In the context of the prestigious Spatial Computing Summit, Fabio Santini, CEO of Hevolus, had the honor of representing Italy, bringing to global attention not only the innovative capabilities of his company but also the distinctive value of Italian culture.
Hevolus’ presence at the Summit is a symbol of how Italian innovation, rooted in creativity and executive precision, can significantly influence cutting-edge sectors such as Spatial Computing. Through this interview, Fabio Santini shares his reflections on being the only Italian representative at the event, the challenges of the Italian market in this emerging sector and the synergy with the VR/AR Association Silicon Valley Chapter that has catalyzed the growth of Hevolus .
Adnkronos: What does it mean to represent Italy on a global stage like the Spatial Computing Summit and which aspects of Italian culture bring value in this international context?
Fabio Santini: “Representing Italy at such an important international event was certainly an honor for me and for Hevolus. Being able to talk about our innovation in the place that is its home was certainly important not only for us but also for the country we come from. We often feel further behind than Silicon Valley companies, we imagine that this is the place where ideas that change the world are born and where innovation takes hold but the reality is different. Italian creativity linked to execution ability are the keys to be able to walk with our heads held high in the place where the largest companies in the world were born. The others are not better than us but they probably live in a place where there are more opportunities, where there is more risk taking to achieve something bigger and where everything seems simpler. Courage, curiosity and ambition are the characteristics that are needed and these characteristics are found in Italy.”
Adnkronos: Why were you the only Italian representation? What are the specific challenges of the Italian market in the field of Spatial Computing and what are the difficulties?
Fabio Santini: “Hevolus has been a company in the Extended Reality market for many years, it is known throughout the world and establishes business relationships with the largest technology companies, especially those producing viewers such as Meta, Lenovo, Magic Leap or Microsoft. It is still a small but rapidly growing world and we are recognized as one of the few companies to provide a complete platform in the market capable of helping customers in many business processes. We are certainly a reference in Italy and beyond and being the only partners to represent Europe indicates that incredible work has been done in recent years. The challenges of the Italian market are the same as those found in the rest of the world. We are living in a period of strong innovation which mainly starts from hardware which is key in the context of Extended Reality. There are more than 80 devices in the market which allow you to live an immersive experience but the quality of these objects has only been seen in recent years. On the other side this topic is not yet known to customers who have been bombarded by communication on the Metaverse which has distracted attention a little from the true value of Extended Reality solutions. The companies that have placed their trust in us have benefited from their business and this comforts us and pushes us to invest because we are certain that this is a world that will continue to grow. The devices will cost less and less, they will be more complete and lighter and this will lead them to be objects to be used every day and this will allow us to expand the market.”
Adnkronos: Collaboration with VRARA: How did the collaboration between Hevolus and the VR/AR Association Silicon Valley Chapter arise and how has this synergy influenced the growth of Hevolus?
Fabio Santini: “The collaboration with the association started many years ago almost naturally. When the association was born, the world of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality was still very small and the founders thought it was important to build a connecting platform for all the companies that had decided to invest in that market. It is essential to have a support anchor when entering a new business because it allows you to have broader visibility regarding your point of view, to have support and communication platforms such as the event we attended. Hevolus immediately understood how important it was to join the association and be an active partner to make its own contribution but also to learn from others. Being within the association allows a company like Hevolus to be in contact with the world, to understand the evolution of the market and technologies and to make choices not only based on the Italian market.”
Adnkronos:
What are the key elements that have contributed to consolidating Hevolus’ reputation for excellence in Italy and Europe?
Fabio Santini: “The most important feature that distinguishes Hevolus from other companies in our industry it is the completeness of our offer. In general, there are very specific solutions on the market, that is, they brilliantly resolve specific business processes such as training or collaboration. Hevolus, on the other hand, has built a cloud platform over the years which is the heart of all the solutions it makes available. The platform puts all the tools available to the customer to model, configure, manage and control the three-dimensional models and the scenes in which they are positioned with a very simple and intuitive interface. In fact, the platform simplifies most of the processes that are necessary to create an immersive customer experience. We then created on this platform 7 vertical solutions that mainly manage user behavior in the various business processes while keeping assets at the centre. This allows for example to have the same three-dimensional object used for classroom training, for remote collaboration, to show it within a small Metaverse or to position it within a fair or a museum.”
Adnkronos: What are the next steps for Hevolus in the field of Spatial Computing and what technological evolution will influence your business strategy in the coming years?
Fabio Santini: “We recently released a new product called XR Copilot, whose official launch will take place between the end of May and the beginning of June, which recalls the Microsoft strategy from which I come. The idea of having a co-pilot who assists us in everything we do is a winning one and for this reason we decided to combine our skills in the world of extended reality with the world of AI. With our solution the customer will be able to simply frame a QR-code with their mobile phone, view the product in three dimensions, view all the configurations present, be able to view it in real space and be able to activate a conversation in 37 languages around the world with the product itself. With this solution, infinite possibilities open up scenarios in the world of sales, training and manuals and many other scenarios. Starting from XR Copilot we are injecting AI throughout our platform and we plan to create two new solutions, one dedicated to those situations in which there is little connectivity and the other to the world of real estate.”