The metaverse means many things to many people, and while some communities or platforms may be niche, others are in the hundreds of millions. In this session we talked to industry experts about the various platforms and communities that make up the metaverse and deep-dive on who is there, and their characteristics and behaviors.

This was a vital panel for any brand wanting to answer questions about compatibility, behavior and reach in “the metaverse” and anyone creating – or interested in creating – experiences. We were honored to have panelists with backgrounds in user experience design, community building, immersive technology and who look at the metaverse through a lens of inclusion, accessibility, and impact.

See here for links, video, and ways to reach our esteemed panelists.

SPEAKERS

Michelle Excell (Moderator), Chief Strategist, The Antipodean | LinkedIn

Michelle Excell, Chief Strategist, The Antipodean – Michelle is Chief Strategist and CEO of The Antipodean. She consults with brands and agencies to evolve their immersive and creative technology roadmaps. A tech-optimist, Michelle strives to inspire teams, yet always brings briefs and initiatives back to value-creation. Her specialty is translating complexity into relatable experiences and steps for everyone.

The Antipodean partners with The Electric Factory for strategy, design, and production. Electric are a group of technologists and creators who specialize in immersive digital experiences for AR/VR/web/experiential, metaverse, and content creation for both digital and traditional channels.

Ariba Jahan (she/her), VP, Product Experience and Innovation, The Ad Council | LinkedIn

Ariba Jahan is the VP of Product Experience and Innovation at the Ad Council, where she pioneered and scaled the organization’s design innovation practice. She leads the non-profit’s innovation department and co-leads the emergent tech center of excellence. As a multi-disciplinary product & innovation leader, Ariba passionately advocates for a world where all tech is built responsibly in order to serve humanity. She is an international keynote speaker and panelist for organizations like Vox Media, Interaction Design Association, Etsy, Ogilvy, US Chambers of Commerce, Women Who Code, Hubspot, and Columbia University.

Outside of her day job, she serves as the Head of Data and Insights on the Asians in Advertising Advisory Board, as an advisor on the Emeritus Council for Women In Innovation and as an adjunct faculty at Parsons School of Design. With 10+ years of expertise working with startups, brands, and non-profits, she believes that we must normalize accessibility, meaningful human connections, ethical interactions, and democratized learning in the products and experiences we create.

Nirmala Shome, Head of Community, The Fabricant | LinkedIn

Nirmala Shome joined the The Fabricant in 2020. She has worked across product and production, and now heads up the Community pillar. She fosters The Fabricant’s mission to grow and nurture the new digital-only fashion ecosystem within her thriving community. In her past web2 life she worked on product innovation teams at Spotify, Google Creative Lab, Xbox, Nike, Samsung, Apple, and more to deliver consumer facing solutions for emerging tech.

She started her career in advertising and digital production working across Melbourne and New York and now in based in Amsterdam. She now spends her time thinking about web 3 ecology and how to steward the new equitable economy.

Jake Steinerman, Head of Community, Spatial |LinkedIn

Jake is leading the charge in revolutionizing the way we connect and interact online. With a decade of experience in the AR/VR space, Jake has established himself as a trailblazer in the industry, helping everyone from Fortune 500 enterprises and consumer brands to individual creators, create engaging immersive experiences for their audiences.

At Spatial, Jake is utilizing his extensive background to build a community of artists, designers, and creators pushing the boundaries of the immersive, interactive internet. As a social 3D platform, Spatial offers the ultimate tool for game designers, enabling them to turn their Unity scenes into live, multi-player experiences across web, VR, and mobile in just one click.