Can-David Koyçu and Alexander Dudek (Altheria): “XR goggles make for more immersive trainings”

5 minutes reading time

A new name graces LogiVille’s Start2Scale Avenue: Altheria. The Brussels-based startup specialises in training for the QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment) sectors and stands out for its use of XR glasses, which stands for Extended Reality, a mix of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Can-David Koycu, co-founder and head of marketing, and Alexander Dudek, software architect, introduce the company to us.

When was Altheria founded and how did you get started?

Can-David: Altheria was founded in 2018 by four friends, including Dimitra Manioladis (then CFO and now CEO) and myself. Alexander was the first to join the team in 2019. Today, our company has around 10 employees.

We were students at Solvay Business School and experienced difficulties understanding physics classes and, more specifically, various conceptual aspects. We were not the only ones: less than 30% of management engineering students passed those tests. We looked for a solution and found that VR (virtual reality) was a good way to better understand vector operations and help students in those tests. We knocked on the door of the dean of physics, and were given a small room where we could develop a VR module. The idea was to make those vector operations more accessible by using 3D and perspective.

But after a while, we noticed that the university had little interest in our initiative and did not want to invest in it. So we decided to turn that didactic project into a B2B project.

How did that turnaround translate?

Can-David: We started knocking on the doors of several companies and soon GSK showed interest. So we came to realise that pharma could use training with VR and that many ‘use cases’ in that sector lend themselves to visualisation and experimentation. So the focus in our development came to be on QHSE applications, which was subsequently extended to other sectors such as ‘agrifood’, energy and now logistics.

Alexander: This broadening came about through the many contacts with potential users to whom we asked what their training needs were. From those contacts, the concept for the Practice Editor emerged, a software tool that allows you to build VR training courses without programming knowledge by means of a ‘node editor’.

What is a ‘node editor’?

Alexander: I have to be a bit technical here, sorry about this. A node editor is a visual interface where workflows are created with nodes. Each node represents a function, such as an action or reaction. By connecting nodes, you build logical processes without in-depth programming knowledge. In VR training, this makes it possible to design interactive scenarios. It is intuitive and makes collaboration easier, even for non-technical users.

Can-David: Each node is a step in training. These can be developed linearly – step A, then step B, then step C, and so on – but also non-linearly where you anticipate mistakes and make the effects of those mistakes immediately visible. In ‘normal’ training with VR glasses, this is not possible. The advantage is that it allows you to make training sessions more immersive, which makes the consequence of a mistake stick with he user even better.

Does that make Altheria stand out?

Alexander: Yes, in the sense that nodes allow us to build training courses without high programming costs. Our platform also allows us to develop training courses quickly. That is however not the only benefit: we can also easily import a powerful 3D environment into our training platform. This opens doors for companies using CAD (computer aided design), for example.

What does your platform entail?

Can-David: The platform consists of several modules that can be used ‘off the shelf’ – what we call Altheria Trainings – or personalised by the Altheria Studio. In the former case, these are virtually standardised solutions such as ‘fire training’ and in the latter, these are specifically customised experiences with a high degree of ‘customisation’.

Alexander: Incidentally, customers that are interested can develop training programmes themselves thanks to our Altheria Editor. A few days of targeted training are enough to ‘onboard’ and use the software.

What are the next steps for Altheria?

Alexander: Based on customer feedback, we are evolving from a software developer to a SaaS company (‘Software-as-Service’). In addition, we are preparing an internationalisation of the concept by enabling training in other countries as well. Thanks to a ‘remote’ console, the coach does not have to be in the same place as the trainee. He only needs a headset to communicate with him live. This opens up many possibilities for companies operating in multiple countries.

Can-David: To realise these new steps and expand our team, we are now preparing a second ‘fundraising’. The first round was in 2020, just before the Covid crisis. BeAngels helped us then not only with funding but also with guidance; BAN Flanders (Business Angels Network) put us in touch with a number of investors.

On the technical side, there is very little work today: the product is ready. So the second round of funding will serve to market it better and to achieve that internationalisation. In a first step, this will be the Benelux and in the next one the EU. In parallel, the aim is to obtain the necessary certifications.

Why are you presenting Altheria at LogiVille?

Can-David: We want to introduce our XR training concept to the logistics world because we can offer added-value training in this sector, for example in the field of safety training, such as First Aid or risk prevention. After all, safety is a very important aspect within logistics.

On the other hand, we also want to get to know the sector and its needs better. Through networking and contacts, we want to find out what the sector needs: are there specific needs we should take into account? Do companies want standard solutions or ‘dedicated’ training courses?

So, with our presence at LogiVille, we aim to both raise awareness in the sector and gather feedback.

The Future of Work

Altheria will be part of the new Theme Tour ‘The Future of Work’. This Theme Tour, with seven new partners, offers a unique insight into how digitalisation, automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are shaping tomorrow’s workplace. In addition, the changing expectations of a new generation of workers, such as Gen Z, play a crucial role in the future of work.

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