“An entrepreneur with an eye on the future’s future, Ethan Bach and his crew specialize in experimentation with digital media and virtual reality — projected in domes, across walls and on interactive screens — in his search for the next big thing in visual technology. And as the guiding light at two startups — the media studio Alt Ethos Ltd. and Denver Arts + Technology Advancement, a nonprofit that provides residencies for new-media artists — Bach is interested in connecting with audiences through mind-blowing imagery and technological tricks of light. Catch him if you can, as he answers the 100CC questionnaire.”
We are honored that our CEO, Ethan Bach is recognized as Westword’s 100 Colorado Creatives 4.0. Bach moved to Denver three years ago to start our two organizations – Alt Ethos and Denver Arts + Technology Advancement (DATA). He built our teams through a collaborative structure and a vision for how humans can find a greater connection with each other through creative technology. Bach’s hope is to become more involved with urban planning design, public and private organizations, and leave his mark on Colorado by invigorating the creative economy through the DATA and Alt Ethos.
Our favorite highlights: Westword: What (or who) is your creative muse? Ethan Bach: My current creative muse is the vision of a humanity with a bright future. I am driven by the idea that humans are in a state of evolution. I participate in the exploration of human communication through using creative technology in ways that expand connection and consciousness.
Westword: What’s your best or favorite accomplishment as a creative? Ethan Bach: My current work — building two creative organizations, Alt Ethos and Denver Arts + Technology Advancement (DATA) — is my favorite accomplishment as a creative to date. These sister organizations were created on the same day, and both continue to grow and expand.
Kudos to our CEO who is responsible for holding the vision of the company, providing strategic leadership by working with the Members and other management to establish long-range goals, strategies, plans, and policies. He models our company’s culture, builds and leads the executive team, and drives the company to success. Read more here.
The views, information, and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policy of Alt Ethos and its employee.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
Alt Ethos is honored to be recognized by 303 Magazine as Denver Artists to Watch 2018. We started this company to band together and create art infused with creative technology that is bigger and better than we could have achieved on our own. Together we create engaging environments by transforming physical spaces into shared interactive experiences that meld various forms of light and sound into creative technology. Our goal is to create moments that disrupt, engage, and inspire that help to elevate museums, public places, events, and others. Please see our write-up below.
You can read the entire article here
Light displays are no longer exclusive to live concerts—they are being used to create ambiance, mood and improve engagement to many other facets of social interaction.Alt Ethos is a talented group of artists and computer programmers who spend their time “cultivating memorable experiences that disrupt and inspire.” Ranging in age from early 20s to mid-40s, Ethan Bach, Zac Layman, Eric Davis, Paul Elsberg and Amy Lynn Herman each bring their own set of unique skills to the group. “We are trying to create things that are memorable,” Elsberg explained. “Why create things that are memorable? So they can help people find meaning, they can sneak back up on them. I think of really good conversations months or years later and it resonates with me in a new way. And I think that the desire to create art or technology, but really an experience, is the same. It’s about creating a disruptive moment that gets you out of yourself and comes back to you over and over.”
These experiences Alt Ethos designs and curates come in the form of virtual reality programs, projection mapping, digital dome projection and temporary light displays. Each one is particular to the experience Alt Ethos wants to amplify or draw attention to, which makes their style hard to pin down. Much of their energy this coming year will be focused on digital dome projection, where they are casting images or videos onto a half-sphere ceiling [through] the nonprofit that founding member Bach started called Denver Arts and Technology Advancement, or DATA.
The marriage of technology and art comes more easily to the members of Alt Ethos than it does to most. That’s their biggest obstacle at the moment— convincing people that technological art can be just as reliable as the computers we keep in our pockets every day. What puts them on the path to success is their desire to provide education to those who are skeptical or wary, as well as their eye-catching and engaging installations. Just in the first month of this year, Alt Ethos provided unique experiences at two separate parties— the Meow Wolf artist mixer and Moxie’s Dark Fairytale event. Next month they will represent Colorado at a small business showcase in Washington D.C. and as soon as they return they’ll be working (through DATA) on their annual international artist-in-residency program for digital dome projection.
