Qingdao conference accelerates VR innovation and digital growth
The 2025 Qingdao Virtual Reality Innovation Conference took place in the Laoshan district of Qingdao in Shandong province from 21 to 22 November, drawing a significant gathering of innovators, senior industry representatives, researchers, and academics. The event focused on advancing virtual reality and artificial intelligence technologies while supporting the development of the wider digital economy. It functioned as a platform to examine emerging trends, facilitate cooperation, and promote long-term growth in sectors shaped by immersive and intelligent technologies.
The conference aimed to unite innovation resources from around the world and increase the pace at which scientific and technical achievements are transformed into practical industrial value. Organisers outlined ambitions to expand communication across related industries, strengthen collaboration among market participants, and push the integration of VR and AI into a wider range of real-world applications. In doing so, the initiative sought to establish renewed momentum for the construction of a modern industrial ecosystem, contributing to the development of Qingdao as a national centre for digital progress.
The programme included a varied selection of activities such as a main forum, an opening ceremony, several sub-forums dedicated to integrated applications, a matchmaking session designed to connect those involved in supply and demand within the VR industry, and an innovation competition focused on emerging concepts. Participants examined the latest technologies, demonstrated new projects, and explored how research outcomes might transition more rapidly into commercial deployment.
A notable moment during the conference was the official introduction of the Qingdao Virtual Reality Innovation and Experience Centre. This new facility brings together more than ten advanced technologies, integrating VR, augmented reality, spatial computing, digital twin systems, holographic display capabilities, and virtual filming techniques. These technical features are combined with artistic and cultural storytelling to create immersive experiences intended to demonstrate the future potential of digital spaces.
The exhibition component featured an interactive light-and-shadow hall presenting content associated with prominent scientist Qian Xuesen, a dome-screen digital sand table designed for detailed simulation, an extended reality hardware-based holographic display platform, and a suspended sphere-screen flying theatre. The theatre enables audiences to engage with a fully immersive journey powered by VR and AI, providing an example of how sensory technology can reshape participation and entertainment.
During the event, a dedicated matchmaking session for VR-focused companies showcased breakthrough developments in core technical domains along with scenario-driven application demonstrations. The session encouraged cooperation between players across the industrial chain, including upstream technology developers and downstream users, and supported the integration of large-scale enterprises with medium-sized and smaller firms. This cooperation intends to streamline the process from early technological testing to deployment in real-world environments and commercial operations, ultimately attracting high-quality investment and driving growth within Qingdao.
Since its establishment in 2017, the Qingdao Virtual Reality Innovation Conference has expanded into a prominent platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange. It now serves not only Qingdao and Shandong province but also the wider national and international VR community, reinforcing the region’s growing influence in immersive technologies.
The Laoshan district continues to stand as a centre for the advancement of VR and AI, recording rapid industrial expansion supported by a strong foundation of technology-driven enterprises and research institutions. Forecasts indicate that by 2025, the combined output value of the district’s VR and AI industries will exceed 60 billion yuan, contributing to nearly 120 billion yuan across the core components of the digital economy. Local development is supported by multiple high-level innovation platforms, including two national innovation centres that drive breakthroughs in essential technologies and assist in the commercialisation of scientific and engineering outcomes.
Looking to the future, Laoshan intends to expand both VR and AI sectors beyond the 100-billion-yuan threshold while creating a 5-billion-yuan industrial fund cluster to support enterprise investment. These strategies aim to improve the business environment, stimulate innovation, encourage global partnerships, and reinforce the district’s role as a leader in the digital economy.
