Shawn Grover
VP of Operational Excellence
Trigger XR
Shawn Grover
What has been your business/work highlight of 2024 so far?
We’ve got some exciting projects currently underway, but one standout project I can talk about is our Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team VIP Garage Tour Experience for the Meta Quest 3. We partnered with Qualcomm to create an immersive experience where fans can meet digital twins of team icons Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff in VR. My favourite part is the reflex game, inspired by F1 drivers’ training exercises, where players test their reaction times, with the quickest winning a visit to the actual garage HQ.
Who is your business hero and why?
It’s tough to name just one hero. I’m inspired by the visionary leadership, adaptability, and creative/tech innovation of Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, and Satoru Iwata. I also draw inspiration from other fields, such as sports, where Jürgen Klopp’s ability to develop team talent and unity has fostered a winning culture at Liverpool FC.
What’s the biggest business mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a project or concept might not land as we hoped because the audience wasn’t fully ready for it. Timing can be everything in tech innovation. Our team at Trigger XR has been working in XR for a very long time and witnessed various trends come and go. My experience has taught me that to be successful in XR, it’s crucial to be in tune with the audience and the technology, understand where it’s headed, and recognise when the timing is just right for an experience to reach its maximum potential.
What’s the most inspirational book you’ve ever read and why?
One of my favourite non-fiction books is ‘Thinking in Systems’ by Donella Meadows. It has equipped me with tools to better understand how complex systems operate, from individual projects to organisations, societies, and the environment, and how small changes can create significant impacts. Problem solving and critical thinking are key for the cross-functional nature of XR, and understanding concepts like leverage points has sharpened my skills. Meadows’ insights help guide me to shape XR responsibly and effectively, ensuring our innovations are not only fun and cutting-edge but also beneficial for the future.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role in 2024?
One of the biggest challenges right now is balancing XR innovation with ethical responsibility, especially in the current ‘wild west’ age of AI. It’s important to ensure that our advancements not only push the boundaries of what’s possible but also consider societal and environmental impacts. This requires a delicate balance of fostering innovation while staying true to one’s ethical principles and incorporating sustainability.
What technology will have the greatest impact on your business this year and why?
The greatest impact on our business this year is the intersection of mixed-reality headsets and AI. While AI has always been a key component of XR due to its role in computer vision and real-time data processing, the latest advancements in AI are enhancing the capabilities of XR headsets on both the hardware and content sides. This is allowing us to create more immersive and intuitive experiences for players which further push the boundaries of what’s possible with the tech. It’s never been a more exciting time to be working in XR.
