Our
Program

We’re entering a new era of digital interaction where we don’t just scroll. We show up. Social XR and spatial networking are reshaping how we connect online, moving us beyond feeds and timelines into shared presence and immersive experience. This shift changes how we build relationships, express identity, and create community in digital space. In this talk, Andy Fidel explores the rise of spatial social platforms and what they reveal about the future of human connection — where proximity, embodiment, and co-presence redefine what it means to be together online.

While Chinese e-commerce has been casually merging digital and physical goods for years — think virtual fashion for avatars that you can also wear in real life — the West is just catching up. Roblox and Shopify’s partnership offers early signals, yet Western brands remain oddly hesitant. But bridging virtual and physical isn’t merely trendy—it’s potentially a fundamental shift in customer engagement. We’ll explore how forward-thinking brands can leverage this convergence to build authentic communities, deepen loyalty, and unlock revenue streams that blur the line between pixels and products.

With a welcome address from the City of Hamburg, the exhibition of the nextReality.festival 2025 will be officially opened. Visitors can look forward to two days full of inspiration, networking, and immersive technologies.

The Schwarz Group, with nearly 600,000 employees, is migrating from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace (GWS). To manage this massive change, a virtual Google Experience Room was introduced. In this Unity based 3D learning environment, an AI-driven NPC (Non-Player Character) acts as an interactive learning companion, providing precise, personalized answers to all GWS training queries. The AI behind the NPC is contextualized with the entire GWS documentation. This approach significantly boosts engagement and the sustainability of learning. The project sets a new benchmark in change management and accelerates digital transformation. The user engagement has been strong and consistent since the launch of the app in late August of 2025 and has become a central feature in the deployment of GWS

Gaussian Splats eröffnen neue Möglichkeiten für interaktive Echtzeitanwendungen: Von lebendigen AR- und VR-Erlebnissen über flüssige 3D-Visualisierungen bis zu reaktiven Spielewelten. Durch ihre effiziente Darstellung komplexer Szenen erlauben sie fließende Kamerafahrten, schnelle Perspektivwechsel und beeindruckende Lichteffekte – alles ohne spürbare Verzögerung. So werden immersive Trainings, virtuelle Ausstellungen oder interaktive Simulationen realistischer, dynamischer und für Nutzer unmittelbar erlebbar, selbst auf moderater Hardware.

Most XR applications were originally built as single-user experiences — impressive, but isolating. Yet in real-world industries like shipbuilding, architecture, and product design, collaboration is rarely symmetrical. Not everyone wears a headset — and they shouldn’t have to.

This talk explores how asymmetrical collaboration(VR users + screen users + mixed reality participants) has quietly become one of the most powerful patterns in spatial computing. David will trace the journey from early HoloLens experiments at AVEVA, where his team built “cameraman mode” to let non-VR users join VR sessions, to his time at Gravity Sketch developing screen-based collaboration for designers, managers, and clients.

We’ll look at how modern tools like Gravity Sketch, Arkio, Resolve, and ShapesXR now support hybrid collaboration — and what still holds them back.

You’ll learn:

• Why many stakeholders refuse to wear headsets (and why that’s okay)
• How 2D participants became essential contributors to VR workflows
• The design principles behind successful asymmetrical collaboration
• What comes next — web-based XR, AI-guided sessions, and mixed-reality teamwork

Key message:
The future of XR isn’t full immersion — it’s shared understanding. Collaboration doesn’t need to be symmetrical to be powerful.

As digital innovation accelerates, content creators are navigating a landscape where technology and creativity are more intertwined than ever. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword—it is actively reshaping how we conceive, produce, and share content. In this dynamic one-hour session, we’ll take a practical look at how AI is influencing creative work and open up new perspectives for your projects.

Intelligente virtuelle Agent:innen verändern, wie wir in immersiven Umgebungen interagieren und halten Einzug in Kundenservice, Training und Teamarbeit. Welche Rolle haben hierbei Vertrauen, soziale Präsenz und Engagement in der Zusammenarbeit mit KI-Systemen in VR? Einblicke einer Pilotstudie.