Their largest project so far this year will culminate in November in old town Fort Collins,, where they will continually project images and light onto an exterior mural. The mural artist will work with Alt Ethos to envision a collaborative design in the hopes that Alt Ethos’ projections may illuminate the mural in an enriching manner as well as light it up at night when mural art is not appreciated as much. “We want this to be a one-of-a-kind experience for people,” Layman commented, “and the challenge of making it permanent is part of the joy of doing it.”
The views, information, and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policy of Alt Ethos and its employee.
We reserve the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner we see fit blog entries or comments that we, in our sole discretion, deem to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, of an express commercial nature, or otherwise unacceptable.
Alt Ethos: Experiential Design Studio will represent Colorado at America’s Small Business Development Center showcase to share how they meld various forms of light, sound, interactivity and creative technology into memorable interactive experiences. Alt Ethos was nominated by the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center and will represent the State of Colorado at America’s SBDC Showcase in on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on February 13, 2018.
Alt Ethos was awarded a trip to the Nation’s capital to showcase the innovation and success in the Colorado business community. This honor comes after Alt Ethos was named Denverite’s Company to Watch (2016) and selected by the SBDC’s Leading Edge™ program to compete in the Colorado Small Business Development Center’s statewide business plan competition (2017). As part of the A-SBDC’s Showcase, Alt Ethos will share their company with legislators, DBDC leaders, and other selected SBDC clients from around the country.
Alt Ethos creates engaging environments for events and permanent exhibitions. They transform physical spaces into memorable experiences by combining creative technology with compelling stories. Alt Ethos helps organizations amplify brand awareness, meaningfully connect with loyal customers, and differentiate their products and services in competitive markets.
America’s SBDC represents America’s nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) – the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States and its territories.
Alt Ethos is honored to be selected to represent Colorado at this year’s America’s Small Business Development Center Showcase on Capitol Hill in Washington DC and will use the trip as an opportunity to explore relationships throughout the nation’s capital. Join Alt Ethos on social media (Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter) to keep up to date on the Showcase trip as well as other highlights as the company continues to grow.
We have a number of exciting updates to share; We’ve begun on site installation of our new Fort Collins experience, our CEO Ethan Bach and CSO Paul Elsberg have submitted two exciting topics for this year’s Denver Startup Week and Elsberg will be leading an ongoing Hackster.IO workshop. Let’s go into detail on each.
Fort Collin Museum of Discovery
We left off last in excited conceptualization of how this project would take place. Since then the test version of our Fort Collins installation has taken wings; We’re now ready to reveal the beta version of our newest creation: An interactive audio/visual exhibit which allows visitors to create music simply by walking into the space.
We achieve this with 4 Epson projectors, 6 Behringer speakers and 2 Kinect sensors mounted to the ceiling, 1 SkyLake 6700 Quad Core and 1 Lenovo ThinkCenter M715Q AMD Pro computer. The audio/visual elements are generated through a system utilizing TouchDesigner, Processing and Max/MSP. Processing both passes data to TouchDesigner 1. Through OSC and Max/MSP and 2. Video to Spout, an inter application video program.
Learning a new instrument can be difficult for a number of people. The aim of this exhibit is to provide an easier approach to musical creation, lowering the barrier to entry for visitors to participate.
Based on our surveys we’ve observed a mix of behaviors among visitors of the space. Age, gender, family and group size, exhibit, etc. play a part in determining preference towards individual or group interaction, and desired amount of time spent interacting.
Our vision is to bring diverse groups of people together who may never meet, all within a whole new context of creativity. Our goal is to make it as easy and pleasurable for those familiar with music to enjoy it in a new way and create an easier approach for newcomers. Housed within the audio exhibits, we aim to provide a unique gathering point for visitors to interact with each other in a brand new way.
As you step inside the space waves of color glide across the floor, mirrored by traces of light dancing across the wall, beckoning you to enter. A red dot appears below your feet as you realize that your position is being tracked from above. Beats and tones are generated, waves feathering past you and into the distance. The wall ebbs and shifts to your movement on the floor. Speakers covers you with a song that is made of your movement. As more begin to follow inside, the space reacts as you create music in synchronization.
On Monday, May 22nd we began the on site installation at the museum. The first day entailed physical preparation of the space, placement of projectors and Kinects, and computer calibration. Today we plan to install the Behringer speakers all to create a truly immersive and interactive experience. We’re aiming for a soft public launch on June 9th.
