About VRiends
The metaverse is legitimately a new frontier. Global brands from Disney
to Nike to Louis Vuitton are already staking out their territory. One way
to think about the metaverse is as a new kind of immersive internet experience that uses virtual reality and other technologies to blur the lines between digital life and real life. The possibilities in this space are endless, and go far beyond traditional gaming and 2D virtual meetings
to encompass a wide range of social and professional events like concerts, weddings, trips, and more.
VRiends is the first metaverse company to provide high-quality, evidence-based teaching of social, academic, and life skills. We combine state-of-the-art VR technology with the expertise of specialized facilitators to guide children and young adults through a variety of games, exercises,
and experiences—all designed to be truly fun for learners while effectively teaching critical life skills and providing truly interactive skill practice
in a safe, non-threatening environment.
to Nike to Louis Vuitton are already staking out their territory. One way
to think about the metaverse is as a new kind of immersive internet experience that uses virtual reality and other technologies to blur the lines between digital life and real life. The possibilities in this space are endless, and go far beyond traditional gaming and 2D virtual meetings
to encompass a wide range of social and professional events like concerts, weddings, trips, and more.
VRiends is the first metaverse company to provide high-quality, evidence-based teaching of social, academic, and life skills. We combine state-of-the-art VR technology with the expertise of specialized facilitators to guide children and young adults through a variety of games, exercises,
and experiences—all designed to be truly fun for learners while effectively teaching critical life skills and providing truly interactive skill practice
in a safe, non-threatening environment.
About Our Founders
VRiends is very proud to be a female-led tech company with two mom founders.
- Sunny KimDr. Sunny Kim received her Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Special Education, Disability, and Risk Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She is also a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and is certified in Pivotal Response Treatment.
For the past 10 years, Dr. Kim has provided exceptional behavioral services and consultation to more than 100 individuals across the world. She is the applied behavior analysis program coordinator for UCSB’s professional and continuing education department, and she teaches graduate level behavior management courses.
She has published in the areas of social development, inclusion for children with autism, staff training, and cultural diversity.
When she’s not designing VRiends curriculum or training facilitators, Sunny loves to cook and enjoy the beauty of nature, especially the beach. - Elena VolodinaMs. Volodina has been developing the virtual reality platform technology out of necessity. Inspired by personal experience with helping her son navigate the painful exclusion and stigma of struggling with social skills, she is deeply dedicated to making VRiends a robust and accessible solution for other moms and kids dealing with similar issues.
Her background as a spatial interior designer has been instrumental in developing the spatial concept of the VRiends platform to emphasize a safe and pleasant experience that considers a wide range of individual preferences and interests while providing truly effective tools for developing life skills.
In addition to being the content wrangler and designer at VRiends, Elena is an avid animal lover, world traveler, an amateur polo player.