In 2022 the Harvard Business School decided to host an alumni reunion within Mesmerise’s virtual environment. 90 people from 28 countries were sent Oculus Quest headsets, and invited to socialize, network, and attend talks—including a speech by professor Ranjay Gulati about his new book—all virtually.

At the event, immersive technology didn’t just offer a powerful way for alumni to gather—it also avoided the pain points associated with international travel.

“For Sean West, a Harvard reunion usually comes with the ‘serious time cost’ of an eight-hour-long flight each way from London, jet lag, and then a very packed three or four day agenda,” Business Insider wrote. “The metaverse event took about 90 minutes in total, West said​. ‘Nobody had to miss work. Nobody got stuck because they couldn’t get a visa,’ West told Insider. ‘No COVID.’”