• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
TechLeonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio Adds Virtual Reality Startup to List of Investments

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 22, 2017, 10:00 AM ET

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is now an investor in virtual reality.

The celebrity, known for his leading roles in films like Titanic, The Aviator, and The Wolf of Wall Street, has invested an undisclosed amount in virtual reality startup MindMaze.

DiCaprio’s investment in MindMaze is the latest in the actor’s portfolio of companies he’s put money into. Some of DiCaprio’s other investments include the garbage startup Rubicon Global, data analytics company Qloo, mattress maker Casper, and sustainable food company LoveTheWild.

MindMaze is a five-year-old Swiss startup that specializes in virtual reality technology that’s primarily been used in the health care industry. In February 2016, the startup scored a $100 million funding round that put its valuation at roughly $1 billion, qualifying it a so-called startup unicorn.

“I am excited about the possibilities of MindMaze’s technology, especially for its potential to be a driving force in media and entertainment in the years to come,” DiCaprio said in a statement.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

MindMaze’s VR technology uses a combination of motion-tracking sensors and software to capture a person’s movements based on their electrical impulses, explained CEO Tej Tadi. The technology can then use that information to create virtual reality avatars that mimic a person’s movements in real time.

The startup has been testing its VR technology in European hospitals with stoke victims, amputees, and other people suffering from debilitating conditions, as a way to help them regain their movement.

Now MindMaze wants to branch out to other industries like the media and entertainment world. Earlier this year it debuted a smaller, headset version of its healthcare VR system that is intended to capture movements of a person’s face as opposed to their entire bodies.

Tadi believes the company’s MASK VR system could be incorporated into other VR devices like Facebook’s (FB) Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, Samsung Gear VR, or Google (GOOG) Daydream VR headsets. People could potentially play virtual reality video games that react to their facial expressions, so in the case of a first-person shooter, the game’s difficulty could be reduced if it recognizes that the player appears frustrated or nervous.

DiCaprio learned about MindMaze from mutual connections in the health care industry, which the actor does charity work for, Tadi said. He said DiCaprio was fascinated with MindMaze’s VR technology and believed that the Hollywood industry could use it to create more interactive movies, films, or animated shorts.

For instance, Tadi imagines people could watch VR animated shorts based on popular movies in which storylines may change based on the viewers’ expressions.

Tadi shot down the notion that MindMaze’s new connection with DiCaprio is purely promotional, saying he expects DiCaprio to introduce the startup to his Hollywood connections. DiCaprio will serve as an advisor to MindMaze.

“This is not just marketing spin for him or me,” Tadi said. DiCaprio will be an active participant in helping guide the virtual reality startup, he continued, and will not just show up to meetings “just once in a blue moon.”

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

jordan
Commentarytrust
Your company needs a Chief Trust Officer. Here’s three reasons why
By Jonathan JordanMay 27, 2026
16 minutes ago
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
MagazineMeta
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
By Ellie AustinMay 27, 2026
16 minutes ago
This billionaire is capping his kids’ inheritance at 8 figures—like Bill Gates, he thinks generational wealth is bad for society
SuccessWealth
This billionaire is capping his kids’ inheritance at 8 figures—like Bill Gates, he thinks generational wealth is bad for society
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 27, 2026
2 hours ago
Sam Altman, wearing a suit, speaks in front of a dark red background.
AIOpenAI
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei are both walking back their AI jobs apocalypse prophecies as they eye blockbuster IPOs
By Sasha RogelbergMay 26, 2026
13 hours ago
Mark Cuban speaks onstage during a conference in Austin
CryptoBitcoin
Billionaire Mark Cuban says bye-bye Bitcoin: Why he is ‘disappointed’ by crypto
By Jack KubinecMay 26, 2026
13 hours ago
tt
InnovationRare Earth Metal
America’s manufacturing Achilles’ heel: McKinsey’s warning on rare earths grows louder
By Nick LichtenbergMay 26, 2026
14 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
6 days ago
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Commentary
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
23 hours ago
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
18 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 26, 2026
20 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.