Mixel Studio’s spatial presentation platform OXR secures a $25,000 investment from the University of Michigan’s Desai Accelerator and joins a cohort of emerging Michigan startups advancing AI, healthcare, sports, real estate, and immersive technology.
Ann Arbor, Michigan — Mixel Studio, Inc., the Michigan-based extended reality company building OXR, a spatial presentation platform for creating, presenting, and deploying immersive experiences across web and XR headsets, has joined the University of Michigan’s Desai Accelerator Class of 2026. As part of the program, Mixel Studio has secured a $25,000 investment to support the company’s next stage of growth.
The milestone follows Mixel Studio’s participation in the Michigan Founders Fund Pre-Accelerator and marks continued progress for the company as it advances OXR from early product validation toward broader institutional and commercial deployment. In recent months, Mixel Studio has filed provisional intellectual property with support from the University of Michigan Innovation Partnerships office, filed a trademark for OXR as a dedicated product and brand, and officially become a University of Michigan supplier.
OXR is designed to make immersive experience creation more accessible for non-technical users. The platform allows educators, designers, museums, cultural organizations, and enterprise teams to build spatial presentations, manage 3D assets, and deliver synchronized experiences across XR headsets, browsers, and screens without requiring custom software development.
For Mixel Studio’s founders, Chiao Lin and Anhua Wu, joining the Desai Accelerator also carries personal significance. The story began in 2024, when the two University of Michigan students attended Desai Accelerator’s Demo Day and watched Vish, founder of Verbalista, pitch on stage. Inspired by the quality of the companies and the strength of the entrepreneurial community, they left with the hope that one day they might build a company capable of joining the program themselves.
“Watching Desai founders pitch in 2024 planted a seed for us,” said Chiao Lin. “As University of Michigan graduates, and as someone who grew as a founder through the Zell Entrepreneurs program, joining the Desai Accelerator feels like coming home. We are truly grateful for this opportunity and for the support of a community that has continued to believe in us. After a year of building Mixel Studio with persistence and hard work after graduation, this moment makes us feel seen, supported, and ready for the next stage.”
Over the next four months, the Desai Accelerator will provide OXR (Mixel Studio Inc) with dedicated mentorship, strategic resources, and intern support as the company continues scaling OXR and expanding its market reach. Desai’s venture creation model combines Silicon Valley best practices with the academic rigor and innovation ecosystem of the University of Michigan, making the program a meaningful next step as Mixel Studio’s OXR moves from product validation toward broader market deployment.
OXR joins five other companies in the 2026 Desai Accelerator cohort:
- DealBlazer, founded by Kaylin Eighmey, is building AI-powered transaction coordination software that helps real estate deals move from offer to close with less chaos.
- FASTOS AI, founded by Chen He and Jingxiao Lu, is reducing paperwork burdens for automotive suppliers through AI-automated approval workflows.
- Good Game Sports, founded by Anusha Bohra, Dinakar Talluri, and Kush Patel, is developing a tournament platform designed around how paddle sports clubs actually operate.
- IntelligentNoise, founded by Ryan Lynn, helps mid-market and enterprise go-to-market teams turn AI potential into real revenue.
- MinaRosa Technologies, founded by Ana Timoficiuc, is developing a portable, non-invasive light therapy solution for pelvic pain.
Through OXR, Mixel Studio is continuing its mission to make mixed reality more accessible, practical, and user-driven. The company is focused on building infrastructure that gives institutions greater autonomy in creating and managing immersive content, while reducing the technical barriers that have historically limited XR adoption.