Imagine scanning barcodes and capturing data without touching a device just by moving through space. This talk explores how XR is transforming industrial workflows by making data capture faster, smarter, and completely hands-free. Through the development of Intuitscanner, an XR application built with the Meta Spatial SDK and powered by Scandit, we’ll dive into how spatial computing can replace traditional scanners with intuitive, immersive interactions. Learn how XR opens the door to more efficient logistics, real-time asset tracking, and a more natural way of working in complex industrial environments.

Wir zeigen einen medizinischen VR Showcase für einen großen Pharmakonzern, bei dem wir mit Storytelling eine Lernreise in ein Auge aufgebaut haben. Eine 3D Figur, Claire, geleitet durch die Welt und erklärt die komplexen Zusammenhänge Ärzten, Presse und sonstigen Gästen. Aber dann verlässt Claire die virtuelle Welt. Sie tritt digital mit KI vernetzt auf und verbindet damit die virtuelle und digitale Welt und erlaubt eine ganzheitliche, multikanal Kommunikationskampagne mit permanenten Triggern. Eine völlig neue Art Kampagnen zu bauen und innovativ zu kommunizieren.

This session will explore scanning techniques that accelerate content production, discuss cloud streaming strategies that expand audience reach and accessibility, and demonstrate how generative AI can be practically applied to improve development workflows. Drawing from production experience, the session shares real-world implementations, technical insights, and lessons learned with one practical example.

Immersive, dreidimensionale Welten bergen sehr großes Potential für die Vermarktung touristischer Destinationen und ihrer Erlebnisangebote. Von der Inspiration über die Reiseplanung bis zur Reise selbst bieten sich jenseits der klassischen Kommunikationskanäle fantastische Möglichkeiten, die Kunden zu begeistern und nutzenstiftende Services zu bieten. Mit der Mixed-Reality-Experience „UNESCO Welterbestätten in Deutschland“ geht die Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus erfolgreich neue Wege des Tourismusmarketing.

In this talk, Antony Vitillo analyzes the ups and downs of the industry and how you can personally navigate them. Having been 11 years in the industry, he has lived many hype cycles, so he can give practical suggestions on how you can exploit the ups and how you can survive during the downs.

The making of (accompanied by a screening) of Cat Content, the first film produced in the Metaverse using Distributed Virtual Production, an approach that enables new models for real-time content creation, ones where actors, cinematographers, directors, artists, and production staff can be virtually collocated across widely distributed geographies, working together as if physically collocated inside a virtual „filmset“. The challenge of easily connecting and managing distributed sites of engagement in the shared virtual worlds used for distributed production is delivered from the the results of the XR-IT (eXtended Realities – Intraverse Toolkit) research and development programme within the Trans Realties Lab at DAE. Co-presented with Andreas Dahn, director and film maker.

How do we stay calm and focused in a world moving at AI speed, where generative tools tempt us to rush through the most fun part – the creative process?

Follow me on a personal journey of making peace with this new world and finding balance between the natural and the artificial by combining oil painting with Augmented Reality. Working slow, making mistakes, and celebrating the process over the result, can not only help ease AI anxiety but also allow us to stand out by adding a human touch to our work, something that will only become more valuable in the future.

I’ll share examples from my projects, technical tricks to blend the two worlds together and some thoughts on working with new technology while keeping your creativity (and sanity) intact.

In her talk, the co-founder of VR History will share how the team combines authentic storytelling with cutting-edge technology — exploring how to present history and lost cultural heritage in a compelling way, and the lessons learned along the journey.

In “Through a New Lens: The Future of Reality with Spectacles,” Daniel Wagner, Senior Director of Software Engineering at Snap, explores the technological breakthroughs powering the current and next generation of Spectacles. Tracing the journey from early generations of Spectacles to today’s advanced AR platform, his team is working on redefining what’s possible through wearable AR. With the public launch of the new Specs approaching, Daniel will showcase real-world use cases and innovative Lenses that demonstrate how creators, developers, and users can blend digital content seamlessly into their surroundings, offering a glimpse into Snap’s vision for the future of augmented reality.

