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The Companies Quietly Shaping the XR Future
What founders, labs, and operators see coming next
Roman L Binder & Bruno Filkin
December 17th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes
In partnership with
When we left off last week, we were talking about a moment where objects start talking.
UnitedXR in Brussels felt like the next step of that story. Bruno captured extensive video from the expo, and rather than compress everything into clips without context, we’re splitting this into two parts. In this episode, we’ll zoom out and examine the ecosystem itself. We will explore the companies, partners, and institutions that truly define the direction of XR, going beyond mere hype and press releases.
Next week, we’ll zoom back in and share the footage that shows this shift in action.
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XR-Need
XR-Need operates where XR projects usually break down: between secure industrial data, real workflows, and fast decision-making.
At UnitedXR, the focus was not on building new models but on instant access and safe collaboration. Their solution allows teams to export CAD data into VR in seconds, conduct design reviews, and then share encrypted scene files instead of raw 3D models. This avoids one of the biggest blockers in enterprise XR: sending sensitive IP across organizations.
What makes XR-Need stand out
Enables instant VR design reviews without exposing original CAD files.
Uses encrypted scene sharing so only approved tools can open the data.
Designed specifically for industries where IP protection and speed matter.
Why it matters
XR-Need removes friction between engineering teams, partners, and clients without compromising security.
Did you know?
PwC’s UK study found that VR learners were up to 4× faster to train than classroom learners and 3.75× more emotionally connected to the content than e-learning participants, a key driver of long-term skill retention. (learn more)
Hypervision
Hypervision is not building headsets. They are building the optics that redefine what headsets can do.
At the expo, they demonstrated a patented dual-display system that combines a high-resolution central display with peripheral stimulation, covering nearly the full human field of view. The result is a compact, lightweight optical architecture that dramatically increases immersion without scaling headset size.
Their approach makes a clear tradeoff visible: premium microLED systems with unmatched clarity versus more affordable LCD-based systems that still achieve wide field of view.
What makes Hypervision stand out
Dual-display architecture covering central and peripheral vision.
Proprietary pancake lenses optimized for microLED and LCD systems.
Focus on compact, lightweight optics rather than bulkier headsets.
Why it matters
This is how XR moves closer to natural human perception, especially for simulation, defense, and professional use.
The most insane XR NEWS
(from last week)
Meta Quest 4 is reportedly in the works. Rumors show Meta is actively developing a next-gen Quest headset with “large upgrades” over Quest 3, potentially targeting a 2027–2028 reveal while also delaying its mixed reality project, the “Phoenix.” (learn more)
Meta plans price increases for VR devices. Internal memos indicate Meta intends to raise prices on its VR hardware and slow the pace of new product launches to focus on software quality and long-term sustainability. (learn more)
New VR attraction pushes immersive entertainment boundaries
“Interstellar Arc” opened in Las Vegas, using wireless Quest 3S headsets and advanced spatial tech to blend physical space with narrative VR for up to 170 users simultaneously. (learn more)
NES classics now playable in 3D AR formats
A new emulator lets players experience classic NES games as interactive 3D scenes in AR/VR environments, blending nostalgia with immersive technology. (learn more)
AI partner wedding highlights AR/VR social trends
In Japan, a woman married her AI-generated partner using AR glasses and mobile devices—a sign of how immersive tech intersects with social and emotional life. (learn more)
CHENEXT
CHENEXT builds XR where mistakes are expensive.
Their demo focused on augmented reality maintenance workflows for high-pressure industrial gas installations. Technicians see a perfectly aligned digital twin over the physical system, receive step-by-step instructions, and are physically prevented from performing unsafe actions, such as opening locked valves.
Every action is logged, validated, and stored on the customer’s own infrastructure, not in a third-party cloud.
What makes CHENEXT stand out
AR-guided maintenance aligned precisely to physical installations.
Safety logic that prevents incorrect or dangerous actions.
Full activity tracking hosted on the customer’s own servers.
Why it matters
This is XR as a compliance and safety system, not just a training tool.
Tool of the Week: NVIDIA Omniverse
If there was one tool that kept coming up, directly or indirectly, at UnitedXR, it was NVIDIA Omniverse.
Not as a buzzword, but as infrastructure. Omniverse is quietly becoming the backbone for serious XR, simulation, and digital twin work where precision and scale matter. It is less about visuals and more about connecting real data, real physics, and real workflows into shared virtual environments.
Why it wins this week
Real-time collaboration across XR, simulation, AI, and 3D pipelines
Built for digital twins, industrial simulation, and complex environments
Strong ecosystem adoption across automotive, manufacturing, robotics, and research
Key specs and facts
USD-based platform enabling interoperability across tools like Unity, Unreal, Blender, and Maya
Runs on RTX GPUs with real-time ray tracing and physics simulation
Used by companies like BMW, Siemens, and Lockheed Martin for digital twins and simulation
This is the kind of tool that signals where XR is going next. Less demo. More system.
XelerateVR
XelerateVR tackles one of the hardest problems in XR: natural movement without motion sickness.
Their omnidirectional treadmill uses thousands of specially molded rolling elements combined with sub-millimeter, high-frequency tracking. Movement data is converted into standard joystick input, making the system compatible with existing VR applications.
What stood out most were real-world deployments, including collaborations with the European Space Agency, the German military, and police forces.
What makes XelerateVR stand out:
Natural walking sensation with high-precision motion tracking.
Solves motion sickness at a hardware and signal level.
Compatible with existing VR software without custom integration.
Why it matters
Free movement unlocks serious training and simulation use cases that standard locomotion cannot support.
IntraCon
IntraCon focuses on learning fidelity, not spectacle.
Their XR systems combine physical weapon replicas with embedded tracking, recoil simulation, and precise monitoring of every movement. Magazine changes, weapon handling, and posture are tracked in real time, supporting both military-grade training and adapted gaming scenarios.
Their designs support both open-space training and constrained environments like living rooms.
What makes IntraCon stand out
The system includes physical training hardware with embedded tracking and recoil.
Detailed monitoring of weapon handling and procedural learning.
Adaptable systems for defense, police, and civilian applications.
Why it matters
This is XR built to train muscle memory and decision-making, not just visual awareness.
ICRC
The ICRC showed how immersive technology can train judgment, not just skills.
They presented multiple internally developed simulations, including civilian survival scenarios, AI-driven negotiation roleplay with an offline-controlled character, and a multiplayer sandbox for preparing staff before field deployment. Everything is created and controlled in-house to preserve neutrality and accuracy.
Their traveling 360-degree dome brings real humanitarian contexts to audiences who cannot visit conflict zones.
What makes ICRC stand out
Fully offline, internally controlled AI roleplay simulations.
Scenario-based training focused on observation and decision-making.
Immersive storytelling grounded in real humanitarian operations.
Why it matters
This is XR used to build empathy, preparedness, and responsibility at scale.
If you want to explore how this applies to your team, book a strategy call and we’ll walk you through what’s possible.
That’s a wrap!!
Talk soon!
Bruno Filkin
Founder, Mastermind VR
VR Strategy Consultation
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