WAVES 2025 – XR Creator Hackathon Patna Meetup Highlights Innovation and Collaboration in Extended Reality
New Delhi : The XR Creator Hackathon’s Patna meet up held on March 8, 2025, witnessed a dynamic convergence of technology and innovation, showcasing the potential of Extended Reality (XR) in transforming various sectors. This event, organized as a part of ‘Create in Challenge’ initiative of the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, demonstrated the growing interest and talent in XR technologies across Bihar. The XR Creator Hackathon is a nationwide initiative driving innovation in Extended Reality technologies, having already engaged over 2,200 participants from more than 150 cities across India.
The WAVES XR Creator Hackathon (XCH) is a pioneering challenge that invites developers across India to explore new frontiers in augmented and virtual reality. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has partnered with Wavelaps, BharatXR, and XDG for organizing the XCH, which serves as a launchpad for cutting-edge innovations that redefine human interaction with technology.
The meetup featured a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Dr. Rajiv Mishra, HOD at IIT Patna; Preetesh Anand, Founder & CEO of Oplus Cowork; Ashutosh Kumar, CEO & Founder of Wavelaps; and Suraj Vishwakarma, Founder & CEO of Sonic Render. The event highlighted the collaborative efforts between industry leaders, academia, and government in advancing India’s technological capabilities.
A notable highlight of the event was the presence of the finalist team, neAR, from Phase 3 of the XR Creator Hackathon. They shared their journey and the impact of creating Bharat’s first Social AR app, providing firsthand insights into the benefits of participating in the Hackathon.
Dr. Rajiv Mishra presented an immersive project on the recreation of Nalanda University in mixed reality, showcasing the potential of XR in cultural preservation and education. Following this, Shri Preetesh Anand shared valuable insights into Bihar’s startup ecosystem, having contributed to the state’s startup policy. He emphasized the importance of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Bihar. The event highlighted the growing importance of XR technologies in Bihar’s digital landscape.