BOSTON—Rendever, a virtual reality (VR) company, announced its acquisition of Alcove, a popular consumer VR platform publicly available to families at home through their own VR headsets. The Rendever team has been co-developing Alcove with AARP since 2020. By bringing Alcove in-house, Rendever said, the company "is amplifying its reach through an integrated ecosystem of products that enable a better aging experience for seniors worldwide, regardless of where they live."
Rendever and AARP began working together in 2017 through MassChallenge, a global network for innovators. Six years ago, Rendever set out to overcome social isolation amongst the aging population through virtual reality. While Rendever has traditionally focused on older adults living in senior living communities, hospice organizations and patients in hospitals, the acquisition of Alcove will accelerate the core mission of Rendever and the profound impact of its technology.
Through the acquisition, Rendever better supports the aging population by bringing the joy and inspiration of its targeted shared experiences to the millions of seniors at home, along with their families and caregivers.
“With Alcove, anybody can get a taste of the Rendever experience from the comfort of their home, downloaded at a moment’s notice through the Quest store. Creating Alcove with AARP allowed us to bring more joy to the world’s aging population, and we’re excited to carry on that mission even more hands-on,” said Rendever's CEO and co-founder, Kyle Rand. “It’s clear that the future of aging relies on purposeful technology, and we see Alcove as a critical extension of the exciting future we’re building. A well-designed metaverse strengthens relationships, builds communities, and gives us the means to immerse ourselves in new experiences. The opportunities Alcove presents to families at home are limitless, and we can’t wait to start delivering—the roadmap we have planned is thrilling.”
Along with this update, Rendever will be working together with brands in Alcove to elevate the aging experience. UCHealth is among the first joining the effort to ease accessibility and enhance health and wellness options for aging adults, and users can expect to see new branded experiences coming throughout 2023.