We also announce Paul Elsberg as an instructor of a continuous Hackster.io Meetup sponsored by DATA and Alt Ethos. Hackster is an online community dedicated to learning hardware. By this they mean building analog systems which connect human action to digital reaction. In their own words:
Hackster helps people everywhere learn how to design, create and program Internet-connected hardware. By bringing together our network of close to 200,000 engineers, makers and hackers, 90 technology partners, and 100 Hackster Live ambassadors, we hope to support the creation of technologies that impact meaningful issues, such as a healthy environment, wildlife preservation, and our own welfare.
We are excited to play a part in giving new tools to future creators. You can sign up for Elsberg’s workshop here: https://www.meetup.com/hacksterdenver/
Both our CEO, Ethan Bach and CSE, Paul Elsberg have submitted talks for Denver Startup Week. Both are seeking votes for the opportunity to present these talks. Denver Startup Week is an open week celebrating and enhancing entrepreneurship beginning September 25th which we are proud to be a part of for our second year.
Building A New Paradigm with Collaborative Business Models
Creating a self-driving supportive organization that fosters leadership and personal evolution to achieve the highest success for the company is one of the drivers behind Bach’s joint venture organizations. Backed by over thirty years of experience in personal transformation, mentorship, and leadership, Bach sets out to create a new kind of company culture where the focus is as much on vision and inspiration as professional development and deliverables. Bach offers real-life strategies and solutions followed by an open dialogue driven by unanswered questions around creating a new paradigm in business. Vote for Bach’s talk here: https://www.denverstartupweek.org/panel-picker/3298-building-a-new-paradigm-with-collaborative-business-models
Designing with Art and Technology for Local Communities!
What if artful expressions of technology could strengthen our sense of community, bringing us together in local areas rather than fragmenting us further into our digital lives? To captivate with creative technology requires an understanding of the vision, context, users, and interactions that connect communities to spaces. At the forefront of emergent media, a panel of explorers will discuss how experiential design is essential to their creative process as a means to navigate an ever growing landscape of technological possibilities. Vote for Elsberg’s talk here: https://www.denverstartupweek.org/panel-picker/3264-designing-with-art-and-technology-for-local-communities
Matt Maes is a Denver animator focused on immersive and interactive technology. He is Chief Influence Officer ofAlt Ethos, Ltd and is also an executive member of the nonprofit organization Denver Arts and Technology Advancement (D.A.T.A.)
On April 19th, 5:00-8pm at the Commons on Champa we celebrate the culmination of one year as a company and unveiling of our interactive LED wall. All who have supported us are welcome to partake in celebration.
Our journey has been as educational as it has been fulfilling. Working with the Commons has resulted in numerous valuable connections both with entrepreneurs and city officials seeking to connect with each other. The history behind this installation begins with then underutilized ceiling scale LED screens.
Upon the beginning of our work at the Commons, formulation of our business plan and love of optimizing existing spaces with interactive technology guided our decision to bring this to life. Through coordination with Jesse Shuler we have successfully activated the screens.
In order to achieve this it was necessary to run the Kinect to the server room controlling the visuals. After intensive calibration the display is able to react to your movements in real-time.
Our work began with the goal of creating an experience binding passersby together through immersive, organic architecture. We make new connections daily throughout these halls. Our energy is directed towards that which ultimately excites us to create and intertwine our stories.
At a glance the screens sit opposite each other, silent and dark leading up to the Event Space. Floating crescents of light dance across the black panels, inviting you to cross the threshold. Once in view of the Kinect V2 sensors position information transfers with a series of servers on a feedback loop, responding to your movement. Patterns of living, colored geometry bloom on either side, trailing and shifting along with you. You’ll find yourself drawn in to linger and experiment. Imagine architecture which communicates with you. When two or more are present the shapes form in relation to the group.
Our vision is to connect people and elevate spaces to another level through the act of playful interaction. This piece is only the first step towards binding sensory engagement to practical application.
Our perceptions are formed through instantaneous sensory processing. I’d like to take a moment to talk about social play. As humans the act of playful creativity forms our experience. Group play has been shown to increase mental and physical adaptivity and strengthen social bonds, ultimately enhancing the hours of our lives. Here Jane Gonigal, a game designer speaks at TED about the importance of expression through the act of play.
