UP360

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VR specialist of a publicly-traded utilities and construction company, and I’m responsible for developing the VR training program.

What challenge were you trying to address with UP360?

We were in the midst of developing a VR training program, so we needed someone to help us develop a VR app to remedy this demand.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We engaged with UP360 to build and develop a VR app. We started with a few preliminary meetings where we provided them with relevant internal documentation to enable them to develop the app from scratch.

The team then translated learning outcomes from our requirements into a VR program and take the assets that we needed so they can implement them into the app. These assets include our branding and logo, among other things.

Apart from that, they’re also able to support us in terms of auxiliary devices, installations, and customer service. The technologies they utilize are Unreal Engine, Amazon Webfleet, Oculus Rift, and an assortment of DevOps tools.

Furthermore, they also help with consultation, in terms of developing our own internal VR program.

What is the team composition?

Our main points of contact are the COO and senior lead programmer.

How did you come to work with UP360?

We hired them based on the good relationships they’ve developed with my colleagues from previous endeavors.

Their company is local to our area and the team aligns with our goals perfectly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $57,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in July 2021.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

UP360 was able to successfully turn over the project while adhering to the tight timeframes. Our team is currently using the software for training and we’ve received nothing but positive reviews.

How did UP360 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very agile and flexible from a project management standpoint.

We typically communicate through Teams and Google Meet to coordinate meetings and schedules. We also have a Google Drive for our documentation, and we share an email thread.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re very impressed with their focus on customer service and belief in technology.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could dedicate more resources to project management, so they can have a much richer turnover of the products.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise you to demo their services so you can have a better understanding of what UP360 can provide, and see if they’re a good fit for your project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager at a construction association.

What challenge were you trying to address with UP360?

We needed UP360’s services for VR programming.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Early in our project, UP360 presented the usage of VR technology to us. We reached out to them to gain more information on the potential opportunities around VR for career exploration, training, and software design flexibility. 

They then responded with a tremendous amount of excitement around working with us, while our team was looking for new and innovative ways to do training and exploration. We conducted many calls with them and ended up purchasing some of their hardware and platforms.  

The ongoing services they provide are focused on the educational and training value of VR. We want to seize the opportunity to take such tools to the organizations and sectors with which we work closely. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly deal with one person from their team, and he’s one of the owners of the company. He also serves as the project manager. 

How did you come to work with UP360?

We found them through a provincial government platform launched at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. There, we worked with post-secondary students, who had also collaborated with various organizations to learn about their industries and business plans. Those people included UP360, and they came up with recommendations for the future development of our organizations. One of their recommendations included VR technology. From there, we started our work with UP360. 

How much have you invested with them?

To date, we’ve spent around $45,000 CAD (approximately $36,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2020, and the collaboration is ongoing. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

To date, we’ve had ongoing success in our training sessions and career exploration. They’ve been a tremendous resource, and we’re actively looking at some other great things we can do in the future. 

Moreover, the quality of their work has been out of this world. We’ve seen a huge growth in the number of opportunities we have with VR technology. Overall, having UP360 as a partner has been tremendously valuable in allowing us to do what we want. They’ll enable us to grow substantially in the near future. 

How did UP360 perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams have great communication via emails and Zoom. In fact, one of the developers has recently moved to Prince Edward Island, so he’s less than five minutes away from my home. Meanwhile, our main contact person has been 100% with us whenever we need his expertise and guidance. We look forward to engaging with more of their staff in the future. 

Their performance has been exceptional all the way around. The management has been straightforward; we know what we want, and we know that a platform is available. Overall, we’ve managed the project using a simplified process. What we’ll do in the future will be more tedious and will entail more project management skills. However, we’re looking forward to doing that with UP360.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

UP360 has been highly proactive and collaborative. On top of that, they’re as excited as us about what the future holds for our platform in the construction sector. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open, honest, and willing to listen to UP360. They have great platforms, ideas, and tools, so don’t be scared to think outside the box with them. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an Experiential Learning Consultant for the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario with.

