to embody and perform as historical figures in an immersive VR environment,” Lindl explained.
Finally, Future Aleppo, an impactful project for both creatives and their respective communities, allowed Syrian refugees to rebuild and reimagine their homelands virtually following the devastation of the years-long conflict.
Lindl later stated that Unity believed that visionary creators were “the catalyst for a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world.”
She concluded: “The Unity for Humanity program lifts up these changemakers, giving them the support they need to bring their projects to life.”
Those interested can visit Unity’s website to learn about further projects across Unity for Humanity.
