The metaverse is still in development, and leading innovators are heavily involved in shaping the future of how we interact with technology. Similar to the early days of the World Wide Web, when it was still abstract and not yet widely used, some individuals foresaw the digital age long before it arrived. This is precisely what is happening now.

In 2022, Web 3, crypto, and the metaverse experienced significant growth. Many innovators were already immersed in the metaverse, working on various technological advancements. People are investing in Web 3.0 and expecting it to become our new reality.

This time, women are actively participating to ensure inclusivity and accessibility to job opportunities in the metaverse, and to ensure that the metaverse reflects all people, especially those from underrepresented groups who are only beginning to see themselves represented and celebrated in our culture.

This week, we'll reintroduce you to trailblazing women featured in a recent edition of Women of Color magazine. These women are making significant contributions to the metaverse and are equally passionate about creating opportunities for girls and women preparing for a career change.

These female visionaries come from diverse backgrounds, demonstrating that one does not have to start in technology to become a significant player.

Louisa Spring is the founder of SAM Immersive, a consultancy that specializes in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and other forms of immersive reality applications. As an entrepreneur, gamer, lawyer, and producer, she has facilitated numerous extended reality (XR) deals with Intel, La Liga NFL, Toyota, Hershey, and Walmart through Spatialand. Spring also fosters partnerships and business development in the metaverse, XR, 5GXR, and gaming.

Miranda Mantey, an experienced researcher, foresight practitioner, and strategist, is a forward-thinking individual with a passion for learning and the future. As a UX foresight strategist at ATB Ventures, she evaluates global trends to understand their implications for innovation strategy, the product portfolio, and customers. Her belief in the metaverse as the driver of the next generation of computer interfaces, coupled with her status as a published author and professional speaker.

Suzanne Nguyen is a senior director for communications, brand, and community at Agora. Over the past two decades, she has been a driving force behind developer ecosystems for semiconductor, cloud, mobile, and enterprise products at companies like Adobe, T-Mobile, Samsung, and others. During her time at Immersion Corporation, she spearheaded the "Apps with Feelings" campaign, which popularized haptic implementations in mobile apps. Her interest in the metaverse stemmed from her collaboration with Oculus (now part of Meta) and other AR/VR app developers during her tenure at Samsung, focusing on promoting the future of metaverse solutions.