AWE offers $200K prize for XR start-ups at AWE EU

In a move that is set to ignite innovation in the world of extended reality (XR), Augmented World Expo (AWE), a global provider of XR events, has unveiled an exciting opportunity for start-ups. AWE has just announced a staggering USD $200,000 prize for its Start-up Pitch Competition, which will take place at the forthcoming AWE EU event in Vienna, Austria, next month.

Empowering XR start-ups

The competition is open to all pre-Series A start-ups operating within the XR ecosystem. While it is being hosted at AWE EU with a particular focus on European XR start-ups at the pre-Series A stage, the competition welcomes entries from augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR, VR & MR) companies worldwide that meet the event’s criteria. This presents an extraordinary chance for emerging XR companies to secure a game-changing investment.

Start-up founders in the AR/VR space will have the opportunity to pitch their innovative ideas in person to a distinguished panel of judges, consisting of XR industry leaders and venture capitalists, during the Vienna event scheduled for October 25. The judging panel includes Christopher Obereder, a prominent serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Petri Rajahalme of FOV Ventures, and Leen Segers of Women in Immersive Technologies Europe (WIIT).

A lucrative opportunity

The judges’ chosen winner will not only receive the coveted USD $200,000 investment from the Start-up Chris Fund, an initiative led by Christopher Obereder, but also an esteemed Auggie Award. This award crowns the victorious start-up with the title of “Start-up to Watch” for AWE EU 2023, elevating their profile within the XR industry.

Christopher Obereder, the driving force behind the Start-up Chris Fund, boasts over 12 years of experience in the tech industry. He is not only a serial entrepreneur but also a Forbes 30 Under 30 member and one of the leading growth hackers worldwide, having generated over 350 million app installs to date.

Obereder has been an early-stage investor in several high-profile companies such as Airbnb, Arista Networks, Coinbase, Okta, and Splunk. Furthermore, he has co-founded and successfully sold four companies and played a pivotal role in helping start-ups raise more than USD $360 million in funding.

A transformative vision for XR

Expressing his enthusiasm for the collaboration with AWE EU, Obereder stated, “To be able to partner with AWE EU and Ori’s acclaimed team in my home country of Austria is an outstanding opportunity to show the world that XR start-ups are at the leading edge of transforming so many different industries across B2B as well as B2C markets.”

Obereder firmly believes that small and innovative XR companies are just as capable of revolutionizing traditional markets as industry giants, and he anticipates the judges share his excitement about this exceptional opportunity.

Mark your calendar

The Start-up to Watch Competition will be a highlight of the Augmented World Expo, which is scheduled to take place from October 24 to 25. This event promises to be a pivotal moment for XR innovators, offering them a chance to secure significant funding and recognition in the industry.

AWE’s USD $200,000 prize for XR start-ups at AWE EU presents a remarkable opportunity for emerging XR companies to showcase their groundbreaking ideas and secure vital funding. With Christopher Obereder’s expertise and vision driving the initiative, this competition is poised to elevate the XR industry to new heights, all under the spotlight of AWE EU in Vienna. As the countdown to this event begins, XR enthusiasts and entrepreneurs alike should mark their calendars and prepare to witness the birth of the next XR success story.