The UK’s Top 10 VR Companies — and What Sets the Standouts Apart
Virtual reality (VR) in the UK has experienced waves of hype and quieter periods over the past decade, with public attention spiking around consumer launches and metaverse buzz but often fading as other tech trends, such as AI, took centre stage. Yet behind these cyclical headlines, the underlying market has grown steadily. In 2024 the UK VR market was valued at around £1.32b and is forecast to reach roughly £4.76b by 2033, growing at about 14.6% annually.
Consumer uptake remains emerging rather than mainstream (historically only about 4% of UK citizens reported having VR equipment at home) but demand is expanding beyond gaming into sectors like training, healthcare and enterprise applications. Meanwhile, broader immersive tech in the UK (including augmented reality and mixed reality) was worth an estimated £2.9b in 2024, growing double digits year-on-year.
In this blog, we look at the UK’s VR landscape today and over the past ten years. And we reveal the UK’s top VR companies by fundraising to date, alongside our standout VR companies of 2025.
The UK’s VR landscape
As the technology has developed, the number of active VR companies in the UK has increased gradually rather than dramatically. Growth too has been shaped less by sudden surges and more by steady expansion into areas such as healthcare, construction, industrial simulation, urban planning, and spatial computing.
However we are also seeing an increase in the number of VR company cessations each year since 2021. In 2025, there was a record number of VR company cessations (86), a 32% increase from 2024, and a 975% increase since 2015. At the same time, we’re seeing a decrease in the number of foundations. There were just 13 VR company foundations in 2025, a 72% decline year-on-year.
The VR investment landscape paints an interesting picture. The 2017 £392m investment into Improbable accounts for a huge uptick in investment in that year — which saw the highest amount invested into VR companies to date. 2022, in the post COVID-19 era, still saw the highest number of fundraisings (101). That being said, 2024 was another great year for VR companies with £359m raised across 73 funding events.
So far in 2026, there’s been two fundraisings into UK VR companies. Basildon-based virtual reality training program company AVRT raised £118k in January, and Nottingham-based virtual reality technology company Huddled Group raised £830k in February.
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The UK’s top 10 VR companies
Vu.City
Location: Lambeth
Fundraising total: £25.5m
Vu.City is a 3D city modelling and urban planning platform that lets architects, planners, developers, and local authorities explore, visualise, and analyse cities in a detailed three‑dimensional digital environment. It brings together spatial data, interactive models, and collaboration tools so stakeholders can better understand the impact of proposed changes, test design options, and make planning decisions with more context and clarity.
The company has been featured on the BusinessCloud PropTech 50 high-growth list three times. It’s received four grants from Innovate UK, totalling £678k, and overall has raised £25.5m in equity.
Gravity Sketch
Location: Lambeth
Fundraising total: £29.1m
Gravity Sketch makes 3D design software where people and teams can build, explore and refine ideas in a virtual three-dimensional space rather than on flat screens. It’s used to sketch, model and review concepts — often in VR or on desktop — to help design products, environments, and objects earlier and more collaboratively in the process.
A Royal College of Art spinout, Gravity Sketch has featured on five high-growth lists, most recently appearing on the Business Leader Growth 500 in 2025. It’s also taken part in seven accelerator programs. Since its incorporation in 2014, the company has been through four funding rounds, securing a total £29.1m.
SLAMcore
Location: Southwark
Fundraising total: £29.5m
SLAMcore builds embedded software to help machines and devices understand and navigate the world around them using vision-based spatial intelligence and sensor data. Their core technology uses SLAM (simultaneous localisation and mapping) algorithms so robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, and other products can determine their position, create maps of their environment, and perceive objects in real time.
Incorporated in 2016, SLAMcore has been through five funding rounds, raising £29.5m in total. It’s also received three grants from Innovate UK, totalling £559k.
XYZ Reality
Location: Islington
Fundraising total: £32.0m
XYZ Reality is a construction tech company that combines engineering-grade augmented reality with real-time project controls so teams can view and interact with 3D building models on site instead of relying on traditional 2D plans.
The company has appeared on nine high-growth lists, including The Sunday Times Tech 100 in 2026. It also attended the Future Fifty accelerator in 2024. Overall, it has raised £32.0m in equity and received seven R&D grants.
Fundamental XR
Location: Camden
Fundraising total: £37.1m
Fundamental XR develops immersive technology solutions that help healthcare and medical teams learn and practice complex skills using virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and related tools. Their platforms blend realistic 3D simulations, feedback systems and data insights to support training, assessment and mastery of clinical procedures.
