Soma enables in-office culture and collaboration in a virtual 3D space with Agora

Workforce / Virtual Collaboration

A virtual workspace scene featuring two animated avatars alongside multiple device screens displaying collaborative meeting spaces, a conference hall, and a beachside setting.

Problem

Challenges finding providers that support natural communication in 3D spaces

Solution

Agora’s customizable and scalable RTC with support for Unity

Results

Expanded to 14+ companies

Grew to 700+ occupied office seats

Successfully hosted major events

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About Soma

The office, online

Soma empowers businesses to manage teams effortlessly, streamline tasks, and foster real-time collaboration, all in one intuitive virtual office. Created by South Korea’s top real estate application operator, Zigbang, Soma brings people together and allows teams to work across different time zones and settings without losing a sense of community.

Soma has a virtual 30-floor office building called Proptech Tower and 42 Convention Center, which holds up to 500 seats and three halls where companies can hold events. Users can work in their office with their colleagues, spend time in a shared lounge to network with other companies, or even take a virtual stroll by the deck.

The Problem

Looking for technology to recreate in-person communication

When the Soma team was building the app, they knew they needed to find a real-time communication (RTC) solution that would enable seamless conversations and collaboration in a 3D environment. The primary goal was to ensure that the behaviors and communication methods used in offline offices could be replicated in Soma. This required solution needed to include high-quality video conferencing, audio communication, and interactive meeting tools with ultra-low latency for natural interaction. It was also essential for this solution to be able to scale globally.

Additionally, Soma was searching for a solution that offered cross-platform compatibility, including Unity, Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, to ensure global users could access metaverse offices seamlessly from any device. In evaluating RTC providers, many did not support Unity or offer the level of customization Soma needed to create the most realistic and globally scalable office setting possible for its users. That is, until Soma found Agora.

Common RTC problems Soma needed to avoid:

Latency preventing natural interaction

Lack of support for RTC in 3D space

Limited customization options

The Solution

Enabling natural communication in the virtual office

Soma selected Agora to provide real-time video, voice, and collaboration in the app thanks to Agora’s quality, scalability, customization, and support for Unity. With Agora, Soma allows workers to engage in face-to-face conversation via video, voice-only chats, or collaboration on interactive whiteboards. Agora’s support for Unity enables these features to be seamlessly built into the 3D office environment.

Soma also utilizes Agora’s AI Noise Suppression to ensure crystal-clear audio by minimizing background noise, and the virtual background feature to allow users to customize their meeting environments. Agora’s screen share functions are compatible with all major platforms, allowing workers to share screen from any device.

Agora Products

Video Calling Video Calling

Voice Calling Voice Calling

Interactive Whiteboard Interactive Whiteboard

AI Noise Suppression AI Noise Suppression

Why Soma chose Agora:

Low-latency, natural communication

Support for 3D environment in Unity

Customization and global scalability

A virtual workspace platform displayed on a tablet, smartphone, and laptop, showing different collaborative environments, including an office setting and a beachside area.

“Agora enables Soma to provide a virtual office environment that feels as natural and productive as a physical office. Agora is the only RTC solution with a Unity SDK that supports high-quality video and audio communication with minimal global latency.”

Sungwoo Ahn, CEO, Soma

Results and ROI

Getting to market and growing faster with Agora

Since launching with Agora, Soma has grown to host over 14 companies in its virtual office space, with over 700 office seats occupied. Soma has also hosted various major events such as LIKELION US’s Hackathon and South Korean government election events. Soma’s customers value long-term technical maintenance, and Agora has been instrumental in aligning Soma’s clients’ requirements into SDK updates.

The collaboration between Soma and Agora allows both companies to grow and develop technology, product features, and functionality together, ensuring that sustained value and support to clients. Soma has plans to work on more AI related features with Agora’s Real-Time Speech to Text and Conversational AI to build more cutting-edge scenarios like:

Virtual meeting assistants
Automated employee onboardings
Live AI virtual space coordinator
Intelligent voice assistant

Results after implementing Agora:

Expanded to 14+ companies

Grew to 700+ occupied office seats

Successfully hosted major events

App Builder

Flexible Classroom

Download SDKs

Support Plans and Pricing

Soma enables in-office culture and collaboration in a virtual 3D space with Agora

Problem

Solution

Results

The office, online

The Problem

Looking for technology to recreate in-person communication

Common RTC problems Soma needed to avoid:

The Solution

Enabling natural communication in the virtual office

Agora Products

Why Soma chose Agora:

The Power of Real-Time Engagement

Products Used

Results and ROI

Getting to market and growing faster with Agora

Results after implementing Agora:

Get started with
10,000 free minutes

Talk to Us

Developer Resources

App Builder

Flexible Classroom

Download SDKs

Support Plans and Pricing

Soma enables in-office culture and collaboration in a virtual 3D space with Agora

Problem

Solution

Results

The office, online

The Problem

Looking for technology to recreate in-person communication

Common RTC problems Soma needed to avoid:

The Solution

Enabling natural communication in the virtual office

Agora Products

Why Soma chose Agora:

The Power of Real-Time Engagement

Products Used

Results and ROI

Getting to market and growing faster with Agora

Results after implementing Agora:

Get started with 10,000 free minutes

Talk to Us

Developer Resources

Get started with
10,000 free minutes