Samantha Kingston

CEO of Virtual Umbrella, VR Director of Anonymous, Community Champion for Alcohol Change UK & TEDx & Public Speaker.

United Kingdom

About

I am the Co-Founder and CEO at Virtual Umbrella. At Virtual Umbrella we help businesses tap into the commercial and creative potential of immersive technology. Through our knowledge and our hands-on approach, if you are looking for support in the immersive industry across creative, technical or delivery we have you covered. I am also a VR Film Director - The Anonymous Project: Giving a voice to a difficult conversation Anonymous is a 360 narrative film sharing the personal story of being a child of an alcoholic. After 28 years, Samantha shares her story of living with an alcohol-dependent parent, hiding the secret and dealing with the death of that parent. In 2022, I stood on the TED x Winchester stage and spoke about "How I used VR to process my grief". "Samantha won the new business award at the Southampton Venus Awards 2016 and the national new business award 2016. She is also apart of the BIMA100, nominated for Unsung Hero in MCV Women in Game Awards 2016. Featured in The Drums 50 under 30; Women disrupting the status quo and Games Industry business rising star. Samantha is also one of the evening standards #Progress1000 2017"

Experience

  • Virtual Umbrella (Brighton, United Kingdom)
    • CEO
      Mar 2015 - Present · 11 yrs 4 mos

      At Virtual Umbrella we help businesses tap into the commercial and creative potential of immersive technology. Through our knowledge and our hands-on approach, if you are looking for support in the immersive industry across creative, technical or delivery we have you covered. Problem solvers at heart, we are open to all challenges. Need help with distribution of content or technology? Are you looking to have XR Technicians on site at a Festival? Stepping in the immersive industry for the first time? We are here to help.

    • VR Film Director
      Mar 2019 - Present · 7 yrs 4 mos

      The Anonymous Project: Giving a voice to a difficult conversation Anonymous is a 360 narrative film sharing the personal story of being a child of an alcoholic. After 28 years, Samantha shares her story of living with an alcohol-dependent parent, hiding the secret and dealing with the death of that parent.

  • VR & Immersive Experiences Programmer at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
    Jun 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 1 mo

  • Thinker - Immersive Technology Think Tank at BIMA (British Interactive Media Association)
    Jul 2017 - Present · 9 yrs

    The BIMA Immersive Technologies Think Tank is made up of 10 of the foremost thinkers (and me apparently) in these technologies who will inspire, provoke and educate the wider BIMA membership on the power and best practise of immersive technologies.

  • Co-Founder at #HelloFounder
    2017 - Present · 9 yrs 6 mos

    #HelloFounder has been created by founders for other founders across the UK. I am excited to get this initative up and running, to support many founders across the UK. More updates coming soon.

  • Visiting lecturer at University of Southampton
    Dec 2016 - Present · 9 yrs 7 mos

    I am now available as a visiting lecturer at the University of Southampton. I recently visited three departments to talk about VR/AR and founding my company.