SXSW25 | CreativeNL Session: Immersive Nightmares

SXSW2025 | CreativeNL session: Immersive Nightmares

As neurotechnology moves from the lab to the consumer market, it unlocks groundbreaking possibilities for immersive experiences—but also raises urgent ethical concerns. What happens when our thoughts, emotions, and cognitive processes become accessible for analysis, influence, or even control? How do we navigate the intersection of immersive technology, creative innovation, and the right to privacy?

In this session, researcher Luuk Ex presents a new report from the Dutch Rathenau Institute on the critical need to establish neuro rights.

Join us for a presentation followed by a thought-provoking discussion on the risks, responsibilities, and future of neurotechnology in an increasingly immersive world.

Moderator: Monique van Dusseldorp

Opening remarks by

• Eva Heijblom, Director-General for Digitalisation and Public Administration, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations

Presentation by

• Luuk Ex, Researcher Rathenau Institute. The Rathenau Instituut has been involved in research and debate about the impact of science, innovation, and technology on society for 35 years. Their research informs Dutch and international policy makers of the changes to come.

Panel discussion with

• Heleen Rouw, Program Director CIIIC, the Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition. The 200 million CIIIC program aims to increase the capacity to realize immersive experiences and enable the industry and its creators to capitalize on opportunities in immersive. Public values are a core part of the program and CIIIC is in active dialogue with international counterparts on what needs to be done.
• Angus Stevens, CEO & Co-Founder, Chair of the Australian Metaverse Advisory Council.
• Erik Brown, Associate Creative Director, Stanford University.
• Timmy Ghiurau, XR Pioneer, Co-founder of The Point Labs, Shaping the Future of Immersive Experiences. He developed the eye tracking technology for The Eye Tribe, which was acquired by Oculus VR/Facebook.

Are you looking to immerse yourself deeper into Immersive Experiences?

• The Immersive Nightmares session is the first of two sessions. Immediately after this session the Immersive Dreams session takes place, on the same location, from 14.00-15.00. Find more information on that session here.
  
  CreativeNL is excited to join forces with New Dutch Wave and the Quebec delegation during SXSW25:
• The Immersive Dreams & Nightmares sessions are followed up by a panel discussion titled Reinventing the way we share, hosted by the Quebec delegation (same location, 3:00 - 4:00 PM).

• From 5:00 - 7:00 PM, join us at the rooftop terrace of the Fairmont for our Experiential Happy Hour, where Dutch and Quebec creators gather for an open and informal exchange. No stage, no script—just candid conversations over drinks with some of the most innovative minds in the field. This is your chance to ask everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the craft, challenges, and future of immersive media. Whether you’re curious about creative processes, funding realities, or the next big thing in XR, this is the place to ask, share, and connect.

CreativeNL, your connection to a world beyond imagination, serves as the international brand of the Dutch (Top Sector) creative industry and the knowledge and innovation network CLICKNL. As a signboard for the Dutch creative industry, it contributes to global innovation for a better world, driving positive change where it is needed most—something the Netherlands excels at. In practice, CreativeNL fosters sustainable entrepreneurship across borders, promotes long-term international collaborations in knowledge and innovation, and creates inspiring content about it to share with the world.

*An official SXSW badge is required to enter this event.*

Contact us at events@creativenl.nl if you are not a badge holder but want to attend.

Please note: Just in case you registered but can no longer attend the event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can give your spot to another person.

Please let us know if you have any questions: events@creativenl.nl

We are very much looking forward to meeting you all.

Declaration on the granting of rights to one's own picture when attending the event:

Photographs and videos will be produced for the purpose of comprehensive reporting as part of all "CreativeNL" events during SXSW 2025.

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There shall be no commercial use of the images except to the extent specified in Clause 1.

The participant is aware that CreativeNL is not obliged to provide any consideration for the use of the participant's photographs to the aforementioned extent, i.e. the event participants make the rights to their own picture available free of licence fees.

Photos by Ben Houdijk