 ZAUBAR’s Geospatial AI agents are emerging systems that reason about place, context and intent to create experiences that feel aware and helpful. This talk introduces the Spatial Agent concept and explores how place reasoning, spatial memory and context aware narration could transform sectors from museums and heritage to retail, logistics, facilities management and real estate. It covers practical 2D and 3D delivery on everyday devices and sets out concise design and ethical principles for rolling out place aware services that respect people and places.

In this talk, tech journalist and Spatial Realities host Thomas Riedel provides an overview of the current developments surrounding AI glasses. What exactly are AI glasses, which companies are shaping this field, and why is Google positioned as a key player—even though we’re still waiting for the first widely available devices?
The talk examines the narratives claiming that AI glasses will replace the smartphone and explores why a strong focus on AI could become problematic if the current AI hype bubble bursts and a backlash follows.

Join the creative team from headraft for an interactive workshop introducing their latest Spectacles project, Cookmate.
Learn how immersive AR applications are developed for Snap’s Spectacles, from concept and creative workflow to hands-on prototyping. The session starts with a short introduction to headraft and their experience in AR development, followed by a deep dive into the creation of Cookmate — an innovative AR cooking companion that blends utility with creativity.
Participants will then have the chance to try out Cookmate themselves, explore the design and interaction principles behind it, and discuss real-world insights into developing for wearable AR. The workshop concludes with an open Q&A session.

Immersive media have the power not only to inform people but also to move them emotionally and inspire them to take action. In my talk, I showcase international productions that demonstrate how 360° films, VR formats, and interactive apps can create social impact—from educational projects for Syrian refugees in Jordan to climate change documentaries and political education for young people in Europe. This is about more than technical innovation: it is about storytelling with purpose. Because only what we experience and feel can we truly understand—and only what we understand are we willing to protect and change.

The Extended Reality (XR) industry has been one of hype, learning curves and constant technological shifts. How does a creative studio navigate this volatility to build a sustainable business? As CEO of Breach VR, I have spent nearly a decade on the front lines of XR, guiding a team through opportunities and challenges. In this session  will offer a high-level perspective for anyone looking to understand the past, present, and future of building meaningful immersive experiences. In my talk, I will share lessons from the “XR trenches” – From the Challenge of developing for different hardware, to the strategic pivots between enterprise applications and games. I will share Learnings about the need to balance creative ambition with market reality, and the importance of building utility beyond the “wow” factor.

Discover Unity’s complete XR offering in this session covering tools and templates for building immersive experiences across platforms. From Mobile AR to VR and Mixed Reality, we’ll dive into Unity’s XR packages, multiplayer VR, and visionOS support. You’ll learn how to get started quickly with Unity 6 templates, explore platform features, and see how to develop fully immersive and spatial apps across Android, iOS, and Apple Vision Pro.

Soft skills—communication, empathy, leadership, and negotiation—are critical to workplace success, yet they remain difficult to teach effectively at scale. Extended Reality (XR), encompassing virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, offers immersive, interactive environments where learners can practice these skills safely. When combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI), XR experiences can adapt in real-time, provide personalized feedback, and simulate complex human interactions. In this talk, Danny Stefanic of Hyperspace will explore how AI-driven XR platforms are transforming soft skills training, demonstrating practical applications, measurable outcomes, and future directions for this rapidly evolving field.

nextReality.Contest – Award Ceremony at the Astor Film Lounge HafenCity. Attendance is by invitation only.

It’s Party Time! 🍾
On November 5, 2025, we will be awarding the nextReality.Contest Awards – and of course, we want to celebrate this properly with all of you! After the award ceremony, we warmly invite you to our #XRC25 After-Show-Party at VRHQ. Expect great vibes, drinks, and music!
Join us for a relaxed get-together, meet the XRC nominees, and take the chance to network. The party starts at 8:30 PM!
Participation is free, but please register via Meetup. We look forward to seeing you there!

