AWE 2025: Heard in the Hall – AI in XR, VRChat’s Avatar Marketplace, Spatial Intelligence, Favorite Games & Purpose-Driven Innovation

Sole Purpose: Ian Harrison, Co-founder of SneakAR on Supercharging Connection Through Web3, XR & Augmented Footwear

What do your shoes do?  On today’s episode we’re stepping into the future of footwear with Ian Harrison, creative disruptor, innovation catalyst, XR futurist and the Co-founder of SneakAR.  SneakAR transforms your sneakers into a dynamic digital canvas with their revolutionary AR experience, turning your shoes into an interactive masterpiece with just a tap. Ian shares how SneakAR is disrupting traditional brand engagement by building unforgettable  “door knock moments" - unlocking the power of web3, XR and emerging tech to create "people-market fit" that results in lasting moments that matter. His unique path has taken him from music to manufacturing to the blockchain where his Culture Coin web3 solution was also nominated for an Auggie.  Find out how brands, creators, musicians and athletes can literally put their best foot forward with SneakAR.  Thanks for listening.  We're on the road to 50 episodes! We appreciate all our subscribers and listeners around the globe. * Zero to Start is now on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@zerotostartvrpodcast]. Subscribe on your favorite platform and follow us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/97467070/admin/dashboard/] for more voices shaping the future of XR. FEATURED LINKS: * Ian Harrison on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-harrison-164544b/] * SneakAR [https://sneakar.io/] * @sneakarshoeco on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sneakarshoeco] * Muenstervision [https://muenstervision.co/] Incubate. Innovate. Integrate.  * KiTBetter [https://www.kitbetter.com/en] * The Shoes of AWE [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/siciliana_awe2025-spatialcomputing-augmentedreality-activity-7340890326724694017-f4dZ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAKEpZcBqBf5Bw-VEk1r8IaxJNHPqkv1xzM] CONNECT WITH SICILIANA: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/siciliana/] * sicilianatrevino.com [https://sicilianatrevino.com/] Send us a note! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/860002/open_sms]

XR Zero to Hero: Dominique Wu, Founder XReality Pro & her latest Ultimate AI Pipeline for XR Development course

Dominique Wu is the founder of XReality Pro [https://xrealitypro.com/], where she designs, builds, and teaches immersive technologies that empower creators and transform how we interact with XR and AI. She has consulted for industry giants including Meta and Walmart’s Store No. 8, and is the author of Spatial Design: Breaking the 2D Paradigm [https://www.amazon.com/Spatial-Design-Breaking-2D-Paradigm-ebook/dp/B0CM57X543]. With over 500 speaker events hosted across her media channels, including the popular XReality Pro YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@XRealityPro] channel, Dominique is a leading voice in XR education and community building. In this episode, she shares her bold approach to finding product–market fit, why teaching is in her DNA, and how industry newcomers can succeed by positioning themselves as collaborative, adaptable problem solvers in an increasingly AI-driven world. We get her take on Apple Vision Pro, Android XR and the overall signal to noise in XR and AI. We also dive into her latest Udemy course, The Ultimate AI Pipeline for XR Development, which takes learners from "zero to hero" in building an interactive XR app inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven. See discount code below!!  Thanks for listening!  * Zero to Start is now on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@zerotostartvrpodcast]! Subscribe on your favorite platform and follow us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/97467070/admin/dashboard/] for more voices shaping the future of immersive tech. FEATURED LINKS: * Dominique Wu on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominiquewu/] * The Ultimate AI Pipeline for XR Development [https://www.udemy.com/course/the-ultimate-ai-pipeline-for-xr-development/?referralCode=11B8FAC84301132EFE08] * GET THE COURSE FOR $12.99 ! * USE DISCOUNT CODE: 6D12F5CF5118525BA256 * Expires 07/23/2025 12:08 PM PDT (GMT -7)  * Entertainment in Spatial AI with Charlie Fink [https://youtu.be/9vFELr69zYE?si=Msunzoqsp4czlFlo] - XReality Pro Podcast  CONNECT WITH SICILIANA: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/siciliana/] * sicilianatrevino.com [https://sicilianatrevino.com/] Send us a note! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/860002/open_sms]

