UnitedXR Europe 2025 — Day 1 Recap

First, Alexandra and Ori welcomed attendees and shared the event’s mission: to unite the XR ecosystem in Europe – as its name suggests. The morning program focused on Europe’s strategic priorities in immersive technologies.

Welcome Keynote: European XR Ecosystem

Alexandra GÉRARD (UnitedXR & Stereopsia) and Michael BARNGROVER (XR4Europe) opened the event on the Main Stage.

“UnitedXR Europe opens with a big question. What kind of future do we want to build together? We are surrounded by conversations about AI, immersive technologies, virtual worlds, and the shift to automated systems. But beneath every technology lies something far more important: the values we choose to put into it.” said Alexandra in her opening remarks.

Virtual Worlds and Web4.0 EU Strategy

Anne Bajart (European Commission) outlined Europe’s coordinated strategy for Virtual Worlds and Web4.0, highlighting a four-pillar approach focused on safety, growth, interoperability, and sustainability. With new citizen-focused initiatives and fresh funding opportunities through Digital Europe and Horizon Europe, the EU is laying the groundwork for safe, open and inclusive virtual worlds.

Meet the XR Associations Panel

Moderated by Luis BRAVO MARTINS (XRSI Europe) with contributions from Luke PORWOL, Thomas KUBSKI, Lorena GONZÁLEZ, and Mariia POLIAKOVA, the session mapped how regional ecosystems work together and where Europe can grow stronger.

Enterprise and EMIC Programs

Two major program pillars ran throughout Day 1.

Enterprise VIP Program

The Enterprise VIP Program, sponsored by Niantic, Inc., welcomed enterprise guests with curated roundtables focused on real adoption:

• Review of XR Hardware for Enterprises with Marc Bringuier
• Understanding XR + AI with Kevin O'Donovan

Participants also joined guided conversations and received personalized recommendations for sessions and exhibitors to visit later this week. During the following days our enterprise VIP guests will have the chance to take guided tours of the expo, more roundtable conversations and dedicated sessions on the Enterprise Track.

EMIC Program

The EMIC program (European Market for Immersive Creativity) opened today as a key meeting point for Europe’s creative XR community, bringing together national associations, regional ecosystems, and leading EU-funded projects. Attendees connected with European XR Associations such as XR4Europe, Inmersiva XR, XR Wallonia-HITT, VRINN, VRBB, EDFVR, XR Valley, CIIIIC, and many more. Alongside them, EU-funded projects like TRANSMIXR, Amplify, Theia-XR, and INDUX-R gathered to present their work and meet potential partners.

The area stayed lively all day with introductions, project showcases, and networking for anyone developing narrative XR experiences or seeking new collaborators from across Europe.

EMIC continues over the next two days with The Booster project pitches followed by direct B2B networking with producers, distributors, and film funds. The program also features dedicated “Meet-the” sessions, including Meet the German Creators, Meet the Gaming Industry, and several other opportunities for professionals to connect with the right partners across Europe.

EMIC is supported by the Creative Media Program of the European Commission.

Industry and Global Outlook

Industrial Metaverse Panel

A session sponsored by Niantic Spatial, Inc. brought together speakers from DIMECC, KONE, Nokia, and Business Finland to share real enterprise use cases across industrial workflows.

Meta Policy Keynotes

Meta delivered a policy-focused keynote on the Main Stage, addressing growth, responsibility, and what the next year looks like for immersive technologies in Europe. Two additional Meta talks took place today: Meta’s Ellysse Dick El-Shrafi explored how rapidly advancing wearable AI is reshaping privacy expectations and social norms, urging cross-sector collaboration to ensure innovation and consumer trust evolve together.

Immediately after, the XRCC workshop shifted focus to hands-on creation, guiding developers through the full process of publishing their XR projects to the Meta Horizon Store — from building APKs to preparing store pages and avoiding common approval pitfalls. Together, the sessions highlighted both the societal implications of emerging AI wearables and the practical steps creators can take to bring new XR experiences to real users worldwide.

Global XR Keynote by Ori Inbar

UnitedXR co-founder Ori INBAR delivered the Global Keynote: State of XR, delivering a clear message — AI loves XR, it’s going mainstream, and it’s finally good enough to change everything. From real enterprise adoption to creators pushing boundaries, momentum is building fast as builders, tools, and a thriving community come together to shape what’s next.

Missed it? Catch the full keynote here.

Community Hub: EU Village

The EU Village in Shed 1 opened as a central meeting point for conversations on research, funding, and European collaboration. Attendees explored projects such as Theia-XR, INDUX-R, TRANSMIXR, and Amplify, while also meeting associations like XR4Europe, XR Wallonia HITT, XRBB, and INMERSIVA XR. The space stays open from 9:00 on Days 2 and 3, do not miss it.

Closing Panel and Evening Gathering

The final session of the day on the main stage, Between Hype and Reality, brought together Pieter Siekerman, Gabriele ROMAGNOLI, Antony VITILLO, and Casandra VUONG for a straightforward look at what truly mattered in XR this year, where expectations still exceed capabilities and what the community should prepare for as deployment and creativity continue to grow.

The Welcome Party, Sponsored by Lenovo & AMD, closed Day 1 with relaxed conversations and reunions over drinks.

Here's the day 1 recap video:

Coming Up on Day 2: Key Activities

Here are some of the highlights for tomorrow:

• 9:00 - Snap Keynote, Maison de la Poste, Main Stage
• 9:00 - Scientific Conference, Maison de la Poste, Academic Track, Workshop Room 2, Orangerie
• 9:30 - Building the Living Map: Where AI Meets the Real World, Thomas GEWECKE - Niantic Spatial, Inc., Maison de la Poste, Main Stage
• 10:00 - The Next Big Thing Isn’t on Your Phone: It’s AI-Powered XR, and It’s Already Taking Over, Xpanceo, Maison de la Poste, Main Stage
• 10:30 - PANEL: Inspiring XR Use Cases in Industry, XR for Industry | Organised by XR Wallonia HITT, Maison de la Poste, Main Stage
• 10:30 - Builders Program Lightning Talks, Shed 1, Pitch Stage
• 11:00 - Expo Opening in Shed 1
• 14:00 - The Booster Project Pitches, Shed 1, Pitch Stage
• 14:30 - Builders Demo Hour, Shed 1, BIS Lounge
• 14:45 - Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association Session, Gaming & Entertainment, Maison de la Poste, Track Room 4
• 15:30 - XR Research Programmes: Wallonia Meets Morocco, Academic Track, Maison de la Poste, Track Room 4
• 16:30 - Happy Hour Sponsored by EDFVR + XR4Europe, Shed 1
• 17:00 - Booster Awards Ceremony, Start-up & Investors, Shed 1, Pitch Stage
• 17:30 - Happy Hour Sponsored by Meta, Shed 1, BIS Lounge
• 19:00 - XR Awards Gala, Maison de la Poste, Main Stage - separate ticket is needed for access

See full agenda here