ivi Masterclass: What Pokémon Go Taught Us About Building Businesses | MIT Manipal
XElevate Ventures, in collaboration with the School of Basic Sciences, Humanities & Management, MIT Manipal and the Institution's Innovation Council (IIC), MAHE, brings to you an exclusive masterclass by ISB I-Venture Immersive on Building and Scaling Successful Products by Prof. Vandith Pamuru, Assistant Professor, Information Systems, ISB and Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Purdue University
In 2016, Pokémon Go transformed augmented reality (AR) from a distant technology into an overnight global phenomenon, capturing 20 million daily active users at its peak. Beyond the viral gaming loops, the app revealed a powerful blueprint for how digital platforms can drive real-world economic growth.
How does a virtual app translate into foot traffic and revenue for physical businesses?
In this masterclass, Prof. Vandith shares insights from his research analyzing over 3,400 restaurants in Houston, Texas. Discover how AR integrations generated an estimated 4.4% uplift in restaurant revenues by leveraging "feeling transfer"—a psychological phenomenon where digital gratification directly enhances real-world brand perception and consumer spending.
Whether you are building spatial computing applications, designing engagement loops, or exploring how AR and metaverse platforms will reshape modern commerce, this session bridges the gap between engineering innovations and scalable business models.
Key Takeaways & What You’ll Learn
Engineering Digital-to-Physical Footfall: How spatial incentives and game artifacts drive real-world customer engagement and online review activity.
The "Feeling Transfer" Mechanism: How positive emotions experienced in a digital environment transfer to physical brand experiences.
Commercializing Immersive Tech: Real-world monetization strategies from global brands like Starbucks and McDonald's to emerging virtual dining and retail experiences.
Building for the Next Tech Wave: Harnessing platform design, gamification, and user incentives to build products that scale.
📅 Saturday, 24 October 2026
🕛 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, followed by a 30-minute Q&A
📍 MIT, Manipal
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This masterclass is being hosted by ISB I-Venture Immersive.
For queries: ivi@isb.edu