WELCOME TO THE SILICON VALLEY CHAPTER OF THE GLOBAL ASSOCIATION FOR VR AND AR
Why Join VRARA Silicon Valley?
As the world's technology epicenter, Silicon Valley and San Francisco have become hotbeds for VR and AR. VRARA positions companies of all sizes to capitalize on this next major computing platform shift.
Carried by chapter leaders that are embedded in VR/AR front lines, a thought-leadership approach is taken towards member support. This happens through the chapter's research, editorial output and events.
Our goal is to connect you with the best and brightest of the VR & AR industries, providing you with the knowledge and the network you need to make an impact.
When you join the Silicon Valley Chapter, you are also directly connected to the San Francisco chapter, and have access to companies and events from San Jose to San Francisco and everywhere in between.
All of the above is cultivated through:
Free access to VRARA events with A-list speakers (examples below)
Discounts to third party events and conferences
Weekly newsletter
Access to VRARA's theDIRECTORY
Participation in over 20 industry vertical committees
Full list of member benefits can be seen here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
See all events here
FEATURED EVENTS
FEATURED MEMBERS
Gordon Bell has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience. Currently, he serves as Vice President of Business Development & Marketing at Tests Assured, a leading AR/VR testing service based in Silicon Valley. Before joining Tests Assured, Gordon was part of the founding team at Energous Corporation, which he joined as employee No. 2 in 2013 to not only build a brand for the wireless charging startup but also nurture it from its earliest years through an IPO and global expansion. Before Energous, Gordon served as president at Prosoft Engineering and in various sales and marketing roles at ELSA GMBH, Media 100, and other companies. During his time at Energous, he also served as a member of the board of directors and on the Marketing Advisory Panel for the AirFuel Alliance, an independent, nonprofit consortium working to establish wireless charging standards.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Sanika Doolani
Sanika Doolani is a researcher, designer, and educator working at the intersection of human-centered computing, immersive technologies, and experiential storytelling. She is the founding director of the Reality Experience Design Lab (RED Lab) at San Francisco State University, where she leads interdisciplinary projects focused on virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and emerging interfaces that enhance learning, performance, and user engagement.
Before entering academia, Sanika worked as a UX Designer at Salesforce and The Walt Disney Company, where she led user experience initiatives that blended design innovation with large-scale technology platforms. Her industry experience deeply informs her research, which centers on creating immersive, empathetic, and accessible digital experiences.
Through RED Lab, Sanika collaborates with industry partners, nonprofits, and fellow researchers to develop impactful, user-centered applications. She is especially passionate about mentoring students, supporting underrepresented voices in tech, and creating research opportunities that empower the next generation of creators and technologists. She regularly speaks at conferences and serves as a bridge between academia and industry.
Ari Saei (formerly known as Mana Saei) is an award-winning New Media Artist and XR Creator whose work has been featured in exhibitions such as the Gender Equity in Media Festival (GEMFest 2024), the Performance and Extended Reality Conference (PXR 2023), and The Museum of Wild and Newfangled Art (MOWNA 2021). As an independent creator, she has launched XR applications like Arisa and Platform—projects funded by the Canada Council for the Arts—which explore the intersection of XR and human well-being.
Ari is dedicated to serving the XR and art communities. She previously served on the board of Arts Assembly, an artist-run center, and is now active in the VR/AR Association. She also developed a VR gallery to showcase the artwork of underrepresented artists. In addition to her personal practice, she supports XR startups with creative development and production.
Through academia and several artist residencies, Ari has refined her creative skills in the development of immersive environments and has contributed to multiple award-winning XR projects, with premieres at VIFF Immersed 2019, VIWFF 2020, and GDC 2024. Ari devotes her free time to composing music and reading books on human well-being.
NETWORK
Connect and build strong relationships with key players in the VR/AR ecosystem through VRARA or partner-hosted events.
COLLABORATE
Work with innovators in the VR/AR ecosystem across all verticals, from original content creators to innovative hardware companies.
RESEARCH
Gain unlimited, exclusive access to VRARA research and publications, or, when applicable, receive discounts to third-party reports.
