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Learning skills and knowledge from a new perspective and making taboo subjects discussable—how does a company achieve that? Scopic_Labs creates lifelike Virtual Reality training for numerous organizations, in collaboration with science. The validated method has proven to be highly effective: "It's lifelike: that truly makes an impact."
Based in Amsterdam, Scopic_Labs was founded in 2021 by entrepreneurs Erik Jan Bijvank and Justin Karten. Bijvank and Karten had been collaborating for quite some time. Karten did so through the precursor, Scopic, while Bijvank founded the digital agency FONK Mobile. Karten says, "For some projects, we pooled our strengths. Creating and producing Virtual Reality (VR) films with a primarily commercial focus was central. We worked for Adidas, Robeco, KLM, EY, ING, UNICEF, and Tomorrowland. We also engaged in a project in collaboration with photographer Jimmy Nelson, bringing his photos of indigenous tribes to life in VR."
The last project even earned Scopic a gold Webby Award: the highest international advertising prize. Other campaigns also received recognition nationally and beyond borders. Simultaneously, Scopic began attracting more projects with a social and societal aspect. For instance, documentaries like "Refugees" about the refugee influx on Lesbos, and "Meet the Soldier" filmed in Uganda with the aim of fostering more empathy among recovering parties.
Karten explains, "We noticed that we gained a lot of energy from these kinds of assignments. We didn't just create a beautiful product; we offered users a new perspective. Something that made the viewer think or even changed their behavior. To provide this added value to all our clients, we founded Scopic_Labs as a spin-off."
Scopic_Labs mainly focuses on interactive serious games and applications, Karten elaborates. "In addition to solely 360-video productions, we offer consulting for companies looking to experiment with VR or aiming to embed a product or application within the organization. We analyze a problem at hand and see if VR can solve it. If so, we develop a concept, produce the VR project, and take care of testing, optimization, and distribution within an organization or via well-known VR stores or MDM systems. We also work on clients' servers like Azure and Firebase, where they handle distribution while we facilitate maintenance."
The foundation remains the same: developing VR experiences on demand. However, unlike before, the focus is now on practically making an impact. Karten explains, "Simply put, with our products, we replace online courses and lessons from hired training actors. Many people are familiar with e-learning. It doesn't inspire. With VR training, we replicate lifelike situations, and that does inspire. It doesn't have to involve extreme situations; it can also cover everyday cases. Think of training that enhances soft skills and eliminates blind spots."
With a VR headset, you find yourself in a work-relevant situation in no time. The films aren't all the same. Each user makes choices during playback, like whether to say or do something. As a result, the video's progression varies for each individual. Analyzing decisions can be done afterward, revealing when an employee made a particular decision.
As an example, Karten mentions a project Scopic_Labs developed and executed for national and international police forces. "Officers often unconsciously encounter biases. With our serious games, we immerse them in contemporary situations. For instance, we work on the issue of ethnic profiling, a phenomenon that occurs frequently among officers. The feedback on our developed training is that it not only leads to acknowledgment of the problem but also enables discussions. Each participant shares their experiences and provides feedback on others', without initially knowing that ethnic profiling is the underlying theme of the VR video. However, the outcome often involves initiating a discussion on this topic. Prior to this project, having a constructive conversation about this topic within the police force wasn't possible."
Opening up the conversation isn't the only advantage of a VR experience, Karten notes. "They also learn to handle specific nuances that make a difference for civilians. It's a win-win. The officer becomes more aware of their legal boundaries and, through post-training discussions, learns to better justify their choices. Consequently, civilians understand their actions better, leading to a more pleasant 'police experience.'"
In addition to serious games, Scopic_Labs also develops onboarding and recruitment films. Karten explains, "For instance, onboarding for employees at a refinery relocating to a different location or undergoing renovations, thus encountering new safety standards. Or bank employees dealing with difficult customers. If you want to attract engineers to your company, a VR experience is a handy tool to inspire and recruit candidates. For all these situations, you can learn them from books, but it truly sticks when you've experienced it yourself."
The effectiveness of the VR method is evident from the data as well. Karten says, "We collaborate with various knowledge institutions, such as the University of Twente, the Max Planck Institute, and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Their research on the effects of our VR training shows that it indeed yields more results than classical learning methods. What's more, the costs are relatively low: with 220 VR headsets, you can train around 30,000 employees annually. The investment in developing and executing a VR training is still significantly cheaper than hiring a training actor."
More and more companies, both domestically and internationally, are recognizing the added value of Scopic_Labs' product. Bijvank and Karten are now extremely enthusiastic about their newly adopted direction. "The ten years of experience with Scopic are not wasted, of course. But leveraging our knowledge and creativity to break taboos, teach skills, and achieve deeper goals gives our work a new dimension. It motivates us every day to develop Virtual Reality with a purpose."
Would you like to experience training your employees with VR too? Contact us at 020 213 72 64 or info@scopiclabs.com.