Through the Looking Glass—Where Layered Realities Unfold

Recap of AUREA Award #8

After months of designing and planning, the vision behind this eight edition of the AUREA Award theme, “Through the Looking Glass: Where Layered Realities Unfold,” finally came to life. From February 1–4, 2026, Europa-Park became the ultimate playground for visionaries, tech pioneers, and bold entrepreneurs. Over 160 international creatives gathered to celebrate projects that push the boundaries of reality, storytelling, and technology.

It was an immersive four-day experience where jury members, finalists, speakers, and the wider AUREA community came together, fully immersed in creativity, ideas, and connection. From hands-on workshops to high-energy pitches and unforgettable rides, the event was a shared journey—a true rollercoaster.

Day 1: From Arrival to the Live Pitch Competition

AUREA#8 kicked off on Sunday 1st, even before the official program, as participants arrived at Hotel Colosseo and were welcomed into “an inner circle of innovation” ready to unfold. On Monday morning, 10 selected finalists pitched their ideas on the main stage at the Globe Theatre in front of our esteemed jury as well as the broader AUREA Community. Projects ranged from immersive entertainment to cutting-edge tech, each offering the audience a glimpse into layered realities that sparked curiosity and inspiration.

A distinguished expert jury, chaired by Kathleen Cohen (The Collaboratorium), and joined by Thomas Wagner (VR Coaster), Emily Olman (Hopscotch Interactive), Christina Lee Storm (Secret Level), and Julian Reyes 🔜 AUREA Award 8 (AUREA Award #7 winner), ensured a forward-looking and industry-driven selection of the finalists.

Finalist Lineup:

  1. Wall Town Wonders presented by Ives Agemans

  2. Worldbuildr Digital Twin Platform presented by Michael Libby

  3. DreamPark presented by Aidan Wolf

  4. Uncanny Alley: A New Day presented by Stephen Butchko and Deirdre Lyons

  5. PARty presented by Karlheinz Brandenburg

  6. Ballee presented by Christoph Spinger

  7. Bono: Stories of Surrender (Immersive!) presented by Elad Offer

  8. Oktoberfest VR presented by Thomas Wagner K5 Factory

  9. Anima Morale presented by Isabelle Konrad

  10. Totems of Hope – Philanthropy as an Immersive Ritual presented by Simeone Scaramozzino

After the pitches, guests explored the Football Demo Arena, testing finalists’ installations firsthand and turning ideas into tangible experiences. And because it’s Europa-Park… participants also enjoyed exclusive park access, including thrilling rides like the Voltron Nevera.

The evening concluded with a lively networking reception, powered by the Interactive Audio Matchmaking Experience via the EarReality app, leaving everyone energized and ready for the next day.

Day 2: Immersive Tech, AI, and Experiential Storytelling

On February 3rd, AUREA’s Conference Day immersed participants in a full day of XR, AI-driven creativity, sound, and interactive experiences, exploring how technology, storytelling, and design intersect to shape the next generation of immersive entertainment. Designers, technologists, and innovators came together to experiment, discuss, and learn from cutting-edge projects that push the boundaries of reality.

Keynotes & Featured Speakers

  • Julian Reyes — Through the Looking Glass: Where Layered Realities Unfold
    As an AUREA Award #8 juror and last year’s Impact Award recipient, Julian explored how immersive experiences can connect people, spaces, and platforms with intention. Drawing from his work with the Virtual Worlds Museum™ and the Teleportal, he presented a vision for the future shaped by collaboration, innovation, and shared meaning.

  • Keiichi Matsuda (Liquid City) — Agents in the Wild: Designing Characterful AI for the Real World. Keiichi demonstrated embodied AI companions in physical spaces, illustrating how narrative, environment, and intelligence can converge to create interactive, character-driven experiences.

  • Hilmar Koch & Matthew Spremulli (Autodesk) — Reframing Creativity in the Age of AI. Explored how designers, architects, and storytellers can harness AI tools to amplify creativity while maintaining human vision and narrative intent.

  • Ana Monte (DELTA Soundworks) — The Power of Sound in Immersive Experiences. Demonstrated how immersive audio enhances presence, guides emotion, and dissolves the line between physical and virtual worlds, showing why sound is as critical as visuals in XR.

  • Sven Bliedung von der Heide (Volucap) — Digital Humans in Film and XR: Volumetric Capture and AI Meet Storytelling. Explored the integration of volumetric capture and AI into feature films, XR content, and documentary storytelling, highlighting platforms like Voluverse for seamless immersive experiences.

Panels & Industry Insights

  • Immersive Entertainment in Motion: In-Car & In-Flight Experiences

    • Nils Wollny (Holoride), Andreas Ehret (Dolby), Carolina Schymczyk (Lufthansa) moderated by Camillo Stark (msm digital). Explored how VR, AR, and spatial audio are transforming hours in cars and planes into engaging immersive journeys, with live demos of next-gen prototypes.

  • Scaling Immersive Entertainment: Building Ecosystems for Market Success

    • Leif Petersen (Hologate), Luca Forbes (Stickystone), moderated by Sebastian Klöß (Bitkom). Examined XR adoption in Germany, ecosystem strategies, partnerships, and how AR glasses and immersive platforms are driving market growth.

  • Mirko Holzer (SPRIND) — Next Frontier AI: Europe’s Moonshot for Frontier AI Labs, Presented Germany’s €125M initiative to incubate three European Frontier AI Labs, with the goal of raising up to €1B to position Europe at the forefront of AI research and applications.

  • Scott Stein (CNET) — Five Things To Think About The Future of Interconnected Tech. Shared insights on XR, wearables, and emerging immersive technologies, reflecting on potential impacts for entertainment, media, and everyday life.

  • The Zoo of the Future — Andy van der Broeck. Demonstrated stacked immersive layers where VR and exploration deepen engagement. Highlighted radical simplicity as the key to making technology disappear while the magic of the experience stays.

Hands-On Workshops

  • Designing the Next-Gen Entertainment Experience: Operational Digital Twins, AI, and Personalized Guest Journeys

    • Facilitators: Ivo Strohhammer & Ramy Töpperwien

  • The Future of Work – Where Digital and Physical Worlds Converge

    • Facilitators: Tim Reusch & Stefan Häcki from VITRA

  • Interactive Audio Storytelling Workshop: Create Your Own Playable Audio Experience

    • Facilitators: Christian Mahnke & Anastasiia Sokolova from EarReality

The AUREA Awards

The highlight of the day was the AUREA Awards, celebrating projects and people shaping the future of immersive experiences.

Winners & Vox Populi Award:

  • Immersive Award: Dr. Thomas Wagner — Oktoberfest VR social VR experiences

  • Impact Award: Stephen Butchko & Deirdre Lyons — Uncanny Alley, a New Day, live VR theater

  • Interaction Award:

    • Aidan Wolf — Dreampark & Christoph Spinger — Ballee, interactive adventures and dynamic tracking

  • Creative Award: Elad Offer — Bono Stories of Surrender, immersive storytelling

  • Innovation Award: Ives Agemans & Koen Van den Steen — Wall Town Wonders mixed-reality (also audience-voted Vox Populi winner)

To Photo Gallery of AUREA#8

To the AUREA Community, thank you for sharing this adventure. From layered realities to bold ideas, AUREA Award #8 proved that innovation thrives when visionaries, creatives, and tech pioneers come together. Until the next ride!