Now in its 15th year, Augmented World Expo (AWE) is where emerging tech professionals go to learn, connect, and grow their business in the extended reality (XR) ecosystem. This year’s event will be held June 18-20 in Long Beach, CA.

Ahead of the show, the LAVNCH [CODE] team sat down with AWE exhibitors to see what they expect to see trending on the show floor and why emerging tech pros should visit their booths.

Executive interview with Suzanne Borders, co-founder and CEO, BadVR.

LAVNCH [CODE]: Why are you exhibiting at AWE 2024?

SUZANNE BORDERS: BadVR is exhibiting at AWE 2024 because it’s the largest, most engaged extended reality (XR) community event in America! I’ve been attending AWE since 2018 and my company, BadVR, has had a booth at AWE every year since its inception. AWE is a must-attend event because it’s where the entire XR industry comes together to discuss—and do—XR business! Whether I’ve been looking for investors, new hires, or advisors, I always find the people I am seeking at AWE, and they are always extremely passionate about XR technology… which is a huge plus! This year is even more exciting for me, as it’s the first year the event is being held in my hometown of L.A.and just being able to drive a few exits down the highway is very exciting/ I’m really curious to see how the location change will reinvigorate (or otherwise change) the event vibe and/or crowd.

LAVNCH [CODE]: What is one trend you expect to see at the show and why?

SB: I love AWE because it’s always a glimpse into the future of XR. This year, I expect to see a lot of AI + XR enabled solutions, along with much lighter weight headsets and devices with more processing power and more mobility/portability. I expect to see more products really making use of the AI + XR + 5G trifecta, really giving us a glimpse into the future of what XR technology will be once it’s finally universally adopted by both consumers and businesses. In the immediate, I also expect to see a great many more specialized business use cases that have developed over the past year, as well as more defense and government use cases and products. There will be less of a focus on consumer stuff (outside of gaming apps) and more specialization within existing business verticals, such as training, data visualization, etc.

LAVNCH [CODE]:Why should attendees visit your booth at the show?

SB: Well, BadVR’s booth will contain me and my awesome team and our “badass” products; of course, you’ll want to come by! But beyond our general awesomeness, you’ll want to stop by to see the latest releases of our two products—AROC (Augmented Reality Operations Center), our virtual command and control data center, and SeeSignal (an app that gives you the super human ability to literally see the RF spectrum using augmented reality). While you’re at the BadVR booth, don’t forget to chat with us about our Space Force work or we can explore any potential opportunities to partner together to change the way the world experiences data! Lastly, if you’re looking for an XR job, please stop by! We’d love to meet you and chat if you’re interested in potentially working for BadVR.

LAVNCH [CODE]: Anything else you’d like to add?

SB: I’d like to thank the AWE event organizers for giving us XR geeks an opportunity to connect every year and I’d love to thank AWE for moving the event to L.A. I may be biased as a (mostly) native Los Angeleno, but I think it’s the perfect location. I’d also encourage everyone attending the event from out of town to explore the city of L.A.. Not that Long Beach isn’t rad, but take a minute to visit other parts of the city as well. Catch a Dodgers or a Lakers game! Get dinner at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills, or if you’re vegan, check out Gracias Madre in West Hollywood. If you have a sweet tooth like me, check out Levain Bakery in Larchmont (best cookies in L.A.). Lastly, I’d love to invite anyone curious about BadVR’s technology or products to please reach out to me for a demo of our technology while you’re in town. Send me an email at info@badvr.com.

To learn more about BadVR, visit the company in Booth 607 at AWE 2024.

Click here to stay up-to-date with the latest show news and visit our AWE USA 2024 hub.