About

Kris Kolo is the Managing Director at AI XR Insights, where he advises organizations and publishes market intelligence reports at the intersection of AI and XR.

Over the past 10 years, Kris served as the Global Executive Director of the VR/AR Association (VRARA), where he built one of the world’s largest XR ecosystems—connecting more than 50,000 professionals and hundreds of companies across industries, including Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Sony, Lenovo, Google, AT&T, Niantic, Siemens, PTC, Unilever, Nestlé, Schlumberger, AkzoNobel, AARP, ByteDance, Viacom, Walmart, Boeing, Lockheed, BOSCH, Volvo, UPS, Merck, many others. The association became a global platform for XR innovation, collaboration, and adoption. He also spearheaded hundreds of publications and events, enabling thought leaders and organizations to share knowledge, showcase breakthroughs, and scale their impact.

Kris began his career at Silicon Valley startup Spime Inc. (acquired by Trimble), developing GPS and mapping solutions. He also started IndoorLBS, an advisory firm focused on location-based services, and published a book, authored industry reports, and consulted for clients worldwide. At Verizon, he grew the location-based solutions portfolio to a multi-million dollar business, e.g, VZ Navigator, a $300M annual revenue product; Kris piloted early AR navigation with Wikitude (later acquired by Qualcomm), overlaying live driving directions onto real-world video to improve safety.

Read some testimonials below.

”Over the past decade, Kris has done an amazing job of building a truly global community that has pulled together countless people across the industry. He's pulled off amazing events with over 1,000 attendees and quite a global array of speakers.”

- Jeremy Schreiber, Microsoft

”I've had the pleasure of working with Kris over the past five years, during which he consistently demonstrated an outstanding ability to cultivate and energize global communities. His leadership was instrumental in scaling one of the world’s largest ecosystems, successfully engaging hundreds of top-tier organizations through impactful events and strategic programs.”

- Gene Feldman, Nestle

”Kris is a visionary, blending strategic insight with a collaborative spirit. His leadership has been pivotal in organizing high-impact Enterprise events, bringing together industry leaders to share actionable insights and drive innovation. From global summits to targeted enterprise sessions, Kris consistently delivers engaging, well-executed experiences that advance the immersive tech ecosystem. He’s a skilled organizer, and a respected professional whose ability to build community and foster meaningful connections sets him apart.”

- Mark Gröb, UPS

”I had the pleasure of working with Kris at the Immerse Global Summit. I participate in a lot of similar events, and that particular gathering really stands out for several reasons that are entirely Kris' doing. It was Kris' deep interaction with the global community that he had built - and his persistence - that got most of the top names to come to that summit. I look forward to being part of anything that Kris is organizing again in the future!.”

- Leslie Shannon

”I participated as a speaker at Kris's event. It was an unforgettable experience. The event delivered best-in-class networking — intimate, highly curated, and rich with meaningful connections. The quality of attendees, conversations, and collaborations was exceptional, creating an atmosphere that was as magical as it was inspiring.”

- David Palmer, Vodafone