Founded by Iyobosa Rehoboth, Floats XR, a Nigerian startup, is solving one of marketing’s most persistent problems, which is the inability to measure the true impact of brand activations and experiential campaigns.
Every year, Nigerian brands spend millions on experiential marketing. For Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and brand managers, this is more than a creative headache. That’s the gap Floats XR set out to fill.
In this edition of Techparley’s DRIVE100, where we spotlight impactful startups in Africa, we turn our attention to Floats XR, a Nigerian creative technology company fusing art, artificial intelligence, and spatial computing to reinvent how brands engage audiences through immersive experiences.
“CMOs and Brand Managers struggle to demonstrate ROI for marketing initiatives, facing pressure from CFOs and boards,” Rehoboth told Techparley. “Floats XR offers modular, data-driven, and accessible immersive experiences that combine creative excellence with measurable business impact.”
How Floats XR Works
Floats XR builds modular, data-driven immersive experiences that allow brands to measure engagement and optimise campaigns in real-time.
The startup says its platform blends creative storytelling, spatial design, and AI-powered analytics, making each activation not only memorable but measurable.
At the heart of Floats XR is its AI Brain, a technology that learns from visitor behaviour as it happens. Whether it’s a fintech brand like Kuda Bank or a lifestyle label like Chivas Regal, the system adapts in real-time, refining experiences based on audience interaction.
“Our AI-powered adaptation learns from visitor behavior in real-time, optimizing engagement and proving ROI,” Rehoboth said.
This AI capability enables brands to see exactly what’s working and what’s not. Rehoboth says it results in longer engagement, higher conversion rates, and a brand recall rate.
Milestones and Momentum
Iyobosa Rehoboth, the founder and CEO, is no stranger to storytelling. A multi-award-winning filmmaker, he transitioned into immersive technology after recognising how film’s emotional power could be amplified through spatial and interactive mediums.
According to him, Floats XR has made significant strides since its launch, with projected revenues of over $300,000 and a growing client base that includes 15+ major players across fintech, FMCG, government, and entertainment sectors, such as TechCabal Moonshot, Empire Records, and Ekiti State MISDE.
The company’s immersive pods have reached 7,000+ people at major events, and a 30% client repeat rate shows growing trust in the product.
The startup has also secured international pipeline opportunities in the UK and UAE, signalling readiness for cross-border expansion.
Meet the Floats XR Team
Floats XR’s strength lies in a multi-disciplinary team combining creativity, strategy, and technology.
- Iyobosa Rehoboth (CEO) – A visionary filmmaker and immersive storyteller with a strong grasp of creative technology and spatial design.
- Kemi Akinsete (COO) – A marketing professional turned operator, passionate about bridging the gap between creativity and measurable impact.
- Miracle Otugo (CTO) – Specialist in 3D modelling, AR, and immersive computing, turning concepts into tangible experiences.
- Tobi Ijaware (Senior Software Engineer) – Full-stack developer focused on building the scalable infrastructure that powers the Floats XR platform.
Together, Rehoboth say they embody the blend of artistic imagination and technical execution required to redefine Africa’s experiential marketing landscape.
Challenges and Smart Execution
Like most deep-tech ventures, Floats XR has faced its share of hurdles. The biggest challenge, Rehoboth notes, has been educating the market.
Many brands perceive immersive technology as expensive and impractical. Floats XR countered this by positioning itself as an ROI enabler rather than a “cool tech provider.”
Another constraint is hardware scalability. Building modular pods is capital intensive. To address this, the team designed reusable units deployable across multiple activations, maximising ROI per unit and reducing deployment costs.
The third challenge lies in long enterprise sales cycles. Floats XR has implemented a dual strategy, including generating 60% of revenue via agency partnerships for faster deal cycles, while maintaining direct relationships with enterprises for higher margins.
Vision for the Future
Floats XR’s roadmap is as ambitious as its technology. In the next 12 months, the company aims to:
- Deploy additional RealmSpace pods across Nigeria.
- Expand operations to Abuja.
- Convert UK and UAE opportunities into active projects.
- Grow its team and strengthen its AI infrastructure.
By 2026–2027, Rehoboth says the goal is to launch West Africa’s first 5,000 sq ft immersive venue in Lagos, serving as both a creative hub and technology showcase. Beyond that, the startup envisions flagship spaces in Accra, Nairobi, and London.
Understanding Africa’s Tech Future
Rehoboth sees artificial intelligence not as a threat but as an amplifier.
“AI is democratizing capability in profound ways. At Floats XR, our AI Brain lets us deliver personalized, adaptive experiences that would require 10x the team and budget without AI,” he explains.
He also calls for a more holistic role from venture capitalists, urging them to provide not just capital but also network access, operational expertise, and mentorship.
The Experiential Marketing Agency Market size was valued at approximately $52.19 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $66.94 billion by 2032. Rehoboth believes the fastest way to accelerate the ecosystem is to flood it with experienced mentors who’ve been where we’re trying to go.
As Nigeria and Africa continue to nurture their creative technology sectors, analysts say startups like Floats XR stand at the crossroads of art and analytics, where storytelling meets data science.
By turning brand experiences into measurable, adaptive, and unforgettable journeys, experts note Floats XR isn’t just building immersive pods, it’s building a new paradigm for marketing effectiveness in Africa.
Talking Points
It is impressive how Floats XR is positioning itself at the crossroads of creative technology, artificial intelligence, and experiential marketing.
By transforming how brands measure and optimise engagement, the company is redefining the language of marketing effectiveness, where storytelling is not only seen but quantified.
One standout feature is Floats XR’s proprietary AI Brain, which adapts immersive experiences in real-time based on visitor behaviour. This data-driven intelligence allows brands to achieve longer engagement and higher conversions, proving that creative experiences can now be measured with the precision of digital analytics.
At Techparley, we view Floats XR as a symbol of Africa’s emerging immersive economy, a fusion of design, data, and emotion that has long been missing from the continent’s marketing landscape.
With continued investment in AI capability, hardware expansion, and international partnerships, Floats XR has the potential to become Africa’s leading immersive experience platform, setting the benchmark for how creativity and data converge to shape the future of brand storytelling.
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