Innovators, entrepreneurs and those looking to get a good look at the latest virtual reality tech gathered at the Atlanta Tech Village for Atlanta Inno's first State of Innovation event Wednesday night.
We had a showcase featuring founders from four startups---VRGluv, STEM Power, Civic Eagle and Sprocket Creative---who told us what they're working on in the ecosystem. The crowd was lively during networking sessions, connecting with local innovators and community members. After a warm welcome and a little intro about Atlanta Inno, guests gabbed over wine and beer, chowed down on a few appetizers and treats, then settled in for our panel on VR.
We had a great discussion between some of the brightest minds in the game: Chris Taylor, CEO of VRGluv, Gaspar Ferreiro, founder of Project Ghost Studios, Dana Dojnik, director of strategy at You Are Here Labs and Dean Velez, creative art director at Sprocket Creative. Here are some of my takeaways from the night.
- Don't compare these guys to "Ready Player One." Look, we all saw the movie, it was great, but don't try to downplay the cool, creative and groundbreaking work that's actually happening in the VR world. The panelists agreed that we're close to a first or second generation of VR, whereas "Ready Player One" is closer to generation seven or eight. But I loved what Dojnik said about the rapid pace at which we're closing the gap between generations---from smartphones to laptops, we're getting their faster and faster across the board. “The period of time is shrinking everyday from a new experience," she said.
- Talent retention is essential. Atlanta, and the state, have a great pool of talent from institutions like Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, SCAD and more. However, a few of our panelists said keeping talent in Atlanta is harder when companies like Disney or Magic Leap are taking the best and brightest out to California, New York or even Florida. We need to fight to keep the best in the biz here in the Big A.
- Collaboration is key and it's happening here. All our panelists knew each other or knew of each other prior to our meetup. They've borrowed each other's gear or asked for help when they needed it. I've personally said time and time again that Atlanta's tech scene is collaborative in a way that no other ecosystem is, but it's great to see that sentiment in realtime.
- VR engages your brain like nothing else we've seen---your lizard brain to be exact. Research has shown that VR has the capability to tap into your limbic cortex---the back of the brain that controls basic survival instincts and human behavior like fight or flight, hunger, addiction, sex---in a way that no other immersive media has in the past. Users have reported higher pain tolerance while under the influence of VR. When used for training purposes, people have 30 to 40 percent better retention of the material in a virtual world. And these are just things we know, the research on how this tech effects our brains is minimal at best. Velez even mentioned he's witnessed a woman recall a repressed memory after watching content with Sprocket Creative. This is a must watch for the industry as a whole.
- VR ≠ 3D TVs. Critics of the industry have often chanted VR is a fading trend, much like the bust of the 3D TV. However, our panelists mentioned 3D TVs were only slightly different from regular viewing, and thus less enticing to the public, whereas VR is a groundbreaking evolution of tech that's only just beginning.
- Don't knock it before you try it. To the critics of VR, the gang says your wrong, but they want you to try it out for yourself. Many people walk away from experiences with a different outlook after actually trying one of these modes of tech.
Thank you to those who attended and allowed us to show you a little Southern hospitality. Thanks to our event sponsors last night – Zendesk and Atlanta Tech Village – for helping make last night possible. We hope to see you at our next event in September!