Festival day 2

This panel brings together experts using XR to shape the next reality, exploring how these technologies are transforming industries today and unlocking new possibilities for tomorrow. Through real-world examples and visionary insights, discover how XR is blurring the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds and what that means for all of us.

How do XR journalists navigate the constant hype, the promises of tech giants, and the real-world challenges of XR? In this panel discussion, leading experts Antony Vitello (SkarredGhost), Jan-Keno Hanssen (c’t / heise online), and Thomas Riedel come together to address these very questions. They will discuss how to ensure independent reporting, and whether the „killer app“ for the breakthrough of XR is already in sight. Get profound insights into the editorial challenges and the future of reporting on Mixed Reality.

Ballee is an experimental mixed reality game for XR headsets that turns any real ball into your controller. Using advanced computer vision and passthrough technology, Ballee tracks your ball’s position and movement in real time, letting you kick, throw, or bounce it to interact with virtual enemies, objects, and challenges. From soccer drills to chaotic arcade battles, Ballee blends physical play with digital worlds for a uniquely active XR experience.

As much as in the analogue world, gender inequalities are also being transmitted to the digital world. In VR, only 9.6% of this technology’s users are female. This workshop invites participants of all genders to reflect on the current landscape and to collectively imagine strategies for closing the digital gender gap. Through open dialogue and collaborative exercises, we will explore how diversity can shape a more equitable virtual future.

Ob Augmented, Virtual oder Mixed Reality – in der Arbeit mit immersiven Technologien begegnen wir alle ähnlichen Hürden: sei es bei der Entwicklung neuer Use Cases, in der Zusammenarbeit mit Kund:innen und Teams, bei der Finanzierung oder beim Sprung von der Idee in die Umsetzung.

Mit unserem Reality Check: XR Challenges schaffen wir einen offenen Raum für eure aktuellen Fragestellungen. Ihr bringt eure eigene Challenge mit – und trefft auf Menschen, die vor ganz ähnlichen Fragen stehen. Gemeinsam tauschen wir Erfahrungen aus, sammeln Lösungsansätze und lassen uns von neuen Perspektiven inspirieren.

Im Mittelpunkt steht nicht der klassische Vortrag, sondern der offene, ehrliche Austausch in Kleingruppen. Eine kurze methodische Anleitung erleichtert euch den Einstieg und sorgt für Struktur, damit jede*r Teilnehmende Impulse für den eigenen Alltag mitnehmen kann.

Ein niedrigschwelliges Format, das zeigt: Die besten Lösungen entstehen oft durch gemeinsames Denken.

In meinem Talk zeige ich, wie wir in innovativen Workshop-Formaten mit der Methode „Futures Thinking“ und „Future-Skills-Entwicklung“ gezielter die Weichen für den Erfolg von XR stellen. Denn „Futures Thinking“ ist ein kreatives Kommunikations- und Edutainment Format zur Zukunftsgestaltung. In „Futures Thinking“ und „Future Skills-Bootcamps“ öffnen wir den Blick in die Zukunft und entwickeln konkrete Ideen für künftige Szenarien, in denen XR als Schlüsseltechnologie für eine wünschenswerte Zukunft eingesetzt wird. Wir brauchen ökonomische Argumente und innovative Formate, um XR-Kompetenzen zu steigern und das wirtschaftliche Potenzial von XR zu verdeutlichen.

In my talk, I demonstrate how we can set the course for XR success through innovative workshop formats using the methods of Futures Thinking and Future Skills Development. Futures Thinking is a creative communication and edutainment format for shaping the future. In Futures Thinking and Future Skills Bootcamps, we open perspectives on the future and develop concrete scenarios in which XR serves as a key technology for building a desirable tomorrow.

What we need are strong economic arguments and innovative formats to enhance XR competencies and highlight the economic potential of XR.

