Beyond 360 degrees: This NYU Startup Takes 360° Video Streaming To The Next Level

NYU-born Svrround helps content creators bring augmented reality and engagement features to live 360-degree video.

Rough Draft Ventures is excited to support David Cihelna, Marc Abbey, and Abhishek Singh of Svrround as they equip content creators with a suite of tools to design live 360° video and virtual reality experiences.

Svrround takes live 360° video streaming to the next level by enhancing standard video with features such as virtual stickers, gifs and branded social interactions. These tools, which integrate directly into existing VR platforms and apps, empower content creators to embrace these emerging mediums beyond the simple novelty of filming in 360°.

While watching a live VR tour of an art gallery, for example, viewers can explore the venue by zooming in on pieces or clicking to learn more about the artist. When watching a live news stream, viewers can zoom in on certain clips for a more curated experience.

On the backend, Svrround translates this engagement data to present producers with real time analytics on how viewers engage with their content.

To complement these tools, Svrround recently launched Svrround Studio, a platform connecting experienced film-makers, musicians, artists and engineers with brand partners to product relevant content. The company’s early clients include Verizon and La MaMa theatre.

David, Marc and Abhishek started working together as grad students at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) where David was researching VR, Marc was developing live music web experiences, and Abhishek was working on projects in virtual reality. The three initially teamed up on a gig producing live interactive billboards in Times Square, which eventually evolved into Svrround.

RDV first met Svrround at the NYC Media Lab last spring, where they were part of The Combine incubator. Since then, the startup has received follow-on grants from The NYC Media Lab and Verizon.

We’re thrilled to have Svrround in the Rough Draft family and are excited to support their journey as they move ahead!