Founded by Sarah Hill in 2015, Story up began trying to find a solution for terminally-ill WWII veterans. Due to their health, most of these veterans never get the chance to visit their memorials in Washington D.C. But with VR, StoryUp brought the memorials to them. Now Veterans can immersively experience the World War II Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, the Vietnam Wall and Arlington National Cemetery, regardless of their mobility or physical location. Gaining her initial traction with a $50,000 investment for the MIC Accelerator Fund, Sarah was able to establish a studio and grow her team.
With their new product, HEALium, the company proposes a solution to stress. Studies with HEALium show that immersive media may go beyond entertainment and could be used help people shift their emotions into quieter states. Utilizing a novel Brain-Computer-Interface, users can control some of their experiences with their own brainwaves. Stress costs businesses $300 billion per year in absenteeism and productivity and can stifle creativity. HEALium provides an escape from the stresses of life into a VR sanctuary of serenity.