About our Company
Red Iron Labs is a virtual reality game, content, and platform company operating in the B2B and B2C sectors.
Founded in 2016 as a game company in Calgary, we specialize in VR (virtual reality), building multiplayer experiences, simulations, and hyper realistic AAA (“Triple A”) video-game level environments across many industries.
Our development team is led by Lloyd Summers, who has 30 years of experience in software development including mobile, web, enterprise and virtual experiences. Our creative team is led by Rosalinda Hernandez, whose specialization is culture – designing our products from a critical cultural lens and examining the relationship between humxn experience and technology.
About Our Team
Our Philosophy Culture Vision Values Ideology
Red Iron Labs (aka "Red Iron", aka RIL) is a small studio hustling in Alberta to make technology accessible to all.
We view technology as an extension of our community centered activism where we have the opportunity to create welcoming, inclusive, accessible spaces for all through our games, projects and VR simulations. Gaming is in our DNA and we have leveraged our skillset to apply game theory to educating and creating meaningful experiences. We believe that if you can dream it we can build it, and if we build it they will come.
Alberta has a dynamic, innovative economy that is building upon its strong resource development roots to position itself as the fastest growing Canadian tech hub. It is going through a re-birth of sorts, shedding its old identity and opening itself up to a whole new way of doing business. RIL is part of the new way of doing business.
- We are a woman-led company focused on incorporating innovative design through an intercultural lens.
- We actively work with community members to find leverage points for inclusive design.
- We advocate for building a stronger digital movement in Alberta, particularly in the games and XR space.
We are mindful of our impact and in our projects, actively committed to equity in technology and economic reconciliation, and are guided by:
MISSION
VALUES
VISION
About Social Impact
Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #92 for Economic Reconciliation:
- Build respectful relationships and meaningful consultation with Elders and Indigenous communities for inclusive user experience design.
- Provide training and support to Indigenous youth (and non-youth) for equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the tech sector.
- Provide education to our team on the history and legacy of residential schools through skills-based training in intercultural competency and anti-racism.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Red Iron Labs is grateful to Elder Sheldon First Rider for helping us in our land acknowledgement.
In the spirit of reconciliation, we honour and acknowledge Mohkinstsis and the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Siksika, Kainai and Piikani, as well as the Stoney Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations. We acknowledge that this territory is the home to the Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Metis homeland. We are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Keepers and Elders who are still with us today and those who have gone before us. We acknowledge all Nations, Indigenous and non, who live, work and play and help us steward this land, honour and celebrate this territory.
Who We Are: Revolutionizing Learning through AR/VR
Discover how Red Iron Labs is transforming learning and training through immersive AR/VR. A journey of pushing boundaries and solving challenges.
Our Story: Red Iron Labs – Shaping the Future through Immersive Innovation
At Red Iron Labs, our journey began with a shared passion for
exploration and experimentation. Founded in 2016, we recognized early on that the future was immersive, interactive, and bold. We didn’t just want to follow industry trends—we wanted to shape them. Starting with a
simple, yet ambitious goal: to leverage the power of virtual and
augmented reality (VR/AR) to create transformative experiences.
It all began when co-founder Lloyd crowdfunded an open-source virtual reality headset in 2015. That Christmas gift ignited a spark. Over brunch one day, the question arose: why not turn this curiosity into something more? And with that, Red Iron Labs was born. Our founding principle was clear: courage over confidence—pushing the boundaries of
what’s possible through innovation and creativity.
From Games to Solutions: A Natural Evolution
We started with games because games bring immersive technologies to life in a way nothing else can. Our first VR game, Abduction, set the stage. But developing games helped us see firsthand the power of immersive experiences. Soon, we realized that the same engagement could be applied to solve real-world challenges. What if we could harness these immersive environments not only to entertain but to educate, train, and equip organizations for a future where digital transformation is essential?
Today, we are more than just creators of AR/VR solutions—we are a team united by a shared belief in the transformative power of immersive learning and interactive storytelling. Every product we build is an opportunity for educators, organizations, and leaders to inspire the next generation. These are people who thrive on dynamic, interactive experiences, whether they’re in a classroom, a workplace, or venturing
into something entirely new.
That vision guided our pivot toward workforce training and educational VR solutions. By 2019, we had established ourselves as a trusted partner in creating cutting-edge training simulations for companies like ExxonMobil. Through our collaboration with 3D Media, we
delivered an interactive fire safety simulation—an experience that demonstrated the real-world impact of VR in training environments. These experiences didn’t just educate; they immersed users in high-stakes
scenarios, making learning not only engaging but unforgettable.
OSVR (Open Source Virtual Reality) is an open-source software and hardware platform.
JUST SOME OF OUR MANY PROJECTS DURING THIS TIME
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Like many, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged us. But instead of stepping back, we leaned into the opportunity to innovate. We partnered with educational institutions like Lethbridge College and Red Deer Polytechnic to develop VR training programs that addressed the needs of an evolving world. From caregiver training for patients with dementia to stroke recovery simulations, we helped shape the future of healthcare training—one immersive experience at a time.
Our work with ExxonMobil, Lethbridge College, and others led to a realization: our strength lies in transforming complex, real-world problems into engaging digital solutions. Whether it’s enhancing
workforce skills or preparing students for future careers, we continue to prove that VR can be more than just a technology—it’s a tool for change.
At the heart of everything we do is our foundational value: courage over confidence. We’ve never been the ones to play it safe. Our path is paved with curiosity, risk-taking, and the constant pursuit of the question, “what if?” We believe that true innovation happens not when you’re sure of every step but when you’re brave enough to take them anyway.
Today, we’re leveraging our years of experience to scale even further. The knowledge and expertise we’ve gained in creating custom VR solutions for industries and educational institutions have positioned us
to develop our next generation of products. Our vision? To democratize virtual reality by making it accessible not just to large organizations but to educators, businesses, and users on every scale. We aim to
empower non-technical users to create content and help reshape how education and training are delivered in a digital-first world.
We know that digital transformation is not just about adopting new technologies—it’s about reshaping how people work, learn, and engage. At Red Iron Labs, we pride ourselves on being more than a service provider; we’re a partner who’s deeply invested in helping your business or institution adapt and thrive in the digital age.
Our journey is far from over. We’re still exploring, still
experimenting, and always learning. And we invite you to join us on this path of discovery—because the future isn’t built by those who stand still. It’s built by those who dare to ask the right questions and have the courage to see where the answers lead.