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Forty Under 40

Forty Under 40: Derek Belch


courtesy of derek belch
S trivr founder and CEO Derek Belch, as one of the most prominent executives in the developing world of virtual reality, has an obvious interest in seeing the technology grow and become a fundamental part of the industry. But his aspirations go much further than that.

“Long term, we want to be viewed as a human performance company that uses virtual reality, and not just a VR company,” Belch said. “We think VR can be impactful in all sorts of performance improvements and training.”

Indeed, Belch’s California-based company has made a strong name for itself developing a sort of flight simulator for quarterbacks and other types of high-level athletes using VR. But last year marked a significant pivot for the company in which it created a fan experience and production division, developing a series of well-reviewed attractions and experiences for MSG, the New England Patriots, Visa and other top-tier clients. The move helped expand the possibilities of what VR could mean for the sports industry besides coaching and streaming video applications.

The company also recently struck a broad-based partnership with Learfield to expand the use of virtual reality at colleges, closed on a $5 million round of funding, and garnered high-profile appearances on national NFL broadcasts on ESPN and Fox.

“We had a clear view that if we won in sports, a lot of other good things would follow, and it remains a very critical segment for us,” Belch said.

In recent months, a growing industry impatience has emerged over the slightly elongated pace of virtual reality hardware adoption, with some hardware manufacturers downgrading sales estimates, and others ending the 2016 holiday shopping season on a disappointing note. But as largely a business-to-business player, Belch and Strivr have insulated themselves from much of those market gyrations.

“We’d obviously love to see it grow, and we continue to be bullish on this, of course,” Belch said. “But we’re not dependent on headset adoption. We’re protected, and we can continue to build the best products possible.”

— Eric Fisher

derek belch

strivr labs | founder and ceo
Age: 31
Where born: San Diego
Education: Stanford (B.A., communication; M.A., journalism; M.A., media studies/virtual reality); USC (MBA)
Family: Wife, Amelia; child, Preston (17 months)

What do you know now that you wish you’d known at age 20? There is no substitute for hard work. Very few successful people get to where they are without tremendous sacrifice and an all-in, won’t-be-denied type of effort.
Profession other than your own you’d most like to attempt: It’s no secret to my friends and

co-workers that I fantasize about playing on the PGA Tour.
Guilty pleasure: I own every album Taylor Swift has recorded, and genuinely love her music.
Person in the industry you’d most like to meet: I’d love to play a round of golf with new PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
Most thrilling/adventurous thing I’ve done: Being prone to altitude sickness yet still climbing a 14,000-foot mountain in Aspen, in a pair of tennis shoes.
You’d be surprised to know that I … : Didn’t eat vegetables until college.


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