Accenture Exec On Metaverse: ‘Why Would The Digital World Be Flat?’

Accenture doesn’t believe that the digital world should be flat. That’s why the solution provider powerhouse is taking giant leaps into the metaverse and growing capabilities to allow businesses operate in a 3D way.

“Don’t get hung up in the minutiae of the definitions,” David Treat, senior managing director at Dublin-based Accenture, told CRN. “You need to look at the trend and trajectory and ask yourself, ‘Why would the digital world be flat?’’

In the last month, Accenture, No. 1 on CRN’s 2022 Solution Provider 500 list, has made two investments to do just that. In January, the company invested in Forma Vision, a provider of live-streamed, volumetric video technology that enables 3D holographic images of people, objects and environments to be beamed into the metaverse from any location. This month, the firm invested in the Looking Glass Factory, a hologram company that developed an end-to-end holographic platform that shows content in life-like 3D without requiring the use of a headset.

“We’re there to create a deeper relationship down to the engineering level, upwards to the business strategy level and discussions and integrations as to how the power of Accenture in our ecosystem can be applied,” said Treat. “We see something special in that startup and we can really help each other drive an innovation wave.”

Forma Vision and Looking Glass are also the latest companies to join Accenture Ventures’ Project Spotlight, an engagement and investment program that invests in companies that create disruptive technologies. It also connects emerging technology startups to bridge innovation gaps and offers access to Accenture’s domain expertise and enterprise clients.

In March 2022, Accenture formed the Accenture Metaverse Connituum business group that combines metaverse-skilled experts and others with deep capabilities in customer experience, digital commerce, extended reality, blockchain, digital twins and artificial intelligence to help clients design, execute and accelerate their journey into the metaverse.

CRN spoke to Treat about the latest investments Accenture is making in the metaverse, security opportunities and challenges and how he believes businesses can use the metaverse to benefit their organizations.