On Nov. 12 and 13, Immersia Labs, a platform that explores the benefits of cannabis, hosted its debut event, Immersia Connect, which connected California cannabis brands with buyers in the state.
The company had originally intended to produce live in-person events, but when the pandemic hit, like most production companies and brands, Immersia Labs needed to pivot to virtual events.
For its recent B-to-B virtual trade show that gathered over 100 buyers and exhibitors, the team partnered with Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Matterport, a spatial data company that turned the trade show floor into an immersive "digital twin." This allowed the buyers to see the products via 3D virtual storefronts, similar to an IRL trade show experience. Immersia Labs also worked with Southern Calif.-based technology and design firm Brickworks to develop the trade show application.
“We always wanted the Immersia platform to have real products like a proper in-person trade show,” explained John Reese, one of the founders of Immersia Labs and Immersia Connect. “We wanted to set ourselves apart from the platforms that are already out there. ... Matterport allows for real-life integration.”
Reese said that his team built a real-life booth outfitted with display areas and then worked with the exhibitors to place their products throughout the booth. Matterport's AI platform, which is used extensively in the hospitality and real estate industries, then turns phone scans of the booth into interactive 3D models. Attendees could navigate the virtual interface through a clickable floor plan map and explore the individual booths, which included shoppable hotspots, allowing buyers to click on a product and view details such as pricing. Attendees could also schedule a meeting or ask questions when visiting a virtual booth.
Attendees could navigate the virtual interface through a clickable floor plan map.Photo: Courtesy of Immersia Labs
In addition to wandering the digital trade show floor, attendees could also tune into Immersia Talks, sponsored by cannabis marketplace Vana, which was a series of prerecorded and live interviews and informational discussions with celebrities, athletes, musicians, and entrepreneurs including Rick Ross, Gary Payton, Jason Pinsky, Bert McCracken, David Draiman, the Beard Bros, and more.
This educational portion of the event aimed to shed light on the benefits of cannabis for mental and physical health conditions, alcohol and drug dependency, and more, as well as to help overcome the stigma of cannabis use. While Immersia Connect was limited to the trade industry, the general public is able to watch the Immersia Talks series, available on YouTube.
Attendees could explore individual booths, which featured shoppable hotspots.Photo: Courtesy of Immersia Labs
Each exhibitor area included a product page where buyers could place orders.Photo: Courtesy of Immersia Labs
