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AUGMENTED WORLD EXPO 2025 ANNOUNCES XR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES, AUGGIE AWARDS FINALISTS, AND STARTUP PITCH COMPETITION FINALISTSIndustry Leaders and Innovators Recognized for Groundbreaking XR Contributions at the World's Leading AR/VR Conference LONG BEACH, Calif., May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Augmented World Expo (AWE) USA 2025 prepares to kick off in Long Beach, California, the global XR community is set to celebrate another milestone year of innovation, creativity, and impact in spatial computing. Now in its 16th year, AWE is proud to announce the newest inductees to the XR Hall of Fame and unveil the finalists for both the 2025 Auggie Awards and the Start-Up Pitch Competition—marking a record-breaking year for the industry's most prestigious honors. Honoring 10 New XR Hall of Fame Inductees The future of XR is built on a foundation laid by decades of visionary work. That foundation took physical form in 2024 with the launch of the AWE XR Hall of Fame—a living tribute to the trailblazers whose bold visions, technical breakthroughs, and creative leaps helped shape today's $40 billion XR industry. The inaugural class recognized 101 pioneers whose contributions spanned five decades across augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. These individuals didn't just imagine the possibilities of XR—they brought them to life. In 2025, the XR Hall of Fame adds 10 new inductees who have significantly shaped XR over the past 50 years. Their contributions span immersive art, hardware innovations, digital health, media, and education, transforming how XR is designed and understood globally. Their visionary work has left a lasting impact on the industry's past, present, and future. The 2025 XR Hall of Fame inductees are:
These distinguished individuals will be honored throughout AWE USA 2025, including a special tribute during the Auggie Awards Ceremony to highlight their achievements and inspire the next generation of XR innovators. Explore the full list and learn more about the XR Hall of Fame at: https://www.awexr.com/blog/meet-the-2025-inductees-to-the-xr-hall-of-fame. 2025 Auggie Awards Finalists Announced This year, the Auggie Awards continue to spotlight excellence in XR. With a record number of submissions, the 2025 competition is the largest in the awards' history—a testament to the maturity of the tech and the explosion of XR builders creating apps and experiences for everyone on earth. Since 2010, the Auggies have celebrated groundbreaking technology, compelling content, and real-world impact. Finalists were selected through a combination of public voting and expert review, and now advance to the final judging round led by AWE's esteemed advisory panel. This year's awards cover 19 categories, highlighting the top global innovations in XR. Finalists are showcased in the Auggie Awards Gallery, with winners announced live on June 11 during the Auggie Awards ceremony, held on AWE's Main Stage. Each winner will receive the prestigious Auggie Award Trophy, custom-designed by artist Sigal Arad Inbar, and gain international recognition among XR leaders, investors, and media. Congratulations to all 2025 finalists, and thank you to everyone who submitted and voted in this year's competition. Finalists for each category are as follows: Best Art or Film: Best Campaign: Best Climate Change Solution: Best Collaboration Tol: Best Consumer App: Best Content Creator(s): Best Creator & Authoring Tool: Best Developer Tool: Best Education & Training Solution: Best Enterprise Solution: Best Game or Toy: Best Headworn Device: Best Healthcare & Wellness Solution: Best Indie Creator(s): Best Interaction Product: Best Location-Based Entertainment: Best Societal Impact: Best Use of AI: Best Web3 Implementation: 2025 Start-Up Pitch Competition Finalists Announced This year, the AWE Start-Up Pitch Competition continues to showcase the next generation of XR innovation. A select group of AR and VR start-ups will present their groundbreaking ideas and technologies, competing for recognition as this year's Start-Up to Watch. The finalists were chosen for their exceptional contributions to the XR space, each bringing fresh perspectives and exciting solutions to the immersive technology landscape. These visionary companies will pitch their cutting-edge ideas in front of a panel of esteemed XR investors during AWE USA 2025. Finalists are listed on the Start-Up Pitch Competition page, with the winner announced live on June 11 during the Auggie Awards ceremony on the AWE USA 2025 Main Stage. The winning start-up will receive the Start-Up to Watch Auggie Award—an esteemed honor recognized by XR leaders, investors, and media. Finalists are as follows: See more about the finalists: https://www.awexr.com/usa-2025/startup_pitch. Join the World's Largest XR Community at AWE USA 2025 AWE USA 2025 will welcome over 5,000 attendees, 400+ speakers, and 250+ global exhibitors at this year's leading immersive event. Tickets are available for purchase now. Don't miss your chance to be part of the world's most influential XR gathering. Register for the conference here. Members of the media or content creators that wish to request a media pass can do so at this link: https://awexr.com/press-pass About AWE: AWE (Augmented World Expo) is the world's leading AR+VR conference and expo with events in the USA, Asia and Europe. AWE events consistently bring together a mix of CEOs, CTOs, designers, developers, creative agencies, futurists, analysts, investors and top press in a unique opportunity to learn, inspire, partner and experience firsthand one of the most exciting industries of our times. AWE USA 2025 marks the 16th edition of the must attend global XR industry event; now for the second time in our new home in Long Beach, California. The 3-day AR VR conference is packed with sessions from 400+ top speakers across 14 tracks; covering tech and applications in many verticals. The Expo Hall features over 250 exhibitors offering hands-on experience with the latest spatial computing technologies. Pre-conference workshops, community meetups, and networking opportunities give guests numerous ways to connect, learn, and grow their XR businesses at AWE USA. For more information please contact: Alyssa Maslowski
SOURCE AWE (Augmented World Expo) 
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