For what projects/services did your company hire UP360?

My primary focus as for Experiential Learning is to support Career Studies and Pathways Planning with a particular focus on promoting the Skilled Trades. We began working with UP360 as they have developed VR tools for exploring the Skilled Trades.

What were your goals for this project?

Our primary goal is to provide opportunities for students to explore potential careers in an immersive environment. As a former Guidance Counsellor, I understand how overwhelming it can be for teenagers when making decisions about potential careers and post-secondary pathways. The tools that UP360 have created have been hugely successful in promoting interest in the Skilled Trades, especially with students who are underrepresented (ie. women and people of colour). As we move forward, we hope to expand the use of VR to include career exploration for other areas (eg.Health Sciences).

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to me by Martha Jez from Microsoft. I met with Harrison and his team on various occasions, had them visit our Career Fair, and then chose to pursue a contract with them.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

UP360 developed VR applications for the Skilled Trades (Welding, Electrical, Robotics Technician, Heavy Equipment Operator, HVAC Technician, Process Engineer, Mining Machine Operator, Mining Engineer, Pipe Fitter, Robotics Welding Operator, and Construction Welding.

What was the team composition?

I worked primarily with Harrison and one of his employees.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The tools UP360 have developed have provided the most exciting and coolest opportunities for our students! Students are able to explore trades virtually and LOVE IT!!! UP360 has been great to work with -- approachable, supportive, and accessible. I started out knowing virtually nothing about VR, and now I am (with the help of their guidance and patience) facilitating sessions with students and educators to show them the endless opportunities that VR learning provides.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

NA

What did you find most impressive about this company?

UP360 is very good to work with. We love the products and they are extremely accommodating and receptive to feedback.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not from my perspective. Any issues I have had were addressed immediately and my input was always valued.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Director, Academic Technology Integration & Innovation at Mohawk College. We are a Higher-Ed institution providing applied skills and training.

For what projects/services did your company hire UP360, and what were your goals?

We collaboratively developed an educational escape room that will work to help solidify students learning and help assess how well they can apply what they’ve learned.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We chose UP360 because of their collaborate ideas and the fact that they were willing to work with a group of faculty and staff in a innovative project.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

UP360 worked with faculty from 3 very different subject areas to shape appropriate missions, challenges, and scenes. Then they built a framework for escape room methodology. They suggested we locate the rooms in outer space which has given this a true gamified feel and makes it easier for students to suspend their disbelief.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

• Harrison O. CEO,
• Matt M., CTO worked with me to scope out the project and apply for grant funding
• Colin D., Lead Dev
• Declan P., lead artist lead the team building and doing bi-weekly sprint reviews of the builds with Mohawk folks

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The UP360 team has delivered amazing graphics and interactivity. Their suggestions made every experience better. The students think this is such an engaging way to learn.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We basically met bi-weekly to go over features built and get feedback. Then builds were sent over for us to download and put in our own HMDs. This mode of communication works pretty for these kinds of projects.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The realism of their graphics is hands-down which makes UP360’s work stand out. They are unique in that they use UnReal as their main game engine and maybe that’s why the graphics are so amazing.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

This is a great team. I’ve been very impressed with their ability to keep the projects going even with personnel changes and changes in our end.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Bytespeed is a technology solutions company that manufacturers their own line of PCs and servers with a strategic footprint in VR and esports.

For what projects/services did your company hire UP360?

We were looking for a complete go to market plan leveraging VR in career development.

What were your goals for this project?

To have an easy to use custom solution for education and workforce career development.

How did you select this vendor?

We demonstrated some of their applications and were really impressed.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They helped with the design of the hardware solution, designed all of the content, and designed how to videos to accompany it all.

What was the team composition?

Many departments were engaged in these conversations on both sides. Marketing, purchasing, sales, production, and technical support.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Our last joint webinar had more than 100 attendees and had all positive reviews.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Each of the departments engaged with each other to accomplish their individual goals and then pulled together for the final project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ease of access, responsiveness, and superior quality of work is impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

none.