From zoologist to self-taught coder and tech entrepreneur, Antonia Forster epitomizes a journey where passion, resilience, and ingenuity are not just traits but the cornerstones of revolutionary impact in the tech world. As the founder of DiVRse Technologies and a Senior XR Technical Specialist at Unity, few are as committed to leveraging innovation for positive social impact as Antonia.
A Confluence of Technology and Social Change
“At DiVRse Technologies, we work on projects at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and positive social impact,” Antonia shares, a sense of pride lacing her words. “Our debut project was the world’s first LGBTQ+ VR Museum, an award-winning and critically-acclaimed project that celebrates and centers queer stories and culture.” The intersectionality of cutting-edge technology and social advocacy defines DiVRse Technologies, painting a future where marginalization is combated with virtual, yet profoundly tangible, experiences. She adds: “We are now updating the museum with new 3D photo scans of objects, audio stories, 360-degree video, and even a 4D volumetric capture of a drag performance – another world first!”
Defying Norms, Breaking Boundaries
For Antonia, who moved from the world of animal behavior and zoology into the terrains of VR and AR, coding was a revelation. Technology is a tool that can be actively used to fight for equality; it’s a portal into worlds where the marginalized feel seen, heard and celebrated.
A Museum Beyond Walls
“We used VR to directly address the strongest predictor of homophobia – a lack of exposure to queer people and stories,” says Antonia. In the immersive corridors of the LGBTQ+ VR Museum, visitors, regardless of their sexual orientation, walk through stories as compelling as they are emancipatory. It’s a sanctuary where technology dismantles societal barriers, enabling the unfettered celebration of diversity. She explains: “The immersive quality of VR creates memorable experiences, proven to have a more lasting effect on users’ attitudes and behavior towards marginalized people, and create long-term change.” Her emphasis on virtual museums’ participatory and inclusive nature transcends conventional dialogues around technology. “A virtual museum can also never be the subject of a hate crime or act of violence,” Antonia points out, underscoring the sanctuary that technology can offer amidst societal challenges.
A Journey of Revelation and Resilience
Antonia’s backstory is a tapestry of trials, revelations, and triumphs. “I have always found comments like ‘LGBTQ+ is not natural’ very troubling – as both a biologist and a member of the queer community, I felt well‑placed to dispel this myth. So, I wrote a TEDx talk about this,” she recalls. “The only problem was that I hadn’t come out to my family yet. When I came out, weeks before my TEDx talk, many of my family members reacted extremely negatively, and I ultimately had to cut contact for my safety.” Faced with many challenges – including financial – the adversity ignited a fierce spirit of resilience. To support herself, she decided to become a software engineer. Self‑taught from YouTube tutorials, Antonia’s journey into the realms of C# and Unity is not just about mastering languages; it’s about scripting narratives of empowerment and inclusion. “Six months later, I landed my first developer role in a hand‑tracking company called Ultraleap,” Antonia recounts. Eventually, she was headhunted by Unity themselves. In 2022, she founded DiVRse Technologies, which spun out from the success of the LGBTQ+ VR Museum. “Discovering that I could create anything that I could possibly imagine – and that all I needed was a headset and a computer – was a revelation. Even after all these years, coding and creating VR experiences feels like a magical power,” she proclaims. “It’s also the best thing I’ve ever done for my well-being as a marginalized person, so I’m keen to make these tools accessible to other people who could similarly benefit.”
Reimagining Traditional Spaces
Innovation, to Antonia, is about the audacious reimagination of traditional paradigms. “Taking traditional ideas and reimagining them with current technology allows us to innovate and improve,” she asserts. In the immersive universe of DiVRse Technologies, technology and innovation are not just buzzwords but instruments of societal metamorphosis.
The Power of Connection
The narrative of technology, for Antonia, is deeply personal. “It was only through the internet that I was able to gain a sense of normalcy and community,” she reflects. In today’s world, the evolution from text and images to immersive 3D environments and volumetric performances amplifies the capacity of technology to be a conduit of connection and acceptance. For Antonia, technology is not just connecting isolated souls but is weaving tapestries of global communities rooted in empathy, understanding, and acceptance.
Advice to the Next Generation of Innovators
“Learning to code was no different to learning another language, like German or Spanish,” Antonia advises. “Technology gives us the ability to disrupt traditional spaces.” In a world often intimidating and inaccessible, Antonia’s voice is a clarion call to the hesitant, the doubtful, and the underrepresented. Technology is not the bastion of the elite; it’s a garden of opportunities awaiting seeds of diverse talents, backgrounds, and visions.
Defining Success in a Tech-Driven Future
As emerging technologies continue to redefine the contours of our world, Antonia’s measure of success reflects a profound sagacity. “Nowadays, my measure of success is to seek continuous self‑improvement and enhance my technical skills,” she shares. It’s not just about riding the wave of technological advancements but mastering the art of continuous learning, adaptability, and innovation.
A Message to the World
Antonia isn’t just about VR or AR; she’s about scripting a future where every voice counts, every identity is celebrated, and every human connection is a conduit of positive social change. “At the end of the day, technology is just a tool; it’s only as good as the experiences we create with it,” Antonia affirms. “I’m excited about emerging technologies – from biometrics and affective computing to mixed reality, full-body tracking, and volumetric capture – but the things that will move the needle aren’t exceptional devices or hardware but the extraordinary experiences we create using them. The most powerful thing about creating virtual worlds is using them to improve the real world.”
