The story of Jimena Tormo is one of disruption, creativity, and the power of emerging technology to shape our collective future. Residing in the heart of Barcelona, Spain, this Venezuelan-born freelance digital creative entrepreneur and consultant has devoted herself to blurring the lines between art, technology, and human connection. With over six remarkable years in the immersive industry, she is a role model for aspiring innovators worldwide.
Blazing a Trail in the Tech Industry
“I currently work as an independent digital creative and consultant helping clients integrate emerging technologies such as XR, Metaverse platforms, web3 dynamics, and AI tools in their marketing and communication strategies,” Jimena shares.
One of her key ventures is Metacampus, an empowering digital training hub. As the Digital Creative and Creators+ Program Lead, Jimena designs and implements a curriculum that grooms content creators for the digital era. This cutting-edge education program incorporates web3, XR, the Metaverse, and AI, providing a holistic and practical foundation for the creators of tomorrow.
She’s also a co-founder and host of a Spanish-language podcast called ‘Metaversadas,’ aimed at professionals in the XR industry. The show features interviews with CEOs, founders, artists, and developers from prominent XR technology companies and associations across Ibero-America.
If that’s not enough, Jimena’s also working on another project, ‘Virtual Papaya,’ a bilingual Spanish and English YouTube channel for a broader audience interested in understanding emerging tech.
Using Technology to Make a Positive Impact
Jimena’s work isn’t just about technology; it’s about people. Through her projects, she touches lives across various industries and demographics. Her passion extends beyond teaching and into positive societal impact. She collaborates with the Barcelona School of Creativity: “By incorporating these innovations, students can generate enhanced engagement, interactivity, and social impact,” she affirms.
Her teaching methods have received resounding praise from students, revealing the transformative power of technology in creative and academic environments. In line with this, she’s exploring AI integration in education, offering workshops for professors to leverage this technology to amplify their impact.
Through her media projects, ‘Metaversadas’ and ‘Virtual Papaya,’ Jimena strives to demystify the technological revolution for a broad audience. As she puts it, her goal is to “bridge language barriers by promoting bilingual content that facilitates greater connections between the English and Spanish-speaking XR and web3 communities.”
The Power of Technology to Shape Our Future
Jimena exudes a sense of optimism and conviction when discussing the potential of technology to shape our future. “Emerging technologies hold unparalleled potential to shape the future and foster a better world for future generations,” she states. Jimena’s belief rests on the idea that innovations such as AI can break down barriers, combat inequality, foster collaboration, and enhance productivity.
For Jimena, the transformative influence of innovations is grounded in four main pillars: eliminating barriers, fighting inequality, fostering collaboration, and optimizing tasks. These elements, she believes, will create a more inclusive and connected society for future generations.
A Shining Example of Tech Innovation
Jimena’s pride in her work shines through when she discusses the CUPRA eGarage and CMC (2020-2021) virtual platform and events. This digital experience, developed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, transformed CUPRA’s annual training event into a virtual, interactive extravaganza. “This interactive platform allowed CUPRA Masters to navigate and engage with the environment using avatars,” she explains, underlining the revolutionary nature of the project. The initiative provided an innovative way for the company to connect with its community and was later upgraded with new interactive features, improvements, and a sponsored virtual party.
In 2021, CUPRA took its digital strategy even further, and Jimena had the opportunity to be involved in the creative lead process for the event’s second edition. This edition introduced new interactive features, improvements in the virtual production and VFX system, a virtual closing party sponsored by Primavera Sound Music Festival, and a racing video game where users could experience driving the new CUPRA Born model while learning about its main features.
“Being part of the creative lead team for the 2021 edition of the CUPRA eGarage and CMC has been a significant milestone in my career as a Digital Creative in the XR industry,” she shares. “It has allowed me to showcase my skills and contribute to developing innovative and immersive experiences in the automotive sector.”
Closing Chapters
Regarding her backstory, Jimena has a diverse and remarkable work history. From working as a designer for an events and BTL advertising company, as a Junior Copy Producer for Sony Pictures Entertainment, as a professor of Performing Arts and Audio-Visual Research in Venezuela, to becoming an immersive video expert at Visyon in Spain before transitioning to the company’s creative department.
Jimena adds: “After five and a half years at Visyon, I closed that chapter of my professional life to become a freelancer, continue with the podcast, and teach at The Valley Business School to CEOs, marketing executives, communication and advertising experts, and at the Barcelona School of Creativity to students of Creativity and Art Direction… I have given talks and workshops in companies and institutions such as Havas Media Group, the Marketing and Communication College of Catalonia, the Barcelona Provincial Council, Ramon Llull University, and the University of Girona. I also participated in international events such as The Immerse Global Summit in Madeira, Laval Virtual Europe, and The District in Barcelona.”
Inspiring Change
Women’s underrepresentation in tech leadership and technical positions limits the industry’s diversity and impedes their career advancement. The lack of female mentors and role models only adds to the difficulties. Jimena emphasizes the need for organizations to foster open discussions and establish networks of supportive tech women and allies. Such networks would share experiences, provide guidance, and inspire the upcoming generation of female professionals.
Furthermore, she acknowledges the biases against women’s tech credibility and skills that hinder their career advancement and access to leadership roles. To combat these biases, Jimena advocates for fair recruitment processes based on candidates’ competencies and qualifications. Moreover, companies should work towards creating inclusive environments that reward contributions irrespective of the individuals’ backgrounds.
Jimena offers unconventional advice to women in tech. She proposes letting go of gender as a defining factor for one’s career. This idea doesn’t involve denying one’s nature or adopting stereotypical masculine attitudes but embracing a positive mindset that we all start from the same foundation of opportunities.
By focusing on their attitude and aligning it with a fair world vision, women can project confidence, express their opinions, demand respect, and create better workplaces for themselves and other women. Jimena encourages women to shape their own narratives, leverage their strengths, and stay true to their values.
A Message to Ignite Change
Jimena’s message to the world is simple yet powerful: “Embrace empathy; spark dialogue; ignite change.”
Jimena’s vision of her legacy reveals her dedication to others. She aspires to make a lasting impact, teaching with passion, inspiring others with innovative ideas, and empowering them to succeed in the emerging tech industry.
