Reimagining Collaboration in XR Lessons from the Global Collaboration Village 2025

The Centre for Nature and Climate has identified climate tipping points as a strategic priority, due to their outsized risks for economies and societies as the climate crisis unfolds. The Climate Tipping Points Hub is a model for how organizations looking to address global challenges can come together to learn about emerging risks in an immersive environment, collaborate on identifying solutions and make strategic decisions that build real-world resilience.” Gill Einhorn, Head of Innovation and Transformation, Centre for Nature and Climate, World Economic Forum Virtual reality can help close the digital divide faster than anything we’ve seen. The Village helped turn data into compelling visual narratives – and that has strong potential to transform policy conversations into action.” Alfred Collins, Global Shaper, Nigeria Schneider Electric is proud to be a partner in the Global Collaboration Village as it enables a unique opportunity to drive collaboration and actions for real- world impact using digital technologies. Our presence in the Village during the 2024 Annual Meeting was a valuable engagement that brought leading stakeholders together to experience and discuss the future of industries.” Schneider ElectricInsight: Help users understand complex issues through immersive exploration Engagement: Increase participation through inclusive, interactive formats Collaboration: Enable fluid, cross-sector dialogue in spatial environmentsImmersive environments in the Global Collaboration Village helped participants grasp complex systems and accelerate understanding. In the Climate Tipping Points Hub, for instance, 95% of the 120 users who responded to a post-experience questionnaire reported a clearer understanding of climate risk. The Airports of Tomorrow simulation enabled collaborative scenario planning – helping leaders visualize adaptation strategies under climate stress in real time. The Village increased emotional resonance and attention through multisensory formats. For example, in the Amazon Experience, AI-generated art and Indigenous music created a powerful sense of connection to ecological and cultural preservation. Thematic hubs and partner pavilions provided a shared space to explore how different sectors might approach shared challenges – showing how immersive environments can support more meaningful collaboration. For example, the Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chain Hub offered an interactive visualization of the upstream and downstream impacts of supply chain disruptions and integrated proven best practices for resilience. A virtually augmented factory floor sparked discussion and preparation for the potential uses of XR technologies in the workplace. At one point, two participants sparked a fundraising and partnership conversation simply by being present in the same virtual space – an example of the kind of spontaneous exchange the environment could enable. Reimagining Collaboration in XR: Lessons from the Global Collaboration Village 12