Post originally appearing on xrtoday.com by Rebecca Carter.
The Immerse Global Summit 2023, now part of the Metacenter Global Week event, is just around the corner. For innovators in the XR world, this incredible event is packed with opportunities to learn, network, and test the latest innovations.
For ten years, the Immerse Global Summit (IGS) has stood as a leader in the XR and metaverse event landscape, featuring the biggest speakers and exhibitors from the industry.
The show hosts have gone above and beyond to deliver fresh content, exceptional research, and exclusive insights to attendees every year. The collaboration with Synapse Orlando promises to make the exhibition even more incredible.
Here’s everything you can expect from the Immerse Global Summit and Metacenter Global Week in 2023.
What is Immerse Global Summit 2023?
Produced by the VR/AR Association, the Immerse Global Summit is one of the world’s most exciting technology conference series. Hosting virtual and in-person conferences across the United States and Europe, the event encapsulates the VR/AR Association’s quest to facilitate innovation in the immersive technology space.
Over the last ten years, this premier XR event has proven to be a valuable source of education and insight for those interested in next-generation technology. Previous events haven’t just covered common topics related to extended, virtual, and augmented realities. They’ve also enlightened attendees with information on AI, blockchain, 5G, and the metaverse.
Attendees can engage with industry visionaries, participate in product demos, and collaborate with like-minded professionals with fantastic networking opportunities.
Moreover, the Immerse Global Summit goes beyond simply showcasing the newest creations in the immersive space. Keynote speakers and educational sessions offer insight into these solutions’ impact on various industries, from real estate to healthcare.
Aligning innovation, education, and community opportunities, this year’s event promises to be an unforgettable experience for tech leaders. In 2023, the Summit will occur in the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center in Orlando as part of Metacenter Global Week.
What is MetaCenter Global Week?
This year, the Immerse Global Summit is evolving thanks to a partnership with Synapse Orlando, a group dedicated to fostering innovation in Florida’s thriving tech community. Synapse is a community resource providing entrepreneurs access to research, opportunities, ideas, and knowledge.
Through annual events, Synapse encourages leaders from all industries and backgrounds to showcase their unique products and demonstrate thought leadership. These events have helped companies find new talent and partners, secure funding, and connect with customers.
Combining Synapse and the Immerse Global Summit allows for synchronizing global and regional leaders in the immersive technology space. The ground-breaking partnership aims to create an event that cements Orlando as one of the leading US regions for metaverse creation.
At the Metacenter Global Week event, attendees will have access to the incredible insights and speaker sessions they’d expect from the Immerse Global Summit. Plus, there will be additional support and resources from the Synapse team to help visitors forge new relationships.
Insights from Last Year’s Immerse Global Summit
While knowing exactly what we can expect from any XR industry event is difficult, exploring previous seminars can offer some valuable insights.
In 2022, the Immerse Global Summit featured speakers from some of the world’s best-known brands, including Amazon, Meta, Qualcomm, Microsoft, and Unity, and demonstrations of some of the most exciting metaverse technologies.
Unity shared how digital twins were helping its customers unlock new levels of innovation. Meta shared its XR journey for the future and its vision of the impending metaverse. Even Qualcomm revealed insights into its world-changing XR chips.
Alongside insights into new and emerging solutions, attendees learned more about concepts like metaverse marketing and EQ in XR. There were even “choose your own adventure” metaverse experiences on show from Lenovo.
5 Things to Expect from Immerse Global Summit 2023
So, what’s on the roster for this year’s Immerse Global Summit?
With a diverse lineup of exhibitors, speakers, and attendees worldwide, the Immerse Global Summit and “Metacenter” Global Week will surely be brimming with value. Some of the core things you can expect to see from this year’s event include:
1. Industry Leading Speakers
The Immerse Global Summit has earned an incredible reputation for its insightful speeches from some of the world’s leading XR brands. This year, there’ll be a keynote speech from Meta’s Dan Nieves, the Global Executive responsible for Meta Reality Labs.
Other speakers include:
Kurt Leucht: Simulation Software Developer for NASA
Kurt Scheuringer: Principal Spatial Computing and Prototyping Architect for AWS
Jules Shumaker: Senior Vice President for Revenue and Create Solutions at Unity
Amy Peck: Founder and CEO of Endeavour XR
Eliot Danner: Managing Director of Customer Engineering for Google Cloud
Takeshi Tawarda: Ad Research and Insights, Augmented Reality lead at Snap Inc
You can find the complete speaker list here.
