Our first General Assembly, held on September 19th at Trust Square at Zurich Paradeplatz, marked a pivotal moment for our association. Over 40 attendees joined us to receive updates from our working groups, and welcome two new board members, Tina Werro and Gian Nay, whose expertise will enhance our mission.

The General Assembly was followed by an engaging members’ event. We summarized the highlights for you:

Keynote by Judith Bellaiche: Judith Bellaiche, a National Councillor since 2019 and the CEO of Swico, a Swiss economic association representing the ICT and online sector, delved into the intersection of politics and emerging technologies. She astutely noted that the concept of the metaverse has yet to firmly establish itself in the political arena. Often, the fear of disruption serves as a catalyst for regulations. However, regulations can also be driven by opportunity and innovation, guided by a political vision. For us, this means our responsibility to enlighten and inform policymakers, as well as to provide tangible use cases. The time is ripe to showcase the value of metaverse technology and proactively sensitize politicians to what the future may hold. Armed with our working groups and a strategic political action plan, we are poised to tackle this challenge.

Michael Harr’s Pioneering Endeavors: Michael Harr, the CEO of Pro Senectute beider Basel, emerged as a trailblazer with his audacious initiative, the “Metaverse Experimental Lab.” Collaborating with his team, he initiated a metaverse project tailored to the elderly, funded through an NFT collection. They ventured into two metaverse platforms by purchasing land for future projects. In the subsequent phase, elderly individuals had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the virtual world, exploring the vast possibilities of the metaverse. They exchanged ideas and deliberated on how the metaverse could improve the lives of the elderly. Michael Harr encapsulated their ethos: “Taking older individuals seriously also entails taking technological advancements seriously. Our mission is to make technology accessible.”

Inspiring insights from Maximilian Schubert, Meta’s Public Policy Lead: Maximilian Schubert, the Public Policy Lead at Meta, delivered an illuminating presentation on Meta’s vision for the metaverse. He discussed intriguing aspects, such as sporting activities within the metaverse, the industry’s opportunities within this digital realm, and tantalizing hints about the impending launch of the new Quest 3 headset in the coming days. Stay tuned for more updates!

A big thank you goes to our member Trust Square for hosting us. Our General Assembly was a testament to the vibrant community we’re cultivating as we advance the Swiss Metaverse Association’s goals.