AWE 2017 Announces Keynote Speakers and Agenda for World's Largest AR+VR Conference

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AWE (Augmented World Expo), the world's largest and longest running conference and expo dedicated to augmented and virtual reality, today announced its most comprehensive agenda ever of AR+VR technologists and Fortune 500 keynotes and sessions for AWE 2017. AWE has become the must-attend event focusing on the world-changing power of AR+VR, with individuals and industry coming together to share applications that will profoundly shape the future of work and life.

AWE's extraordinary agenda this year includes 300+ speakers, with keynotes by "Shots of Awe" filmmaker, philosopher and futurist Jason Silva, "The Fourth Transformation" author and Transformative Group partner Robert Scoble, and game designer, author and Carnegie Mellon scholar Jesse Schell.

Reflecting the rapid proliferation of AR+VR technologies across all public and private sectors, new additions to the AWE lineup include major mainstream brands, like Audi, the U.S. Olympic Committee, NASA, Boeing, Lowe's, Shazam, Wayfair, Walmart, 3M, Technicolor and Bosch, as well as technology icons Google, Epson, Huawei, Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oculus, Unity, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony and Vuforia. Historically, AWE has annually hosted the longest and most inventive list of AR+VR startups to be seen anywhere, including CN2, innovation.rocks, Kopin, ODG, DAQRI, Meta, RE'FLEKT, Scope AR, twnkls, Wikitude, Zappar and many more.

The eighth annual AWE conference will welcome thousands of attendees from around the world to the Santa Clara Convention Center, May 31-June 2. Event details and registration are live at http://www.augmentedworldexpo.com.

AR+VR technology industry visionaries – Attendees will hear keynotes and discussion panels on the future of AR+VR consumer and enterprise technology led by industry futurists and pioneers, hardware, software and mainstream brands, and investors and venture capitalists. Noted industry executives scheduled to speak on the AWE stage include:

• Jim Heppelmann, President & CEO, PTC
• Rikard Steiber – President Viveport & SVP Virtual Reality, HTC Vive
• Achin Bhowmik – Vice President & General Manager, Perceptual Computing Group, Intel
• Zvi Greenstein – General Manager, Nvidia
• Gaia Dempsey - Co-founder & VP, DAQRI
• Ralph Osterhout - CEO, Osterhout Design Group
• Tony Parisi – Global Head of VR/AR, Unity Technologies
• Mounir Zok - Director of Technology & Innovation, United States Olympic Committee
• Jerri Ellsworth – Co-founder, castAR
• Tim Leland - VP Product Management, Qualcomm
• Jay Wright, President & General Manager, Vuforia, PTC
• Rachel Sibley - VP Product, Leap Motion
• Edward Tang – Co-founder & CTO, Avegant
• Meron Gribetz – Founder & CEO, Meta
• Max Cecchini - VP Digital Innovation, Luxottica
• Ana Serrano - Chief Digital Officer, Canadian Film Centre
• Tish Shute - Director AR/VR, Corporate Technology Strategy, Huawei
• Fabio Santini - Chief Product Officer, Shazam
• Kyle Nel - Executive Director of Lowe's Innovation Labs, Lowe's Home Improvement
• John C.C. Fan – CEO & Chairman of the Board, Kopin Corporation
• Richard Lucquet - Head of AR/VR Product & Strategy, Verizon
• Gary Radburn - Director of VR/AR, Dell
• Tom Furness - Founder, Virtual Worlds Society
• Ruth Bram – Producer, Oculus/Facebook
• Steven Feiner - Professor, Columbia University

More than 300 breakout sessions covering many of AR+VR tech's hottest topics – Sessions will be presented from AR+VR thought leaders on best practices and uses cases of AR+VR within the consumer and enterprise space along with workshops tailored for designers and developers on creating content for these technologies. AWE 2017 sessions cover a wide range of topics including manufacturing, training, transportation, retail, healthcare, aerospace, media, entertainment, marketing and advertising and more.

Supporting quotes
"Together, iconic technology companies, Fortune 500 brands and pure platform startups are building groundbreaking experiences and business models using augmented and virtual reality, at a pace we've never seen before," said Ori Inbar, founder and executive producer of AWE. "We are excited to have AWE back in Silicon Valley this year for what we expect to be our biggest and most inclusive event yet. AWE has become the premier deal-making marketplace for the AR+VR industry, where Fortune 500 companies find business solutions, strategic partnerships are forged, funds raised, talent hired, and new startups are born."

"IDC* recently projected that the augmented and virtual reality spend will grow from $6.1 billion last year to $143.3 billion by 2020," said Tom Emrich, partner, Super Ventures and co-producer of AWE. "This implies an imminent seismic shift in AR+VR technology use from primarily consumer entertainment and retail experiences to the broader world of sales, training, field work, energy, military and medical applications—all of which echo the theme for this year's event 'Superpowers to Change the World.'" 

"The augmented reality revolution fulfills the dream of turning our minds inside out," said Jason Silva, "Shots of Awe" filmmaker and AWE 2017 keynoter. "With applications and experiences poised to transform every facet of modern life, I am very excited to participate in this year's AWE."

In search for the best-of-the-best in AR+VR with the Auggie Awards
Each year, companies big and small pave the way for the continued success of AR+VR through unexpected innovations. The coveted Auggie Awards have recognized these contributions annually since 2010. Now in its 8th year, the Auggies continue to showcase the best-of-the-best with 200 nominations across 10 categories. 

Public voting is open April 29 to May 22 via the Auggie Awards portal. Winners will be announced at AWE USA 2017 on June 1, 2017.

More about Augmented World Expo
AWE (Augmented World Expo) is the largest AR+VR conference and expo showcasing technologies which are augmenting our human capabilities, turning ordinary experiences into the extraordinary and empowering people to be better at anything they do in work and life: Superpowers to the People. AWE USA 2017 will feature over 300 speakers and 200 exhibitors leading the charge in augmented and virtual reality. Join over PTC attendees to explore over 100,000 square feet of cutting-edge demonstrations.

For more information and to register to attend, please visit www.augmentedworldexpo.com. Journalists can request a complimentary press pass to Augmented Reality Expo 2017 by emailing [email protected].

Please follow Augmented World Expo on twitter at @ARealityEvent and #AWE2017.

More about Augmentedreality.org
AWE is produced by AugmentedReality.ORG a 501 (c) (6) non-profit organization. All profits are reinvested in AR.ORG's services. Its mission is to Advance Augmented Reality to Advance Humanity. It's Goal: 1 billion active users of AR by 2020.

AR.org facilitates and catalyzes the global and regional transformation of the AR industry by

• Educating and boosting awareness about the real power of AR 
• Connecting the best talent around the world with the best in AR 
• Hatching AR initiatives and helping bring them to market

*Source: IDC Worldwide Semiannual Augmented and Virtual Reality Spending Guide, February 2017

SOURCE AWE (Augmented World Expo)