Mozilla Acquires Active Replica to Expand Virtual Hubs Platform
Mozilla purchases Active Replica, a startup building virtual event spaces, to enhance its open-source Hubs virtual reality chatroom service. The acquisition brings experienced AR/VR founders to Mozilla to improve onboarding and introduce new interaction capabilities.
Mozilla acquires Vancouver-based startup Active Replica to bolster its web-based metaverse vision and enhance its open-source Hubs virtual reality chatroom service. Active Replica previously builds a platform for virtual events and meetings directly on top of Mozilla's Hubs project, offering packages that include venue design, event planning, and live entertainment.
Under the new deal, the Active Replica team focuses on improving the onboarding experience, creating personalized subscription tiers, and introducing new interaction capabilities within Hubs. The startup's co-founders, Jacob Ervin and Valerian Denis, now join Mozilla as senior engineering manager and product lead, bringing valuable experience from previous roles at various AR/VR companies.
Mozilla originally launches Hubs in 2018 as an experiment in immersive social experiences, allowing users to collaborate in virtual rooms through any web browser. By combining forces, Mozilla and Active Replica aim to bring more innovation to virtual spaces while maintaining their commitment to existing customers and the open web.