WELCOME TO THE MICHIGAN (DETROIT) CHAPTER OF THE GLOBAL ASSOCIATION FOR VR AND AR

Welcome to the Detroit Chapter of VRARA!

Detroit is a city that continues to reinvent itself. It is the home and hub of an incredibly innovative automotive industry, fast moving into a brave new world of all-electric and autonomous vehicles. The impact on associated sectors, including IT, Defense, Aerospace, Logistics, Healthcare, and much more has been astounding in its depth, breadth, and speed. What has fueled this evolution? People. A highly skilled and diverse world-class workforce with innovation in their DNA committed to making cities cleaner, safer, and more livable for all its citizens, across all demographics. The Detroit region is a dynamic, united 11-county area that encompasses more than 300 municipalities with rich geographic, human, and business assets. It is home to more than 300,000 businesses, including 11 Fortune 500 companies, 5.4 million people, and numerous world-renown educational institutions, world-class healthcare research, and delivery organizations. All in a region renowned for its beautiful freshwater lakes and abundant natural resources. 

What does that mean to this organization? As a group, we have unprecedented opportunities in our industry. This chapter, this year, is committed to three main goals.

  1. Ensuring that our current members have access to our national association’s resources and can use them in a way to grow their respective businesses or to educate those entering the workforce about the opportunities here for them.

  2. Growing membership by engaging new industries in the high value of the kinds of immersive communications we create with our latest technologies.

  3. Growing this industry as a whole in this region by showcasing the newest technology tools. As part of VRARA Detroit, we plan to use Detroit’s wealth of resources to be actively involved in this industry’s future.  

These past few months, Detroit has been hit hard by COVID-19. We envision VR and AR as a tool to combat the fallout from this worldwide pandemic. As more and more people become reliant on virtual interaction, the need for these products and services is more significant than ever. It could be implemented across disciplines, education, healthcare, business, and collaboration. The Detroit Chapter of VRAR is committed to bringing forth all the resources the greater Detroit region has to offer to help our members grow to meet the incredible challenges and opportunities we know is becoming a new normal. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

See all events here

FEATURED EVENTS

FEATURED MEMBERS

THE TEAM

Chapter President:

Greg Melling greg@thevrara.com

Greg Melling is a Creative Technology Executive that has been driving innovation in the Industrial and Media & Entertainment domains for over 25 years. He started his career at General Motors in 1993 as a 3D designer working in the early days of virtual reality and digital product experience. He moved into the world of software technology in 2000. Since then, Greg has been a pioneer in visualization technology, taking a range of leadership roles in market development, consulting, and corporate strategy. During his career he has formed and contributed to the innovation initiatives for over 50 Fortune 500 companies gaining insights and pushing the envelope of what's possible in the areas of 3D product development, advanced visualization, digital experience and simulation. He never stops exploring how technology can propel the human experience, drive productivity, and transform the marketplace. Currently, Greg is at Unity Technologies where he works as a Sr. Strategist advancing the power of real-time 3D in industry.

Chapter President:

Brad Waid

Brad is an Award-Winning Emerging Technology Leader, President of New Horizons Global, International Keynote Speaker, Educator, Global Influencer, Visionary, Futurist and Author specializing in AR/VR/XR, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. He is tabbed as one of the top 20 Global Futurist & Keynote Speakers by TAFFD and has been recognized as the #14 Influencer, worldwide, in Augmented Reality by Onalytica. He is an industry thought leader in Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0 and more. Brad has also been recognized as one of the “20 to Watch” by the National School Board Association.


TESTIMONIALS

PIXO VR is proud to be a VRARA member. As an organization, VRARA has helped foster and build the VR community like no other, effectively educating and advocating on behalf of this world-changing technology. In a dynamic field, with so many new players and ideas, VRARA has served as an essential touchstone, helping us learn, share, and grow as a business.
— Sean Hurwitz, CEO

NETWORK

Connect and build strong relationships with key players in the VR/AR ecosystem through VRARA or partner-hosted events.

COLLABORATE 

Work with innovators in the VR/AR ecosystem across all verticals, from original content creators to innovative hardware companies.

RESEARCH

Gain unlimited, exclusive access to VRARA research and publications, or, when applicable, receive discounts to third-party reports.