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Whatever the definition given to the metaverse, emphasizing the technical, social, business or marketing aspects, the metaverse remains a technological evolution and the continuity of what is today’s internet and social media. It is an extension and evolution of current internet and social media tools to a new generation of internet bridging the physical world and digital world and creating new experiences thanks to virtual reality and artificial intelligence! This movement is reinforced by the arrival of the generation z in the world of work and by the increase of its influence over time! This generation z was born with internet and has developed their knowledge and decision process using internet!

This move to metaverse means a lot for B2B because the B2B metaverse will bring exciting new business development tools, new sales channels and new customers experiences inspired by gaming but more than that utilizing hybrid and digital to enhance those customer experiences and to collect data to improve products, services and deliver better customization. In addition, the generation z is very sensitive to ecology and greener world, thus B2B Metaverse is by far the most sustainable vs the current tools (Travelling, Physical Expo, ..) to develop B2B business. Therefore, this makes the B2B metaverse key for companies to grow and even survive in the future! This move will not stop, similar to what happened at early 2000 when companies started building websites and having a website became a must.

Now the questions are “what are the challenges for company to enter the B2B Metaverse? from where to start? Buy a place in an existing B2B Metaverse? create own B2B metaverse for its ecosystem? Both?”

The B2B Marketers are facing too many questions today on how to address, adopt, build a strategy and roadmap around the B2B Metaverse!

Let’s have a discovery tour on the existing solutions. We already have seen several announcements about big brands buying lands at Sandbox : HSBC, Carrefour , Adidas, Samsung,... and many others! Several brands even invested both in Sandbox and other metaverses as Decentraland! The metaverse adoption is gaining a real traction. Of course, we are more in B2C and shopping mall behavior than a B2B and professional tradeshow behavior, but this is clearly showing the trend on how the metaverse will work!

When it is B2B Metaverse we are more about buying booths & dedicated spaces to showcase products, matchmake/network to find partners and collaborate, organize business & entrainments events! B2B companies are more looking to interact with professionals and companies matching with their profile and business than interacting with consumers!

What exists on the market as offer for the B2B Metaverse?

Microsoft already made announcements about its B2B Metaverse and presented it as an extension to Teams, and it is part of their strategy to grow in the Enterprise Software market. They are focusing on virtual work and advanced industrial projects using digital twins to collaborate. Engage XR is VR company, has already its business campus for meetings and events, also proposes to companies to build their individual MetaWorld and announced, Engage Oasis, a Metaverse designed for professionals where MetaWorlds are linked together via a series of portals and bridges in 3 publicly accessible plazas: Enterprise, Education and Creative. Must B2B Metaverse platform proposes an all-in-one Metaverse platform to manage an ecosystem and offer new customer experiences. Must platform is AI powered, enabling participants to connect, matchmake, network, collaborate, exhibit & show case products, organize events, transact, achieve profitable deals and learn from interactions. It offers companies to select their B2B Metaverse, from entry model with a booth in Must B2B Metaverse to create their own B2B Metaverse. The platform makes sure that it is easy of use and affordable for any company to start their journey in the Metaverse. Other event companies like Mootup, Vfairs started offering events in 3D where you can have avatars, but they are mainly designed for events and do not meet the persistent and interactive mode of the Metaverse.

How to start?

The worst thing is to do nothing, especially since there are several solutions on the market to start and to try for few euros a month, such as having a customizable booth in a B2B Metaverse (Must B2B Metaverse) where you can also organize events and meetings. It will be a good way for B2B Marketers to learn and fine-tune their B2B Metaverse strategy and roadmap. This first experience will allow them to learn about the Metaverse behavior, requirements to showcase products, resources needed, the impact on their organization, the level of customization they will need and how to use the B2B Metaverse to collaborate with other companies etc....

It will be the first step to initiate their organization to the B2B Metaverse world and to start to build their B2B Metaverse strategy.

The B2B Metaverse is creating a strong movement and new ways to interact, to find partners and to enjoy new appealing customer experiences and journeys. It is progressing very fast, and companies will need to participate early, to learn and to understand it, to be part of the story and to influence it!