Oculus opens applications for its new VR developer support program

Oculus already has a dedicated in-house team that funds virtual reality projects, but it’s now launching a program to help developers who are just starting out in VR. Beginning today, it’s accepting applications for Oculus Start, an initiative that will offer technical support for small teams. Developers can apply for free (though the site isn’t live yet) through Oculus’s website, and the platform is planning to accept up to 2,000 participants.

Though developers won’t receive funding through Start, the program will give them access to free developer kits for Oculus headsets like the Rift, Go, and Santa Cruz, along with additional perks. Participants can get a royalty-free version of the Unreal Engine 4, and Oculus has partnered with Unity to offer Start developers a free one-year license to Unity Plus. The VR company isn’t promising exposure for the developers’ projects, but it’s considering the idea of offering Facebook ad credits along with advice on best practices.