Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve Corporation, significantly shaped the XR industry with the development of the SteamVR platform and the Valve Index VR headset. Launching SteamVR in 2015, and then the Valve Index VR headset later in 2019, Valve provided a comprehensive ecosystem for VR content, making high-quality virtual reality experiences more accessible to consumers and developers alike. 

With Newell at the helm, Valve was a key partner of HTC VIVE in the development of the first generation of VIVE headsets, which started back in 2015 also. As such, his leadership in creating immersive, high-fidelity VR experiences and fostering a robust platform for VR content has significantly influenced the industry's growth and innovation.