Virtual Reality & Life After Meta

In this episode of the Hello 50:50 World Podcast, we speak with Britta Hummel, former engineering leader at Meta, who worked on products like Meta Quest and the early foundations of the Microsoft HoloLens. Together, we explore virtual and mixed reality beyond the hype: - Why the biggest technical challenges in VR are largely solved - Why the business side of the metaverse is struggling despite massive investments - What it was like to build immersive technologies inside Big Tech - How power dynamics and leadership culture shaped Britta’s experience at Meta - Why she ultimately decided to leave the company and speak publicly about it - And how she is now using VR for trauma therapy and healthcare through her new venture Waven After leaving Meta, Britta publicly shared reflections on leadership culture, dissent, and power dynamics inside Big Tech in a widely discussed Substack article. Today, she is co-founding Waven together with two other former Meta employees, exploring how virtual reality can be used for trauma therapy, mental health, and healthcare. From open-source VR headsets to humane technology and trauma healing, this conversation explores what happens when technologists start asking not only can we build something — but whether we should, and for whom. Learn more in this episode.