The Future Is Low-Res

When CEO Phillip Wang was pitching Gather, his six-month-old startup, to VCs in late 2020, he would invite them up to the rooftop above his office. The space is a sweet spot to discuss a deal, illuminated by the neon green lights of a sprawling city framed by clouds in pink and orange hues. To Wang, the meta-verse is already here, and it's rather friendly and welcoming. Instead of a sleek alternate reality, Gather's virtual world is decidedly low-res, evoking the nostalgic feel of a 20-year-old Pokemon video game. While startups usually spend a year or more leveling up to where VCs are comfortable investing again, Sequoia agreed to double down even before the first round was announced.