If you’re reading this, I assume that means you plan to join us in San Francisco for AR Engage Live 2025—good decision! Between the breakout sessions, the presentations, the fireside chats, and the myriad networking opportunities, it’s going to be a fantastic day and a half in the heart of a fantastic city.

Now, I’m sure you’ll agree that physically being in the same room as 100+ AR pros is a special experience—not something any of us can do very often. So, let’s make the most of it! To do that, we’re going to use Whova, a free app that allows you to curate your personal schedule; submit questions to presenters; participate in polls and contests; and, most importantly, connect with other attendees.

➡️ NOTE: For clarity, all instructions provided below are accompanied by screenshots of the Whova interface.

Download the Whova app

The Whova app is free to download. Open the App Store (shown on the right) or Google Play on your mobile device and search for “Whova.”

Sign in to Whova

Follow these steps:

  1. Make sure to sign in with the email address you used when registering for the event. (If you can’t remember which email address you used, it’s the one that received a registration confirmation email from the sender Whova Team with the subject line “AR Engage Live – Registration confirmation.”)
  2. Create a password and type in your name.
  3. Edit your profile. Other attendees will use this to network with you if you choose to be included in the attendee list (which I strongly recommend!).
  4. The app will take you to the conference home page automatically.

View the agenda and plan your schedule

Find the Agenda tab at the bottom of the screen. You should see a list of sessions for that day. You can toggle between days by selecting the date you want to view at the top of the agenda.

Scroll to browse sessions, or search for specific keywords using the bar at the top of the screen. Once you find the session you want to access, click on it. If the session hasn’t occurred yet, you can click “Add to My Agenda” to put the session on your own personal agenda and set a reminder.

Network—before and during AR Engage Live

When you sign in for the first time, you will be asked: “Would you like to network with other attendees by listing yourself in the attendee list?”

  • If you answer yes (recommended) – you will be able to view the Attendees tab and will be included in the attendees list.
  • If you answer no – you will not be able to view the Attendees tab and will not be included in the attendees list.

To view other attendees: Click the “Attendees” tab at the bottom of the screen. At the top of the page, you can search attendees by keywords such as company, name, or title. In their professional profiles, you can take notes or request contact information.

To find people with common backgrounds and interests, click the “Recommended” tab at the top of the Attendees list to find Whova’s recommendations for people you may be interested in networking with. Click into each item to see attendees who come from the same city or have the same affiliations, education background, or interests.

Say “Hi” with one click or start a private chat by clicking the “Message” button. You can convert it to a private group chat by inviting more people.

Quickly and easily exchange contact information on site by scanning QR codes. From the Home page, click on My Profile, then My Contact Info and QR Code, and View. You’ll see your QR code and a button at the bottom of the screen to scan QR codes.

Connect, engage, and win prizes!

During AR Engage Live, use the app to engage with your peers, provide survey feedback, and participate in contests to earn points on the Leaderboard and potentially win a prize!

Leaderboard Contest:

From the app Home page, click on the Leaderboard button. Then, at the top of the screen, click on My Points to see all the challenges to complete to earn points. Check your rankings by clicking on the Current Rankings button. 

At the end of the event, we’ll announce the top three Leaders and award prizes.

Photo Contest:

From the app Home page, click on the Photos button.

Take or upload your photo or video (make sure it’s your own original work!). The contest theme is “networking at AR Engage Live.”

Encourage your colleagues to like your photos, and make sure to like your favorites. Every like counts toward the final score. Three prizes are awarded to the photos with the most likes at the end of the event.

Good luck and have fun!

Any questions?

Send me an email at cbond@arinsights.com. See you in SF!