We’re proud to have accomplished this installation which not only invites you in but most importantly invites you to play. We invite you to express yourself and connect with others on a deeper level. Next up we plan to activate the projection area on the right of the Event Space.
So come join us, express yourself.
We also have a special announcement: Congratulations to our CEO Ethan Bach and COO Eric Davis who recently graduated from SBDC’s Leading Edge business accelerator program. Our business plan has been selected to be entered into a state competition and be evaluated by Wells Fargo. We are thoroughly proud of their dedication and excited for another sign of great potential.
Matt Maes is a Denver animator focused on immersive and interactive technology. He is Chief Influence Officer ofAlt Ethos, Ltd and is also an executive member of the nonprofit organization Denver Arts and Technology Advancement (D.A.T.A.)
Since the inception of our company in April 2016 our mission is and has been to use interactive technology to bring people together. We’re dedicated to advancing awareness of interactivity to the public. Since then we’ve gained a massive amount of support from Denver city government and industry leaders. In order for us to achieve this we’ve made a key focus of becoming part of the creative tech community both in Denver and outside, gathering as much knowledge and insight as we can to boost our abilities and ultimately enhance Denver.
In January Paul Elsberg – CSE Chief Sales Engineer / Creative Developer attended New Orleans’ INST-INT conference, an annual gathering of interactive technological exhibitions showcasing practical creative applications drawing together diverse groups of people; In other words, right in our wheelhouse.
INSTINT EXPLORES THE ART OF INTERACTIVITY FOR OBJECTS, ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERIENCES.
INST-INTis a one of a kind, world renowned annual conference which draws in eclectic A-list interactivity pros and attendees with exhibits of Installation & Interactive Art, Experience Design, Responsive Environments & Objects, Interactive Exhibits & Displays, Creative Coding, DIY Making & Hacking, Architecture & Technology, Sensors & Wearables.
Matt Maes – CIO Chief Influence Officer / 3D Generalist previously participated in MIT’s “Reality, Virtually, Hackathon!” which according to Network World’s Steven Patterson set a record for the largest VR/AR hackathon.
He later continued his game development experience in the Global Game Jam hackathon, an open competition organized across the globe with a focus on bringing gamers together to create work which engages them to act as part of a team. Maes has also been extended the opportunity to speak on the VR/AR panel at GlobalMindED conference in June. GlobalMindED is a nonprofit organization focused on increasing the success rate of first generation college students, connecting graduates and employers.
On April 19th at the Commons on Champa we’ll be presenting Our Vision for Denver and celebrating our One-Year Anniversary as a company. Our CEO Ethan Bach will be speaking on our vision for the future of Denver as an international hub for innovative experiences with media in the physical realm.
We’ve lived, worked in and experienced Denver for years and now our plan is to use this technology in collaboration with government and industry leaders to establish Denver as a mecca for creative, connected experiences. Bach has experienced a fascinating journey within immersive media, art, activism and ultimately bringing his knowledge and experience as CEO of Alt Ethos.
After the presentation we’ll be celebrating our one-year anniversary with drinks, hor d’ouvres and the unveiling of our interactive LED wall located at the end of the hallway leading to the Event Space. Our installation utilizes Kinect sensors to synchronize with your movement patterns, mirroring a variety of positional effects on opposite LED screens in real-time.
Our purpose behind this installation and our work at large is to design intimate experiences within groups of people. Our sense of reality is determined by how we process our senses. Engagement in an active and playful vs passive experience brings us to a higher state of awareness which we normally wouldn’t experience in our day to day lives – An experience which suspends you for a moment, embracing all and saying “This is about you. You are included and important.”
In our research we’ve stumbled upon some staggering and encouraging facts which shine a light in the direction of our purpose:
Customer Experience is the future of design. Adopting practices that elevate the customer experience will undoubtedly produce a return on investment and provide a steady foundation for your brand.
-UX Magazine, 2016
Experiential Design activates chemicals in the brain: Dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins; These increase happiness, productivity, and customer loyalty.
-The Neurochemicals of Happiness, Psychology Today and Technology Advice
Experiential Design increases brand awareness by 81% and increases a deeper customer involvement by 57%
-Brand Survey, Report Event Marketer, 2015
Millennials spend $3.3 billion annually in Colorado. $2.2 billion annually in Denver alone.