2. Educational Sessions
You’ll need to plan your schedule carefully to check out the fantastic educational sessions available at this year’s summit. There are dozens of excellent topics on the agenda, ranging from discussions about generative AI to insights into 3D development.
Just a few exciting sessions you can look forward to include:
Discover the future of Sports and Entertainment: A session covering the opportunities in immersive technology in the sporting world and media landscape. Speakers include Andrew Macaulay and Mike McCarley from the TMRW Sports Group and Jason Siegel from the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.
Generative AI in education: Insights into how Generative AI technologies can revolutionize education. Speakers include Dr. Haifa Maamar, the Director of Emerging Technologies at Full Sail University, Luis Garcia (Collectiva), and Hernan Londono (Dell Technologies).
Engaging the Metaverse with AI-powered avatars: Insights into next-level avatars, with the global debut of Meta Karaoke. Speakers include David Lucatch (Aftermath Islands Metaverse) and Vanessa Mullin (Agora).
Powering AI Experiences and Innovation: A comprehensive session presented by Google Cloud managing director Eliot Danner, Darryl Maraj from GA Telesis, and Doug Dockery of ConstructConnect.
Changing the future with Spatial Data Planes: A panel discussion on 3D innovations and integrations, presented by AWS. Speakers include Kurt Scheuringer of AWS, Brian Nevinksy of Lockheed Parton, and Direk Reiners from the University of Central Florida.
3. Exclusive Industry Research
During speaker sessions, attendees will have a chance to learn about the latest discoveries in the AI, XR, and metaverse landscape from academic and business leaders alike. Snap Inc’s Research lead, Takeshi Tawarada, will highlight the benefits of combining AR and sustainability in a mainstage speaker session.
Svarmony Technologies’ CEO, Arne Schönleben, will explore how companies can build more authentic experiences in augmented reality. CEO and Founder of EndeavorXR, Amy Peck, will also use insights to explore how technology can elevate human performance in the modern world.
There are also tons of research-backed educational sessions covering a variety of other topics, such as:
Scaling XR and emerging tech in the enterprise
AI’s disruptive impact on society
3D Commerce and immersive retail experiences
The security and risks of VR applications
Immersive real estate and digital twins
The evolution of XR wearables
Building communities in the metaverse
Immersive audio for XR
4. Product Demonstrations and Showcases
In between inspirational speaker sessions and panels, attendees can experiment with the next generation of immersive technology. Metacenter Global Week will feature an interactive exhibit hall featuring live demos and prototypes.
Higher Prana VR will be visiting the demo stage to show how a VR meditation app can offer users unique ways to improve and preserve mental well-being. In a live demonstration walkthrough, attendees will learn about Niantic Lightship and building a location-based AR experience in Unity.
MotionReel Academy will also be visiting the demo stage to show would-be students how to learn about the latest innovations in 3D modeling.
5. Incredible Networking Opportunities
The Immerse Global Summit combines education and information with endless opportunities for networking and collaboration. This year’s event will start with a VIP pre-party and welcome reception on Monday, the 16th of October, with rooftop cocktails and live music.
During the three-day event, the Metacenter Global Week team will host immersive breakout sessions organized into four themes. In each session, attendees can connect with innovators, discussing AI, sustainability, virtual reality, and blockchain topics.
Plus, there are some fun relationship-building exercises to explore, such as:
The Orlando Downtown Discovery Dash: A free team scavenger hunt with prizes
Metacenter After Hours Live: A free concert for all attendees
The MCGW closing party: An official closing party for all attendees
Lost Frequency Concert: A live concert from a leading Belgian DJ and record producer
Immerse Global Summit 2023: How to Attend
This year’s Immerse Global Summit, part of the broader Metacenter Global Week experience, will occur from October 17th to October 19th, 2023. However, we recommend getting there early if you want to participate in the VIP pre-party on the 16th.
If you don’t have tickets already, they’re available to access from the Metacenter Global website. Full general admission is available for $599, with access to all keynote talks and panel discussions. You can also access a VIP ticket for $999, which includes the VIP welcome reception, closing party, and off-the-record Q&A sessions, as well as lounge access.
