30 Oct 2024 | AWE Team
AWE EU 2024 Day 2 Highlights And Best in Show Awards
AWE EU 2024

Day 2 at AWE EU 2024 at the Austria Center Vienna kept up the energy and excitement, with attendees diving into a packed schedule of talks, panels, and hands-on experiences. Even with some late-night networking, attendees were fresh-faced and ready to engage with the latest in AR and VR innovation, as today’s program and expo continued to explore XR’s impact across a range of industries.

Here’s a rundown of the day’s highlights:

Insight from the Main Stage

Day 2 opened with a panel on the future of XR under the AI Act. Experts Andrea Bravo from Metaverse Data & Ethics and others discussed the ethical and practical challenges of integrating AI into XR. Covering privacy, responsible scaling, and avatar development, the talk emphasized the need for thoughtful approaches as XR and AI continue to intersect.

Later, Sam Field from Rock Paper Reality explored how AR is expanding in scale, showcasing new possibilities for mapping and navigation using Google Maps. Iris Jumbe of the World Economic Forum followed with a session on how XR is being used by global leaders to drive change in business and governance, making a case for XR’s strategic potential beyond typical use cases. The rest of the day’s main stage sessions consistently delivered practical insights and real-world applications for XR across sectors.

Main Stage Image

Industry Track Highlights

AWE EU 2024’s diverse session lineup made sure there was something for every attendee. In the Automotive track, Johan Cruse from Volvo Trucks demonstrated how VR is improving technician training, highlighting its role in developing safety, efficiency, and technical skills.

The Enterprise track featured presentations on scalable XR solutions from SynergyXR and VESTAS Wind Systems, underlining how XR is moving toward mainstream, enterprise-level applications. Over in the Retail, Marketing, and Training track, speakers tackled immersive learning and shared case studies on VR’s growing role in education and training, including insights from the European Space Agency and RTC Antwerpen. These sessions reinforced XR’s broad utility and adaptability across industries.

Expo and XR Innovation Hour

Today’s XR Innovators Hour at AWE EU 2024 brought the spotlight to XR Hack Winners and Rising Startups, showcasing the future talent shaping the XR industry. There were some truly fantastic AR and VR solutions on display, from early-stage prototypes and designs to full-functioning products. We got to try out several of these demos on display, and every single one was unique, enjoyable, and innovative.

In the Start-Up section, visionary entrepreneurs engaged with attendees, sharing their unique solutions and fresh ideas to spark further industry collaboration. Over at the Playground, participants explored immersive demos and cutting-edge experiences, capturing the creative spirit that drives the AWE community forward.

Expo and XR Innovation Hour Image

Start-up Pitch Competition

A major highlight of the day was the Start-up Pitch Competition, featuring eight finalists presenting the latest in XR innovation. This year’s “Start-up to Watch” Auggie Award went to Beyond Words, accepted by CEO Maria Le Mura. Beyond Words, a French company, is revolutionizing language learning with AI and VR to create impactful educational experiences. Maria, a passionate advocate for lifelong learning and multilingual herself, is also pursuing an eDBA at Paul-Valéry University in Montpellier, focusing her research on how automation impacts employee performance. Both the judges and audience appreciated Beyond Words for its progressive approach to XR, and Snap AR awarded the winner with a pair of the new Spectacles.

Start-up Pitch Competition Image

Best in Show Awards

The Best in Show Awards are always a highly anticipated part of the AWE event wrap-ups. As always, choosing the winners was a tough decision to make, as there were so many fantastic companies present in the expo hall this year.

The winners of the AWE EU 2024 Best In Show Awards are:

  • Best in Show Auggie Award - Snap AR
  • Best in Show Playground Auggie Award - proHolz Steiermark

An additional prize was handed out by our partners at the Virtual World Society as part of their ongoing objective of recognizing influential XR industry leaders. The Nextant award winner for this year’s ‘Rising Star’ prize went to Nick Rosa, Industry Technology Innovation Lead, Europe at Accenture.

Best in Show Awards Image

Plus, this year’s awards ceremony featured some absolutely awesome giveaways. First up, Meta handed out one of its new Quest 3S headsets, and Snap handed out a whopping 21 pairs of Spectacles! Focusing on startups who are paving the way and adding value to the XR community, every single AWE Startup Competition Finalist was awarded a pair of glasses, with some additional creators from the AWE Startup Pavilion also included in the giveaway.

Wrapping Up

With AWE EU now wrapped, the past two days here have put a spotlight on how XR is continuing to push boundaries and reshape industries. Thank you to everyone who joined us here in Vienna—as always, it has been incredible to connect in person, and we look forward to gathering again soon!

Until then, let’s continue to grow the XR industry. Make sure to stay connected with us on social media for online events, XR news, and community updates. Plus, don’t miss the best rates for all three AWE shows in 2025—book now! Use the 25REBOOK discount code to get the best price for these events.

Let’s Meet in 2025 Image

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