Founded in 2010, Fundamental XR has featured on the 100 HealthTech Pioneers, and the BusinessCloud MedTech 50. It also attended the Mayor’s International Business Programme, and the Founders Factory Accelerator. In total, the company has raised £37.1m in equity across seven funding rounds.
Hadean
Location: Hackney
Fundraising total: £59.1m
Hadean is a spatial computing and AI tech company that builds software for creating large, real‑time digital environments where governments and organisations can plan, train and make decisions more effectively. Their technology combines simulation, AI and data to bridge physical and virtual worlds — for example in defence command‑and‑control, synthetic training environments, and other complex use cases.
The company has appeared on five high-growth lists, including The Sunday Times Tech 100 in 2025. It’s received four research and development grants, totalling £370k. Overall the company has raised £59.1m.
Cambridge Mechtronics
Location: South Cambridgeshire
Fundraising total: £77.8m
Cambridge Mechatronics is an engineering company that develops precision motion solutions using patented Shape Memory Alloy technology, which are tiny actuators and control systems that move and position components with very fine accuracy. Their technology is used in high‑volume products like smartphone camera autofocus and image stabilisation, and is being extended into areas such as wearables, AR/VR and other devices that need compact, precise actuation.
A University of Birmingham spinout, Cambridge Mechatronics has secured £77.8m in equity investment. It featured on the BusinessCloud FactoryTech 50 high-growth list in 2024 — and overall has filed 167 patents.
Ultraleap
Location: Bristol
Fundraising total: £154m
Ultraleap builds hand‑tracking and mid‑air haptic interaction technologies so people can interact with digital systems using natural gestures instead of physical controllers, screens or buttons. Their solutions combine computer vision and ultrasound‑based tactile feedback to detect detailed hand movements and project touch sensations in space, enabling more intuitive interfaces for extended reality (VR/AR), automotive displays and other touchless applications.
A University of Bristol spinout, Ultraleap was established in 2013 and since then has gone on to raise £154m across eight funding rounds. It acquired US-based application software company Leap Motion in 2019, and since then appeared on the South West Tech 50 high-growth list in 2020, and the BusinessCloud 100 MediaTech Innovators high-growth list in 2021.
Build A Rocket Boy
Location: Edinburgh
Fundraising total: £246m
Build A Rocket Boy is an independent video game development studio based in Edinburgh, Scotland that creates large‑scale interactive entertainment experiences and games for platforms like PlayStation, Xbox and PC. They’re best known for working on projects such as the AAA title MindsEye and broader gaming ecosystems like EVERYWHERE, blending traditional game design with tools for user‑generated content and immersive digital worlds.
In 2024, the company acquired US virtual reality video game company PlayFusion, and in 2025, the company appeared on the Business Leader Growth 500. Overall, the company has raised £246m.
Improbable
Location: Tower Hamlets
Fundraising total: £664m
Improbable creates tools and platforms for large‑scale virtual worlds, simulations and metaverse experiences, combining expertise in gaming, distributed systems, AI and blockchain. It partners with developers and organisations to build and operate immersive digital environments and also incubates and invests in new tech ventures in areas like AI, Web3 and the metaverse.
Founded in 2012, Improbable has featured on 12 high-growth lists, most recently appearing on the E2E International 100 in 2024, and attended the Upscale accelerator programme in 2016. It’s acquired three companies, most recently acquiring German software company Zeuz. And overall, it has raised £664m in equity.
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Looking beyond the ranking: our standout VR companies
To move beyond our initial ranking, we used the Beauhurst platform to apply additional filters and identify UK VR companies that stand out for their resilience and progress over time. This included businesses with long operating histories that have weathered multiple hype cycles, companies that have secured repeat investment through follow-on funding rounds, and teams whose innovation has been supported by grants or public research funding.
Using Beauhurst, we applied the following filters:
- Longevity: VR companies that were incorporated at least five years ago
- Repeat investment: Businesses that have raised at least three times
- Grant-backed innovation: Companies that have received an innovation grant
Beauhurst’s top three standout VR companies
Dream Reality Interactive
Location: Hammersmith and Fulham
Fundraising total: £1.93m
Dream Reality Interactive is an immersive technology and game development studio that designs and builds interactive experiences using virtual reality, augmented reality, mobile and web platforms. The team includes veterans from major studios and works on projects ranging from VR games and AR content to multiplayer and avatar-based experiences, often blending cutting-edge tech with creative storytelling.
Founded in 2016, the company has been through seven funding rounds, raising a total of £1.93m. Its most recent fundraising event was in July 2025 when the company secured £598k. It also received one grant from Innovate UK for £80.4k, as part of a grant initiative of £341k.
