The XR industry may largely be based on the West Coast of the U.S., but the MIT Reality Hack hackathon has established itself as a major East Coast hub for XR developers and entrepreneurs alike. Now marking its eighth year, the event has grown significantly, offering new avenues for industry conversations and networking alongside the EXPERIENTIAL Conference. Maria Rice, the Executive Director, provides insights into this year’s hackathon and highlights the winning projects.
Maria Rice, who has been pivotal as Executive Director of the MIT Reality Hack for eight years, has played a major role in establishing it as a leading hub for experiential technology. She has driven the development of initiatives like the EXPERIENTIAL Innovation Conference, the Reality Scholars diversity fund, and the startup-focused Reality Hack Founders Lab.
At the start of the year, from January 23 to 27, the MIT campus was buzzing with energy as it hosted the eighth annual MIT Reality Hack. This premier hackathon for experiential technology saw hundreds of innovators and a slew of tech veterans and startup founders come together.
The event drew sponsorship from global players at the cutting edge of XR, AI, and deep tech. With AI support from Lambda Labs, participants crafted functional prototypes using technologies like the Meta Quest 3, Snap Spectacles, Qualcomm’s RB3g2 robotics kits, ShapesXR, Cognitive 3D, and STYLY.
This year’s hackathon stood out with its introduction of new hardware kits, including MEMS-based AR lenses from Maradin, a haptic exoskeleton from Haptikos, and neurosensing equipment from OpenBCI, including the innovative Galea biosensing headset.
Driven by the inspiring mission to hack for good, the MIT Reality Hack is notable for the vibrant energy its participants and organizers bring to the table. Over five intense days, around 600 participants pushed their hacking skills to the limit, resulting in 78 remarkable use cases and applications in XR and related technologies.
Among the standout projects were YEIGO, an AR tool that promotes correct posture for mobility aid users; CAREGIVR, a platform that immerses families and caregivers in end-of-life care preparation; and Tac-Man, a device for haptic input in VR sculpting.
You can explore the complete list of 2025’s winners, covering both hardware and software innovations.
Running concurrently with the MIT Reality Hack, the first-ever EXPERIENTIAL Innovation Conference took place at MIT. Designed as a ‘Davos for the spatial tech industry,’ this full-day affair brought global attendees together to showcase and debate cutting-edge deep tech research, focusing on educational innovation, vertical applications, and worldwide development.
The EXPERIENTIAL Conference was sponsored by IEEE Spectrum, Qualcomm, and the Helsinki-based pioneer, Distance Technologies.
Supporting the ‘hack-to-market’ aspect of the Founders Lab, the conference spotlighted two notable company launches:
– Limit Labs, which emerged from the leaders of VR/AR MIT, introduced RoomSeed, a breakthrough genAI tool born from rigorous research.
– Haptics company Haptikos launched with a groundbreaking hand exoskeleton, offering an affordable yet highly precise touch interface for XR applications.
Additional startup presentations included MIT spinout Three Space Lab, as well as AI solutions from AUR+A and Taiwan-based Meta Intelligence.
EXPERIENTIAL aims to go beyond mere hacking, pushing the inclusive technology focus of Reality Hack into broader societal conversations, promoting creator economies through ventures into academic and business realms.
The conference began with a compelling fireside chat, featuring industry stalwarts Tim Bajarin, Chairman of Creative Strategies, and Anshel Sag, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, moderated by AR pioneer Dan Cui. Over an hour-long session, they explored the current state of the XR industry.
Bajarin, who served as a first-time judge at the hackathon, shared his thoughts on Forbes, noting it as “one of the highlights of my career” after four decades in the tech world.
The conference’s keynote was delivered by Qualcomm’s Senior VP & GM of XR, Ziad Asghar, who highlighted the increasing convergence of AI capabilities in XR devices. He emphasized the pivotal role events like the MIT Reality Hack play in fostering talent and incubating ideas that propel the fast-evolving industries.
A later panel discussion focused on global initiatives for a sustainable future. MIT Senior Lecturer Ken Zolot moderated a dialogue with representatives from the United Nations, The World Bank Group, Inclusive AI Lab, Qualcomm, and HTC’s futurist and Global VP, Alvin Wang Graylin.
The panelists shared how experiential technology and hackathon initiatives are leveraged to empower creator communities, drive economic progress, and enable new, more inclusive human experiences across various industries and regions.
According to AWE co-founder and Reality Hack partner Ori Inbar, “XR is going mainstream, but for it to truly reach its potential, we need seasoned builders and newcomers alike to craft diverse spatial experiences. This inclusive approach is key to making a lasting impact.”
Businesses interested in becoming part of the 2026 MIT Reality Hack and the EXPERIENTIAL Innovation Conference can reach out for more information.