AWE 2025: Heard in the Hall – AI in XR, VRChat’s Avatar Marketplace, Spatial Intelligence, Favorite Games & Purpose-Driven Innovation

What’s everyone excited about at AWE 2025? What’s still needed as we build the future of XR? 🎧 Listen in for quick-hit insights from leading XR innovators, direct from the expo hall floor. Featuring: * Cognitive3D [https://cognitive3d.com/] - Build Better XR Experiences with 3D Spatial Analytics * VR Chat Avatar Marketplace [https://hello.vrchat.com/avatar-marketplace] - The First Avatar Marketplace Inside VRChat * Convai [https://www.convai.com/] -  Conversational AI Characters * FS Studio [https://fsstudio.com/] - Synthetic data, digital twins & enterprise XR solutions * Akuret [https://www.akuretsolutions.com/] - AI-powered retail optimization. * SneakAR [https://sneakar.io/] - Step into the future of footware. * The Virtual World Museum [https://www.virtualworlds.museum/] - Archiving the history of virtual worlds. * Caitlin Krause, Mindwise [https://caitlinkrause.com/] - Empowering Meaningful Connection and wellbeing in a tech-driven world. Zero to Start is now on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@zerotostartvrpodcast]! Subscribe on your favorite platform and follow us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/97467070/admin/dashboard/] for more voices shaping the future of immersive tech. FEATURED LINKS: * AWE 2026 Super Early Bird Tickets [https://www.awexr.com/usa-2026/] * The Shoes of AWE 2025 [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shoes-awe-2025-siciliana-trevino-tgyqc/] * Our AWE playlist [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBv0LzH63o&list=PLeZvFCLhcrJ0H7gWJtXPqo_I3g2FoOs8s] ! * Build for Spectacles [https://www.spectacles.com/build] * XREAL One Pro - early bird pricing until June 30th [https://us.shop.xreal.com/products/xreal-one-pro?]  * Jenna Villa, MetaGal - LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefuturelooksdigital/] * John A. Cunningham, President, Virtualware - LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnallencunningham/] * XR Guild [https://xrguild.org/] CONNECT WITH SICILIANA: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/siciliana/] * sicilianatrevino.com [https://sicilianatrevino.com/] Send us a note! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/860002/open_sms]

XR is Going Mainstream! AWE 2025 Keynote Highlights: Ori Inbar AWE / Evan Spiegel Snap / Chi Xu & Ralph Jodice Xreal / Year of the Master Builder

AWE USA 2025 delivered on its promise of feeling spatial.  Not only was the mantra XR is Going Mainstream, AWE founder Ori Inbar [https://www.linkedin.com/in/oriinbar/] optimistically declared 2025 as the year of the Master Builder - passionate domain subject experts creating XR solutions for their community filling in diverse content gaps that are shifting the balance between big brands and dedicated niche audiences.   Today's show features clips from our favorite moments during AWE’s day-one morning keynotes: * Ori Inbar's Welcome Keynote - XR Is Going Mainstream! | AWE USA 2025 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxcPKN3Qs6M] * Bringing AI and AR Into the Real World Through Spectacles | AWE USA 2025 [https://youtu.be/4WgY-Sttv5Q?si=65qT90L4O57JwlYS] * Project Aura & More: XREAL’s Vision for the Present and Future of XR by Chi Xu | AWE USA 2025 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq5y2LxSfyI] Excited about our 41st podcast episode! We’re officially on the road to our 50th with a very special mystery guest scheduled for that occasion.  Thanks for listening! Subscribe to Zero to Start on your favorite podcast platform.  * Follow our podcast page on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/97467070/admin/dashboard/]! FEATURED LINKS: * XREAL One Pro - early bird pricing until June 30th [https://us.shop.xreal.com/products/xreal-one-pro?]  * Zero to Start is now on YouTube!  [https://www.youtube.com/@zerotostartvrpodcast] * Our AWE playlist [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBv0LzH63o&list=PLeZvFCLhcrJ0H7gWJtXPqo_I3g2FoOs8s] ! * The Shoes of AWE 2025 [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shoes-awe-2025-siciliana-trevino-tgyqc/] CONNECT WITH SICILIANA: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/siciliana/] * sicilianatrevino.com [https://sicilianatrevino.com/] Send us a note! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/860002/open_sms]