Valkyrie Industries
Location: Southwark
Fundraising total: £863k
Valkyrie Industries is developing wearable haptic and electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) technology designed to enhance how people interact with virtual environments and support muscle training, fitness and rehabilitation. The company’s technology is used for VR-linked workouts and clinical applications that help strengthen muscles, retrain movement and aid recovery.
Incorporated in 2017, Valkyrie Industries has been operating for almost ten years. Overall, the company has received £863k in funding. Its most recent fundraising was in October 2025 when the company raised £130k. Shortly before that, it received its fourth grant from Innovate UK, bringing its total amount received through grants up to £441k.
Vieweet
Location: Tower Hamlets
Fundraising total: £1.44m
Vieweet is a proptech company that uses AI and 360° imagery to convert simple panoramic captures into rich, structured data and digital models for the real estate sector. Their platform turns a single 360° photo taken on a phone or tablet into detailed outputs like interactive virtual tours, floor plans, room measurements and reports suitable for valuation, energy assessment and portfolio management.
Running since 2013, Vieweet has received two grants from Innovate UK totalling £494k. Overall, it’s been through six funding rounds, raising £1.44m in total. Its most recent fundraising was in June 2025, when it raised £748k.
Beauhurst’s top three standout VR companies outside of London
We also wanted to highlight some standout VR companies outside of the London tech hub.
Cognitant Group
Location: South Oxfordshire
Fundraising total: £2.58m
Cognitant is a digital health company that creates clinically-led patient engagement and education solutions to help people better understand their health conditions and treatment options through clear, personalised digital content. Their main product, Healthinote, is a platform used by healthcare providers and life sciences organisations to share trusted health information and self-management tools with patients, using formats that can include VR, interactive visuals and immersive experiences.
The company has been through six fundraising events since it was launched in 2018. Altogether it’s raised £2.58m, with its most recent fundraising event contributing £594k, with investments from Kidney Research UK and the Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network. Cognitant has also received five grants totalling £974k.
Rescape Innovation
Location: Cardiff
Fundraising total: £963k
Rescape Innovation is a healthtech company that uses virtual reality as a therapeutic tool in clinical settings to help reduce pain, anxiety and stress for patients and support wellbeing for frontline staff, particularly within hospitals, hospices and care homes. Its core product, DR.VR, delivers immersive VR experiences designed to distract and calm the brain during medical procedures or stressful care situations, with specialised versions for paediatric patients and staff support.
Acquired by French digital therapies company Healthy Mind in 2025, the Welsh company raised £1.9k through Crowdcube in March 2025, just before the acquisition. Since its launch in 2017, the company also received three grants totalling £370k.
Hoko Design
Location: Fife
Fundraising total: £1.11m
Hoko Design is an architectural design and residential services firm that works with homeowners on projects like home extensions, conversions and interior alterations, guiding clients from initial concept through planning and design to build. They use visualisation tools such as 3D renderings and VR walkthroughs to help clients understand and refine their designs before construction.
The Scottish company has received two grants from Scottish EDGE, totalling £25.0k. It was incorporated in 2016, and overall has been through five funding rounds. Its most recent fundraising was in January 2025, when the company raised £40.0k.
Where UK VR momentum is actually coming from
The data suggests that much of the UK’s VR momentum is being driven by sector-specific applications rather than broad consumer adoption. Healthcare, construction, defence, urban planning, industrial simulation, and spatial data analysis all feature heavily among both the top 10 and the standout companies.
Enterprise and industrial use cases are particularly prominent, where VR is used as part of decision-making, training, design or operational workflows. These applications often require longer development cycles and sustained R&D investment, which is reflected in the number of companies receiving grant funding alongside private investment.
Rather than indicating rapid shifts, these patterns point to a gradual embedding of VR technologies into existing industries. This suggests steady, long-term development driven by practical application rather than speculative growth.
Prominence vs progress
The VR companies highlighted are those with the greatest fundraising totals and, in many cases, the highest public visibility. These businesses often operate at scale, attract large funding rounds, and play a significant role in shaping how the sector is perceived.
However, looking beyond headline rankings helps reveal a different picture of progress. Indicators such as company longevity, repeat fundraising and grant support surface businesses that are building steadily, adapting through multiple market cycles and continuing to invest in long-term development — even when external attention dips.
This is where platforms like Beauhurst add depth. By bringing together fundraising data, grant history, high-growth signals and company timelines in one place, it becomes easier to track not just who is most visible, but who is consistently active and progressing beneath the surface.
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