A pandemic pivot literally opened up new worlds for The Labz.
Founder Farah Allen started building a music collaboration space to alleviate the pains associated with copyrights and create a comfortable digital space for users to upload content.
With Covid, Allen started getting requests to create event-focused spaces for those looking to showcase creative content, music, and movies. Since then, The Labz has turned its attention to helping customers build interactive websites and gamified digital experiences.
It’s about moving beyond the world of static websites, Allen told Hypepotamus. She described the no-code platform as a “Squarespace for interactive experiences.”
Users — ranging from top fashion brands to sports teams to churches — have used The Labz in pretty creative ways to connect with customers and showcase brands online. They’ve built everything from NFT galleries to shopping areas to digital rooms for drop-in online training courses and events.
The Labz is carving out a niche for businesses that are looking to boost engagement online without relying on VR. “These interactive spaces are more interesting, more flexible, more marketable, and more brandable,” she added.
And The Labz has caught the attention of some big names and brands along the way. Comcast, Amazon Prime, Salesforce, Microsoft, The Television Academy, The Fearless Fund, WEI Atlanta, The Savannah Hurricanes, and MBDA at Georgia Tech have all used the platform to better connect with their audiences.
Users can plug in with pre-made templates and then track key engagement metrics as customers chat and explore each virtual environment. Those who have pre-recorded videos and assets ready to go can easily get up and running in a matter of minutes.
Other key features include implementing text and video chats, 360 interactive environments, live stream videos, games and polls, photobooths, and live collaboration tools.
“If you can use Canva or Keynote, you can build something from scratch and gamify it [on The Labz].”
Building What’s Next on the Internet
From Second Life to Sandbox to what Meta is building, the concept of building social connections within virtual worlds is nothing new. But The Labz is helping to make those interactive “worlds” more accessible. As Allen explained, The Labz allows brands to build unique experiences without the need for VR headsets or “access to the Metaverse.”
“We’re changing the face of the internet,” she added.
The team is backed by investors at Level Forward, NBCUniversal, Boomtown Accelerator, Cultivation Capital, and others.
While they have taken on enterprise clients and businesses from around the country, The Labz is firmly rooted in the Atlanta startup world.