Extended reality, or XR, includes the related fields of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. While it’s a relatively new industry, it’s already extending its influence on everything from gaming and movies to the medical and health industries, and much more. There’s a lot to learn, and that means many events feature conference tracks and education sessions as well as exhibitions or trade shows. Exhibiting at these VR conferences gets your products and services in front of an audience that’s knowledgeable, focused, and engaged.

1. CES®

For those in the consumer technology industry, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the biggest event of the year. The exhibition draws massive crowds, and people flock to the dozens of conference tracks that are also included in the event schedule. In 2023 the VR conference program includes many topics relating to virtual and augmented reality, such as the metaverse and gaming, digital health, smart home and lifestyle, and more.

CES regularly attracts thousands of exhibitors and tens of thousands of attendees from all over the world. Who’s attending CES in 2023? Around 85,000 attended CES 2022, virtually and online, and that figure should be even higher in 2023. Event attendees for 2023 include:

• Over 300 companies from the Fortune Global 500
• 83 Interbrand 100 companies
• Over 40 top retailers
• From 171 countries
• 60% of registered attendees are senior-level executives.

WHEN: January 5-8, 2023

WHERE: Las Vegas, NV at the Las Vegas Convention Center and The Venetian, and online

LEARN MORE: https://www.ces.tech/

2. METAVSUMMIT

This event is all about education and investment. The METAVSUMMIT is small, with around 3,000 attendees and 50 to 100 exhibitors expected to attend in 2023. However, the focus on investment means that at this event everyone you meet means business. Over 75% of attendees are CEOs or company founders. Attendees also include investors—many from Dubai and the Middle East—who are looking for the next big thing in XR, the metaverse, and cryptocurrency.

WHEN: January 11-12, 2023

WHERE: Dubai, UAE at the Dubai World Trade Center

LEARN MORE: https://www.metavsummit.com/

3. SPIE AR-VR-MR/SPIE Photonics West

SPIE AR-VR-MR is all about the hardware that enables virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. And SPIE Photonics West is the world’s premiere event for all things lasers and biomedical, biophotonic, and optoelectronic technology. These two events are co-located, and registering for one also grants access to the other.

The audience for these events includes leaders in academia, industry, and government, with more than 10,000 people attending in 2022. People attend SPIE Photonics West to learn about the latest research and the newest innovations in the industry. And SPIE AR-VR-MR is where they head for the latest advances in extended reality hardware, including headset technologies, optical engineering, and sensing and display technologies.

WHEN: January 8-February 2, 2023

WHERE: San Francisco, CA at the Moscone Center

LEARN MORE: https://spie.org/conferences-and-exhibitions/ar-vr-mr/exhibition

                           https://spie.org/conferences-and-exhibitions/photonics-west

4. GDC

GDC is the Game Developers Conference, a gaming-focused event for people who work in the gaming industry designing games and associated software. Much of the innovation in the metaverse and extended reality is driven by the gaming world, making this a great option for businesses in these industries.

This event features an exhibition as well as hundreds of lectures, roundtables, workshops, and more. In 202, over 12,000 attendees and 200+ exhibitors are expected. The digital arm of the event, Virtual GDC Expo, provides the chance to exhibit virtually either in addition to or instead of exhibiting live at the venue.

WHEN: March 20-24, 2023

WHERE: San Francisco, CA at the Moscone Center

LEARN MORE: https://gdconf.com/

5. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Conference on VR and 3D User Interfaces

In 2023 the IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces celebrates its 30th anniversary. And after holding virtual-only conferences from 2020 to 2022, the 2023 event is also a return to the live format. This virtual reality conference is attended by researchers, engineers, and creators from all over the world. The schedule includes:

• Presentations
• Workshops
• Demos
• An exhibition of VR hardware, software, integrated systems, and peripherals

WHEN: March 25-29, 2023

WHERE: Shanghai, China at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel

LEARN MORE: https://ieeevr.org/2023/

6. Laval Virtual

This international event offers an exhibition, VR conference tracks, and dozens of international speakers. More than 6,500 attendees and 150+ exhibitors are expected at this extended reality and immersive technology conference and exhibition. Attendees include managers, CEOs, and tech experts and innovators working in virtual reality, augmented reality, and other immersive technologies.