-The Millennial Influence in Denver, Development Research Partners and Census.gov, 2016
The Commons on Champa
Over the past two years our company has had the privilege of working out of the Commons on Champa, downtown Denver’s small business entrepreneurial hub. For all of the recent positive signs our current success wouldn’t be possible without their support.
The Commons on Champa represents a partnership between the Downtown Denver Partnership, Colorado Technology Association and the city of Denver. The Commons parallels the openness given by its name in its practices by providing resources and workshops to holding high tier events, stapling its name as Denver’s most openly centralized habitation space for Denver’s future entrepreneurial leaders. We’ve taken in a great amount of insight and support from mentors and other key influencers into what it means to connect progressive minds together. We’d like to shine a spotlight on their work and share words from the man who runs daily operations, Jesse Shuler.
Jesse Shuler – Building Coordinator manages the Commons day-to-day operations with a keen mind and a light heart. Jacqui Dietrich – Program Manager lends her entrepreneurial insight into functions which staple the Commons as an environment which fosters small business growth. Together they’ve allowed a solid place for us to excel, developing a close relationship with us along the way.
We recently had the opportunity of interviewing Shuler for an in depth talk on the Commons’ amazing set of resources which he describes as “A public private partnership which became Denver’s first public campus for entrepreneurship. When we opened our doors we wanted to create a campus which is gonna supply entrepreneurs with all the kinds of tools they’re gonna need – A place where anyone is welcome. We really wanted to lower the barrier with access to great resources like mentorship, the US Patent and Trademark Office, the Small Business Administration, or amazing space which has great technology, a great community and just feels right to work in.”
The Commons was established and aims to “Act as a blueprint that anybody can use. The mission is wholeheartedly to authentically create a hub which showcases Denver’s commitment to the entrepreneurial community.” – Spot on statements on a remarkable space.
Shuler also had encouraging words for our company and his insight into interactive technology: “The market is demanding new and progressive ways of connecting with people. What I’ve seen is that the standard marketing techniques are pretty tapped out. The market demands for something to change and be more progressive and Experiential Design does that because it connects to people on a more human level – it taps into your senses, your emotions and your sense of time and space. Experiential Design tends to resonate with people a lot quicker. It spikes out of the status quo. Experiential Design takes you out of what is the day to day and the normal and gets you thinking a lot bigger, more creatively, and it creates a lot more platform for opportunity to expand your brand.”
We asked for his insight on what blend of skills best dictates success in our industry and for entrepreneurs as a whole: “A skill that is very important is to pay attention to what the market is demanding. Take your skill set, your knowledge, your expertise and supply what the market needs. If you’re able to be flexible and pivot and think big I think that’s a huge need especially for folks in Experiential Design.
He also had some warm words on our history together: “It’s been really fun to get to know the Alt Ethos team. I’ve loved the experience of taking what technologies we have on our own campus and overlaying it with the Alt Ethos ideas and seeing what happens from it. It’s been really fun to think creatively and think big on how we can explore the technology.”
Thank you Jesse and all at the Commons. Here’s to many successful times ahead.
Matt Maes is a Denver animator focused on immersive and interactive technology. He is Chief Influence Officer ofAlt Ethos, Ltd and is also an executive member of the nonprofit organization Denver Arts and Technology Advancement (D.A.T.A.)
Our favorite highlights:
to many other facets of social interaction. 
The marriage of technology and art comes more easily to the members of Alt Ethos than it does to most. That’s their biggest obstacle at the moment— convincing people that technological art can be just as reliable as the computers we keep in our pockets every day. What puts them on the path to success is their desire to provide education to those who are skeptical or wary, as well as their eye-catching and engaging installations. Just in the first month of this year, Alt Ethos provided unique experiences at two separate parties— the Meow Wolf artist mixer and Moxie’s Dark Fairytale event. Next month they will represent Colorado at a small business showcase in Washington D.C. and as soon as they return they’ll be working (through DATA) on their annual international artist-in-residency program for digital dome projection.
images and light onto an exterior mural. The mural artist will work with Alt Ethos to envision a collaborative design in the hopes that Alt Ethos’ projections may illuminate the mural in an enriching manner as well as light it up at night when mural art is not appreciated as much. “We want this to be a one-of-a-kind experience for people,” Layman commented, “and the challenge of making it permanent is part of the joy of doing it.”