Get Spatial with the XR Guild @ AWE USA 2025 Augmented World Expo, June 10th - 12th Long Beach Convention Center

XR pioneer Avi Bar-Zeev has been at the forefront of Spatial Computing for over 30 years: from launching Disney’s groundbreaking Aladdin VR ride in the early 90s and crafting Second Life’s 3D worlds to co-founding Keyhole (Google Earth) mirror-earth spatial browser, co-inventing the Hololens AR headset in 2010 and leading the Experience Prototyping team for Apple's Vision Pro and more from 2016-19.  Bar-Zeev's so ubiquitous he's been affectionately called the Forrest Gump of XR.  On today's show, Bar-Zeev returns to the podcast and illuminates his journey through immersive tech from those early days to his latest role as Founder and President of the XR Guild, a 501c3 nonprofit, his response to the urgent need to bring more thoughtful and ethical practices into emerging platforms and AI.  The XR Guild's Ethical Professionals Mixer [https://lasiggraph.org/event/2nd-annual-ethical-professionals-mixer] is sold out. Zero to Start is proud to have joined primary event sponsor LA SIGGRAPH [https://lasiggraph.org/], and XRA [https://xra.org/] as a "bronze" co-sponsor. * Heading to AWE USA 2025 ? Road to VR readers can still get an exclusive 20% discount on tickets: https://geni.us/7ijTS [https://geni.us/7ijTS] - Ben Lang [https://www.linkedin.com/in/langbenjamin/] Thanks for listening! Subscribe to Zero to Start on your favorite podcast platform.  * Follow our podcast page on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/97467070/admin/dashboard/]! AWE JUNE 9th: * 10:30 AM - 04:30 PM | Room 204 | XR Guild and Virtual World Society - UNCONFERENCE [https://awexr.com/usa-2025/agenda/1353] Catch Avi and other guild members at these AWE panels: JUNE 10: * 04:30 PM - 04:55 PM  | Room 102A |  For XR/AI Makers, the Secret Sauce is Ethics [https://awexr.com/usa-2025/agenda/1136] - Aysu Unal [https://awexr.com/usa-2025/speakers/1329-aysu-unal]- AiSU, Avi Bar-Zeev [https://awexr.com/usa-2025/speakers/1328-avi-bar-zeev]- XR Guild JUNE 11: * 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM  | Builders Nexus Stage - Expo Hall | AI x Metaverse: Advancing Spatial Intelligence, Spatial Computing, and Beyond in Synergy [https://awexr.com/usa-2025/agenda/1396-ai-x-metaverse-advancing-spatial-intelligence-spat]  FEATURED LINKS * Our AWE playlist [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBv0LzH63o&list=PLeZvFCLhcrJ0H7gWJtXPqo_I3g2FoOs8s] ! * AWE Day One podcast guide [https://www.buzzsprout.com/860002/episodes/17298523]! * XR Guild [https://xrguild.org/] * XR Guild Library 2.0 [https://library.xrguild.org/] * Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making [https://www.marshall.usc.edu/institutes-and-centers/neely-center-for-ethical-leadership-and-decision-making] * Neely Purpose Driven XR Library [https://www.neelyxr.org/] CONNECT WITH SICILIANA: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/siciliana/] sicilianatrevino.com [https://sicilianatrevino.com/] Send us a note! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/860002/open_sms]