WHEN: April 12-16, 2023

WHERE: Laval, France

LEARN MORE: https://www.laval-virtual.com/

7. Augmented World Expo USA

The Augmented World Expo (AWE) is a major event series in the XR industry. The annual event calendar includes three conferences in the USA, Europe, and Asia, along with dozens of mini events throughout the year. In 2023 AWE USA will attract over 5,000 attendees, 400 speakers, and 300+ exhibitors. Attendees at this VR conference are developers and creators, tech experts, investors, and recruiters.

AWE also features a 20,000-square-foot AR/VR experience center called the AWE Playground. Filled with the latest immersive and interactive demos and experiences, this is the perfect place to showcase a new XR technology or product.

WHEN: May 31-June 2, 2023

WHERE: Santa Clara, CA at the Santa Clara Convention Center

LEARN MORE: https://www.awexr.com/

8. XR Fair Tokyo

This huge B2B exhibition event combines a number of events under one roof. Along with the XR Fair itself, there are also events devoted to the blockchain, AI, and quantum computing. With a combined total of 25,000 attendees expected in 2023, there’s big potential for lots of booth traffic. And more than 60% of attendees are directors, managers, and other decision-makers in industries ranging from manufacturing to construction to healthcare and entertainment.

WHEN: June 28-30, 2023

WHERE: Tokyo, Japan at Tokyo Big Sight

LEARN MORE: https://www.xr-fair.jp/summer/en-gb/exhibit.html

9. SIGGRAPH

SIGGRAPH is a globally focused conference for computer graphics and interactive techniques. In 2023 the event celebrates its 50th year of innovations in:

• Digital art
• Computer graphics
• Animation
• Visual effects
• Artificial intelligence
• Extended reality

Over 12,000 attendees are expected, and the event features conference tracks, an exhibition, and a job fair.

As well as SIGGRAPH USA, there’s also SIGGRAPH Asia, which in 2023 will be held in Sydney, Australia from December 12 to 15. This version of the event also includes conference tracks and an exhibition for the Asia/Pacific audience.

WHEN: August 6-10, 2023

WHERE: Los Angeles, CA at the LA Convention Center

LEARN MORE: https://s2023.siggraph.org/

10. Industrial XR Global Summit

The Industrial XR Global Summit comprises three events that focus on industrial XR, digital twins, and edge/spatial computing, for an audience of engineers, IT managers, data specialists, and other tech experts. This event is firmly focused on B2B applications for immersive tech in a wide range of industries, including energy, refining, manufacturing, and construction.

Conference tracks and topics include:

• XR
• Immersive visualization
• Spatial computing
• The blockchain
• Wearables
• And more

This event is billed as the world’s biggest community of industrial, energy, and engineering immersive tech/3D leaders, making it an opportunity-rich event for exhibitors.

WHEN: August 28-30, 2023

WHERE: Houston, TX at the Omni Houston

LEARN MORE: https://industrialimmersive.com/events

11. IEEE ISMAR

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality is the leading academic conference on virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. It’s a small event, typically with around 500 to 700 attendees and a few dozen sponsors and exhibitors. But for those who do exhibit, it means access to a group of highly engaged attendees—academic and industry leaders looking to learn and find new solutions and technologies.

WHEN: October 16-20, 2023

WHERE: Sydney, Australia

LEARN MORE: https://www.ismar.net/

12. Immerse Global Summit

Formerly the VR/AR Global Summit, this event became the Immerse Global Summit to reflect the expansion of immersive technologies into a wider variety of industry verticals. This event is all about immersive tech, including not just extended reality, but also related fields such as cloud services, cryptocurrency, and the blockchain.

In 2022 the Immerse Global Summit returned to the live format after a couple years of virtual events. The live 2022 event attracted more than 1,000 attendees from 300 companies, with over 200 speakers. Overall, more than 20 industry verticals were represented. Conference tracks included:

• Virtual reality
• Augmented reality
• Web AR/VR
• Digital storytelling
• Holograms
• And much more

WHEN: December 5-7, 2023

WHERE: Miami, FL at the Fontainebleau Hotel

LEARN MORE: https://www.immerseglobalnetwork.com/

VR Conferences Offer Major Opportunities for Tech Companies

Over the last decade, the concept of virtual reality has taken off, not just in the relevant industries but in the minds of consumers and the general public too. Virtual reality is everywhere, and that’s reflected in the rapidly expanding array of VR conferences and events that offer opportunities for exhibitors. For businesses and brands that exhibit at these VR expos, there are chances to make new contacts, gather new leads, and also learn more about the industry.

Planning on exhibiting at any of the events above? We can make sure your booth stands out among the rest. Contact the team at ProExhibits today!