FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 6, 2023 — Indianapolis-based immersive experience company VisionThree (V3) is celebrating 20 years in business today.

VisionThree was founded on January 6, 2003, as a Massachusetts Avenue creative agency focused on catering to the needs of small businesses and organizations. The business started out as many such agencies did in that era – creating websites and building content for CD-ROMs and DVDs. 

Company founders  Jeff Hopler and Eric Davis made the perfect team to start such an art-meets-tech endeavor, each bringing significant skill to the table, and as the name suggests, then bringing that vision to life. “For us—and our clients—it has always been about the content and storytelling first and foremost,” Hopler says. “We then choose the right technology to tell the story best.” Both Hopler and Davis continue to be active in the company’s leadership and day-to-day operations.

Lead developer Greg Foxworthy, who joined the firm in 2006, is proud to share the work their team did for many such clients in the years since. “We were pushing the envelope on the convergence of technology and 3D art even then, always looking to innovate and improve the customer experience from start to finish.”

In fact, over the past two decades, V3 has created nearly 500 unique interactive experiences for a wide range of blue-chip clients. 2016 saw a move to add virtual reality to the product offerings, with one of the earliest projects being created for Rolls-Royce. As projects have advanced, V3 has gone on to craft VR experiences in training and sales for Corteva, Siemens, OPEX, and more, which led to the release and subsequent expansion of their powerful V3CORE platform.  

The company moved from its location on Mass. Ave. to its current home in Lockerbie in 2006, after a complete and painstaking historical building renovation. Great care was taken to preserve the former home of the Frederick Simon Grocery, which was built originally around 1860 and had seen many tenants come and go before founders Jeff Hopler and Eric Davis transformed it into the showpiece facility it is today. 

While the company still calls Indianapolis home, the pandemic was the catalyst for V3’s expansion to become a nationwide, remote-first company, with employees now spanning from coast to coast. This eye toward growth got the V3 leadership team thinking even more boldly about the bigger impact the company could make, which led to the early 2021 announcement of the V3CONNECT initiative.

“It’s inspiring to see our years of hard work lead to this moment,” says Creative Director Jason Morris, a 15-year veteran of the company. “While the technology has changed significantly over time, our core mission of  storytelling through the combination of art and tech remains the same, and I’m excited to see all that’s in store as we charge full-steam into our third decade.” 

A year of celebration is planned, starting with V3’s “20 Weeks for 20 Years” campaign on social media, which will feature insightful stories from V3’s seasoned and new team members alike. A V3 birthday bash will be scheduled for later this year.

“We hope the greater Indianapolis community will raise a glass in celebration with us on this landmark occasion,” says V3 CEO, Heather Jackson, who has been with the company for over 3 years. “This is a team that has weathered many storms and persevered through thick and thin to get to where we are today. I can’t wait to see what the years ahead will bring!”

For more information, please contact us.

VisionThree (V3) is a pioneer in immersive experience technology and has been building B2B immersive experiences for business for 20 years, with a primary focus to help companies recruit better, sell better, and train better.

In early 2022, V3 began developing a Virtual Reality (VR) talent pipeline ecosystem of VR career labs and immersive career pathway content called V3CONNECT. The mission of V3CONNECT is to build a comprehensive national career exploration ecosystem, removing geographic and socioeconomic barriers to opportunities, empowering and inspiring multi-generational audiences through immersive exposure to career pathways. 

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December 12, 2022 — The City of Crawfordsville and Indianapolis-based immersive experience company VisionThree are pleased to announce the launch of V3CONNECT™ at Fusion 54.

This lab will be the first of its kind in the U.S., paving the way for other communities seeking solutions to connect the next generation of the workforce with jobs and degree programs in their hometowns and beyond through the power of the metaverse.

The lab will consist of 24 customized VR kiosks, complete with a VR headset, charging station, and touchscreen tablet. Branded fabric backdrops and an interactive touch screen will transform an area within Fusion 54 into a virtual world of career opportunities.

As a part of the launch, the City of Crawfordsville will also share its “V3 Main Street™” story, in which the V3 team will build a virtual city tour, showcasing the programs, benefits, and opportunities available in Crawfordsville.

Joining the City in building out the virtual talent pipeline ecosystem will be a range of local industry and business content partners, whose day-in-the-life stories will reach not only lab users in Crawfordsville, but in every lab site launched across the state and beyond. 

Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton says, “This is a groundbreaking moment, not just for Crawfordsville as a city, but for the state of Indiana as a whole. We are proud to be leading the way in solving challenges for both talent pipeline development and the brain drain.”

Also aligning to bring degree program stories to V3CONNECT™ are partners at Ivy Tech Lafayette, featuring day-in-the-life experiences of students and alumni in key degree programs. For all content partners, V3CONNECT™ offers the ability to share immersive experiences at tradeshows, recruiting fairs, and beyond, expanding the reach of these opportunities to meet students where they are. 

“We very much appreciate our partnership with Mayor Barton and the city of Crawfordsville,” says the Ivy Tech Lafayette Chancellor, Dr. Aaron Baute. “Virtual reality is an awesome and interactive technology that can help support workforce development and industry attraction.  Initiatives like this one are why Ivy Tech has expanded its offerings in the community bringing Early Childhood, Cybersecurity, and Certified Nursing Assistant to Montgomery County. We look forward to adding additional programs in partnership with the community.”

Students from area high schools, colleges, and anyone else in the community interested in experiencing the technology, will have ample opportunities through scheduled visits and community events.

“As the V3CONNECT™ program continues to gain momentum and visibility, Crawfordsville will be seen nationwide not just talking the talk, but walking the walk,” says VisionThree CEO Heather Jackson. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Mayor and his team to officially launch the program.”

For more information on VisionThree and to learn about how your community, company, or institution can get involved with V3CONNECT™, please contact VisionThree.

About the City of Crawfordsville: Crawfordsville is home to more than 16,000 residents and is the county seat in Montgomery County, Indiana. About an hour west of Indianapolis, the growing city is known for its state and nationally-recognized Mobile Integrated Health program, extensive outdoor recreational opportunities at Shades State Park and along Sugar Creek, and is home to the Ironman Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championships and Wabash College.

About VisionThree: VisionThree (V3) is a pioneer in immersive experience technology and has been building B2B immersive experiences for business for 20 years, with a primary focus to help companies recruit better, sell better, and train better through their V3REALITY and V3TOUCH platforms.

In early 2022, V3 began developing a Virtual Reality (VR) talent pipeline ecosystem of VR career labs and immersive career pathway content called V3CONNECT. The V3CONNECT program's mission is to build and expand a comprehensive national talent pipeline ecosystem, removing geographic and socioeconomic barriers to opportunities, empowering and inspiring the next generation of the workforce through immersive experiences.

With the support of community, corporate, and education partners in areas like Crawfordsville, VR career labs will be placed in schools, colleges, universities, and at a wide range of additional community locations across the U.S., offering direct access to the latest available immersive career pathway content.

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October 18, 2022 — The first Friday in October is Manufacturing (MFG) Day, a day created to “empower manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.”

Last week, the V3CONNECT Roadshow team ventured to Columbus, Indiana, by invitation of Ivy Tech Columbus, to participate in their MFG Day celebration.

Skilled manufacturers are currently in incredibly high demand. Deloitte’s 2022 Manufacturing Industry Outlook predicts a shortage of 2.1 million skilled manufacturers by 2030. This is a figure we are actively working to change, starting in the state of Indiana.

With the launch of V3CONNECT, our team has created a solution to the workforce shortage through Virtual Reality (VR). Our $80M initiative seeks to place VR Career Labs in every high school, community college and university in Indiana by 2025, followed by plans for national program expansion. 

With this level of access, students across the nation will gain actionable insight into the manufacturing industry, experience first-hand what a day in the life is like at top manufacturing companies, and engage with educational programs that can help them excel toward a future in manufacturing

Students from Ivy Tech Columbus, Center Grove High School and Bartholomew County Schools were invited to test out the V3CONNECT experience during the MFG Day celebration.

“That’s dope,” one Center Grove student said, which was music to our ears!

We were among great company throughout the MFG Day event with a variety of sponsors and employers onsite, including Toyota, Forvia, Cummins, Purdue PolyTechnic, ServiceMyRestaurant, Lindal, and more.

We’ll be back in Columbus later this month (Oct. 25) for Tech Tuesday! Stop by and see us on the Ivy Tech Columbus campus to demo V3CONNECT for yourself.