We are thrilled to introduce the 2026 Unity for Humanity Grant winners! This year, we recognize 10 winners and 3 honorable mentions, with recipients spanning eight different countries. The projects address complex global challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
With more than 515 applications received, this marks a second consecutive year of record submissions, reflecting the growing global momentum behind using real-time 3D to drive positive change. (read more)
Read MoreThank you all for tuning in to our second annual Unity Awards Showcase. Discover the winners of this years awards in our latest blog post, or check out the full showcase on YouTube.
Read MoreGrepBeat last wrote about Six Wing Studios back in 2020. Six Wing Studios is a Raleigh-based startup that designs video games meant to double as exercises in mindfulness and self-care. They released an award-winning mobile game titled Amaru: The Self-care Virtual Pet in 2020.
For this piece, we caught up with CEO, Game Designer, and Creative Director Gabe Pappalardo to learn about the effectiveness of the game, how Six Wing weathered an out-of-nowhere storm, and what’s next for Amaru.
Sarah Gann, a student in Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s clinical psychology doctoral program, is launching a study designed to determine how a virtual pet game application can affect adolescent mental health.
Read MoreA psychology doctoral student received a grant from IUP to continue a study regarding the effects of Amaru on teenage mental health.
Read MoreIt's no secret social media and other tech have caused some negative effects on our collective well-being, especially among young people. Read how these Triangle founders and startups, including Fred Stutzman of Freedom, Laura Tierney of The Social Institute and Gabriel Pappalardo, Ph.D. of Six Wing Studios, are trying harness tech's strengths to tackle it's dark side.
Read MoreDURHAM, NC – May 16, 2024 – NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, announced today that the organization has awarded a total of $350,000 in grants to seven North Carolina startups. Since its inception in 2006, the NC IDEA SEED grant program has awarded over $9.7M in non-dilutive grants to 212 innovative companies across the state, with these most recent awards being the 37th cycle of the program.
Read MoreAs the nation faces a continuing mental health crisis likely exacerbated by the isolating times of Covid-19, video games may not be the first thing you think about when it comes to a solution. But Gabe Pappalardo, the Founder of Raleigh-based Six Wing Studios, thinks they can hold a key to encouraging self-care (read more)
Read MoreDURHAM, NC – September 28, 2020 – NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, announced today that the organization has selected 23 semi-finalists from across the state in its 30th SEED grant cycle. These semi-finalists were chosen from 131 competitive applications received by the organization.(read more)
Read MoreAfter being fully funded on Kickstarer, we were lucky enough to have an interview with Amaru: The Self-care Virtual Pet’s Creative Director and found of Six Wing Studios, Doctor Gabe Pappalardo. A lifelong gamer, psychologist, and mindfulness teacher, Dr. Pappalardo believes in using technology for positive social change and individual health. (read more)
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