July 13, 2016
IIA Holds Event in San Francisco to Examine How Policymakers Can Support Innovation and Investment in Broadband Infrastructure to Expand Virtual Reality Ecosystem
Cocktail hour, demos and panel of experts at startup incubator Upload Collective will explore future of virtual reality
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – July 13, 2016 – Virtual reality will transform entertainment, education, business, healthcare and more. Today, the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) hosted, “Cocktails & Virtual Reality: Breaking Innovation Boundaries with Broadband,” an event focused on how policymakers can support innovation and investment in high-speed internet infrastructure to help unlock the opportunities of a virtual reality ecosystem.
Nearly 150 individuals are registered to attend IIA’s event at Upload Collective, a hybrid co-working and incubation space in San Francisco. The group will convene at 6:00pm PT for a cocktail hour and virtual reality demos. During the second hour of the event, a panel discussion will be held to explore:
• What opportunities will virtual reality technology unlock over the next decade?
• How should the broadband network evolve to support the growth of virtual reality?
• How can policymakers best support innovation and virtual reality?
Featured speakers for the panel include:
• Evan Helda, Director of Sales and Partnerships, Meta Co.
• Anjney Midha, Founding Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers (KPCB) Edge
• Tony Parisi, Co-Creator of the VRML and X3D ISO standards for networked 3D graphics, Upload Collective
• Alisha Seam, Product Developer and Solutions Engineer, AT&T Foundry
• Adam Thierer, Senior Research Fellow, Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
“Behind breakthrough virtual reality advancements sits a broadband infrastructure that must evolve with these innovations,” said Jamal Simmons, co-chairman of the IIA and moderator for the panel discussion. “Policymakers have an important role to play in encouraging the broadband investment needed to support new, bandwidth-hungry technologies and fostering an environment that promotes innovation.”