Name: Ed Haravon

Title: Co-Founder

Company: Get Real

LAVNCH [CODE]: We know your title, but what do you actually do at Get Real?

ED HARAVON: As co-founder of one of the very few boutique consulting firms working exclusively in the metaverse, I am working to establish Get Real as the go-to destination for businesses looking for strategic guidance on how to leverage virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 3D desktop, and other immersive technology in their organizations. On any given day I might be working with my co-founder Rob Merrilees and others on our team to drive the strategic positioning of Get Real, assisting our marketing team with our content creation and social media efforts, working directly with clients on metaverse projects and events, or engaging with peers in the industry to establish new partnerships for Get Real and keep our firm on top of the latest trends in VR/AR. We are a startup, so everyone on the Get Real team wears multiple hats.

LAVNCH [CODE]: In your opinion, what is the most exciting thing about extended reality?

EH: Extended reality is a term that has gained traction lately as a catch-all for the convergence of VR and AR technologies. Right now, they represent two distinct form factors—both of which are in their early stages. As the hardware evolves, we will likely see a single headset that looks like a regular pair of sunglasses that will be connected to 5G networks via mobile device. This XR headset will be able to toggle between a VR mode that is occluded from the outside world, and an AR mode that gives the user full field of view in the real world—with data and experiences overlaid on top. Having the best of both VR and AR in one slimmed-down device will be a primary catalyst for mainstream adoption.

LAVNCH [CODE]: Where do you see the XR market heading in the next year?

EH: We are at an interesting time in the XR market. A fascination with “all things metaverse” exploded in the fall of 2021 when Facebook changed its name to Meta. It continued earlier this year as a number of converging technologies (e.g. blockchain, AI, NFT’s, etc) became associated with the metaverse alongside VR, AR, XR, etc. There will be an ebb and flow of interest as these new technologies evolve and settle in on a practical use case. Many elements of XR technology are ready to use now, and there will continue to be a proliferation of software apps that add real value to businesses.. We are still in the early stages of XR adoption, and there are massive competitive advantages available to forward-thinking businesses who get started now.

LAVNCH [CODE]: What new XR products and services are on the horizon for Get Real?

EH: On the product side, all industry eyes are looking at Apple and the long-rumored release of their augmented reality glasses. The announcement continues to be 12-18 months away, but Apple generally gets product, functionality, and form factor right—and for that reason millions of people line up on Day One to buy a new product release. It has the potential to “bless” the XR industry into the mainstream.

In the early fall, Get Real will be expanding its ability to advise companies on their XR strategy and internal adoption by offering newly designed packages of metaverse consulting services, consisting of a high-level metaverse hardware and software overview, XR demos, industry and competitive analysis, and more. It not only will be the right place for clients to get started, but also ideal for innovation, marketing, and learning development teams to become experts in their knowledge base before kicking off project work. It also will help XR product companies increase customer success after initial sales efforts.

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

EH: Two things: First, it’s a transformative time for businesses to get involved with XR technology. As with the early stages of any emerging technology, in order for an organization to create the most compelling competitive edge it needs either an internal experienced team of business leaders and technologists who can envision, develop, and execute on a strategic plan to capitalize on a new technology, or integrate a trusted partner and advisor to help navigate software, hardware, pilot programs, develop internal advocacy, make the case for ROI to executive leadership, and more. We don’t think about needing a consultant to tell us what laptop to buy, or what smartphone to use, but back in the very early days of the internet, forward-thinking businesses sought out help to develop and deploy their online strategy. We see several parallels from earlier eras to the current time, and Get Real is the only firm fully focused on helping bring the full breadth of what XR technology can do to businesses today. To learn more about Get Real,  visit our website.

Second, for anyone who is interested in getting more involved in the XR industry locally in the Midwest, I am the president of the Chicago Chapter of VR/AR Association (VRARA), the largest trade association of VR and AR creators and practitioners in the world. We host local online and in-person meetings that highlight companies and customers in the XR space, as part of a full suite of content offerings from the global VRARA organization. If you would like to learn more visit thevrara.com or reach out to me directly at ed@thevrara.com.