Planning and selling industrial equipment is costly and slow when relying on site visits, heavy machines, or static drawings. MixedForm solves this by bringing full-scale equipment into real environments through augmented reality. With two AR headsets, distributors and clients share the same view, explore placement and reachability, and make decisions on the spot. The result: faster sales cycles, lower costs, and more engaging collaboration—turning complex planning into an intuitive experience.

The metaverse was heralded as the next paradigm shift—a fundamental change in how humans interact with technology. Yet much of that vision remains unrealized. In this talk, Sean Keogh and Daniel Schaefer trace how expectations were shaped, why many remain unmet, and what this reveals about the gap between hype and reality. They argue that the metaverse is not dead but at a crossroads: its future depends on how major players act now. The session explores the responsibility of platforms, creators, and industry leaders to collaborate, set standards, and work collectively to turn the metaverse from promise into lasting reality.

Technologie skaliert nicht von allein.
Der eigentliche Schlüssel für die erfolgreiche Implementierung von XR in Unternehmen liegt in der Weiterqualifizierung der Menschen. Basierend auf über 800 XR-Trainings zeigt Michael Stock, wie Learning & Development zur treibenden Kraft einer nachhaltigen XR-Einführung wird – und was HR- sowie L&D-Verantwortliche dafür wirklich benötigen.

Dieser Talk verbindet einen strategischen Ausblick mit praktischen Einblicken zertifizierter Metaverse-Trainer:innen und gibt klare Impulse, wie durch Training ein echter XR-Impact in der Unternehmenswelt entstehen kann.

Four student teams from the Brand University of Applied Sciences present their projects.

Immersive storytelling is an evolving landscape, and breaking in requires more than creative vision. XR creator Emilia Gozzano shares how she got started with her project “The Origin of Blindness”, supported through MOIN’s NEST programme, and how she connected with her producer via the international festival circuit. Join Deborah Reinmüller, MOIN’s Project Coordinator for Immersive Media, in conversation with Emilia, as we discuss the practical realities newcomers face, the support structures that work, and what’s still missing for emerging voices in immersive storytelling.

Moving Sound Pictures is a project in which users can interactively explore paintings by famous and contemporary visual artists through playful actions using VR technologies. Paintings are transformed into three-dimensional spaces in which the user has the opportunity to touch, move or enlarge the objects in the painting and to create music through these actions. Additionally, the user gets information about the artwork and its history. Furthermore the user has the opportunity to discover the artwork from another perspective in a unique immersive experience. These imaginary worlds are based on how I see the artworks and try to add my artistic interpretation creating a connection between visual arts and music through (visual) story-telling.

Impuls-Workshop für Einsteiger und Neugierige zu alternativen Workflows für kreative Projekte mit Hilfe von XR-Werkzeugen.

Der Workshop bietet Einblicke und Diskussionsräume für Möglichkeiten der kreativen Workflows und Grenzüberschreitungen zwischen haptischen und virtuellen Räumen.

Impuls 1 – Urban Art Show-Case: Von der Idee über die Planung in VR zum fertigen Mural mit der Software contour.

Impuls 2 – Intuitives Gestalten in VR: 3D Gestaltung von Objekten oder Figuren mit Werkzeugen im virtuellen Raum. Intuitives Characterdesign als Beispiel für skizzenhaftes und/oder konstruierendes Gestalten mit der Software Gravity Sketch.

Impuls 3 – abstrakte Ideen-Kreation in VR: Von der haptischen LEGO-Kreation über die Digitalisierung am Computer bis zum Human-Scale Prototypen im Virtual Reality Raum.

Please bring your own Device!

Werkzeuge, die zum Einsatz kommen: Gravity Sketch, Contour, LEGO, Bricklink Stud.io, SketchFab, Meta Quest 3(S), PC oder Mac.

For years, there has been talk of “interactive films,” fully immersive live-action experiences, and other new media formats in 360° VR. However, beyond 180° stereoscopic video, little real progress seems to have been made so far.

In my talk, I will provide an overview of the current state of the technology, present concrete projects by major players, and highlight the key challenges that still stand in the way.

WebAR is transforming the way culture, tourism, and brands connect with their audiences.
Without any app downloads and with direct browser access, experiences can be launched within seconds – lowering barriers while increasing impact and reach.

This talk explores how “low time to wow” drives strong user engagement, presents best practices from cultural projects across Europe, and demonstrates how WebAR can turn cultural heritage and storytelling into interactive, memorable experiences.

How can immersive experiences adapt to any real-world space? In this talk, Moritz Loos introduces the concept of responsive design for XR and shows how auto-adaptive Mixed Reality bridges the gap between physical and virtual environments. Using a parametric design approach, developers can transform any space into an free-roam VR experience without manual setup. Expect a technical deep dive into spatial mapping, procedural generation, and how integrating physical objects makes VR safer and more immersive.

Join Bizzlogic and Arcware for a hands-on workshop on scalable distribution of real-time software. Learn how cloud streaming is revolutionizing content delivery, from enterprise collaboration to interactive training simulations.
In 90 minutes, gain practical experience with pixel streaming setup, explore real-world deployment strategies from client projects, and discover optimization techniques that balance performance with budget. We’ll cover project preparation, platform selection, cost-optimization, and marketplace opportunities.
Bring your own project challenges for personalized guidance during interactive Q&A sessions. Perfect for developers, technical artists, IT managers, and innovation teams looking to scale 3D applications without traditional distribution complexity.
Bonus: Attendees receive streaming credits (up to 1000 minutes) and extended trials. Bring a Windows laptop with your Unreal project, or send it beforehand for live testing.

With Deine Fußballwelt, Coca-Cola, REWE and &AND Innovation created a gamified 3D experience that turns shoppers into fans and fans into shoppers. Through personalized avatars, challenges, and digital rewards linked to real-world purchases, the activation bridges sports passion with retail engagement. The result: an immersive, measurable “drive-to-store” loop that shows how brands can transform fandom into loyalty and sales.

Using „eVeeR – Educational Virtual Environment for Epidemic Response“ as our case study, this session explores the practical challenges of VR training development for outbreak response in low-resource settings: designing for users with zero VR experience, building offline-only functionality for remote training sites, navigating dual-use concerns, and crafting learning objectives that span technical skills to situational awareness. We’ll walk you through our design decisions and share insights from our ongoing evaluation with diverse user groups – from what resonates with users to how we balance immersive realism with practical constraints.

vHealth refers to the innovative use of Virtual Reality within the healthcare sector. This talk explores key application areas including prevention, treatment, cognitive training, medical education, and even surgical support. Through practical examples, it demonstrates how VR can enhance participation, support patients with physical or cognitive limitations, and create new bridges between research and clinical practice.
vHealth represents a forward-looking approach that connects cutting-edge technology with the real needs of people in healthcare.

In a world where technology is often measured by profit, we chose to create a game that doesn’t generate income — but creates real impact.

With Sea Shepherd: The Game, our studio demonstrates how games can merge purpose, empathy, and activism.

This talk reveals why we decided to realize the project pro bono, explores the responsibility that comes with being a creative professional, and shows why meaning can sometimes be more valuable than revenue.

A candid look behind the scenes of a game made not just to be played — but to be felt.

We explore people’s reactions to virtual museums — when they are visited via high-immersion devices. Based on an empirical study in which 400+ people visited a virtual museum using Quest 3 heads either alone or with a fellow person, we report their likes and dislikes and also point at the role of social interactions during the visit. Results reveal the potential role of virtual museums for cultural education and experiences, but also point at challenges.

In their joint talk, Jan and Davina from Jan & Dave Studios present their AI-AR Mirror—an interactive plug-and-play system that combines artificial intelligence and augmented reality to rethink brand and event experiences. They provide insights into the development process, share key design and technology decisions, and discuss the challenges encountered on the way to the final product. Using two implemented client projects, they demonstrate the mirror’s practical applications and showcase in a live demo on stage how the technology works and can be used.
The talk concludes with an open Q&A session for questions from the audience.