VUSE XR Raises 1.2 Million Euros

VUSE XR has closed a pre-seed funding round totaling 1.2 million euros. Founded in November 2023, the Freiburg-based company develops software for creating and delivering immersive training applications. The funding round was led by the Düsseldorf-based business angel network IACD. Investors and supporters include Markus Roithmeier, an IACD member and chairman of VUSE XR’s advisory board, as well as Andreas Goss, also a member of the network and former CEO of thyssenkrupp Steel. The network did not disclose which members participated or the amounts they invested. VUSE XR also did not provide any details regarding the company’s valuation or the investment stakes. The capital is to be used for the further development of the software platform, additional AI features, and the expansion of sales activities. At the same time, the company has strengthened its commercial leadership team.

Mixed Reality for Industrial Training

VUSE XR develops solutions for creating interactive training programs in mixed reality. The technology combines digital content with users’ physical environments. This allows, for example, virtual machines, technical components, or workflows to be displayed and explored interactively. This opens up various application possibilities for industrial companies. Employees can familiarize themselves with complex systems, practice technical procedures, or understand new products without the corresponding equipment needing to be immediately available on-site. Such applications can also be used for training service personnel or introducing new products. This is particularly relevant for companies with complex technical products and multiple international locations. Providing physical training equipment in such settings often involves transportation costs, organizational effort, and limited availability. Mixed-reality applications can complement such training and make specific learning content accessible regardless of location.

From Individual Agency Projects to Software Platforms

According to VUSE XR, a key challenge in implementing immersive training is the high development effort involved. Many mixed-reality applications have so far been implemented as individual projects. For each new product or additional training sequence, content and technical features sometimes have to be recreated from scratch. This incurs costs and makes it difficult to reuse the training across different locations. VUSE XR aims to standardize this process with its software platform. The VUSE XR Hub enables companies to create interactive training programs themselves and then manage them centrally. If products, technical components, or operational processes change, the training programs can be adapted accordingly. Updated content should then be able to be distributed immediately to other locations. With this, the startup is pursuing a software-based approach that more closely integrates the creation and maintenance of mixed-reality applications into companies’ existing processes. The goal is repeatable and scalable use of the technology.

AI Is Designed to Convert Existing Product Data into Training Content

AI-powered creation tools are a key component of product development. These tools are designed to utilize existing product information and technical documentation to develop appropriate training content. Industrial companies often already have extensive documentation on their products and systems. This includes, for example, technical descriptions, operating manuals, and process documentation. VUSE XR aims to make this information usable for creating interactive training courses. This could reduce the effort required to manually adapt content for mixed-reality applications. The AI functions are specifically designed to support the conversion of existing information into customized training courses. The company did not provide further details on which steps are already fully automated or to what extent human post-processing is required. Nor did the company publish specific figures on time savings in training development. The new funding is intended to further expand the AI-powered features.

ZEISS, Witron, and Hologic are among the customers

VUSE XR has already secured several major companies as clients. These include ZEISS, Witron, Hologic, and Badenova. The clients come from a variety of sectors, including manufacturing, medical technology, logistics technology, and energy supply. According to the company, they use the VUSE XR Hub to clearly convey complex products and processes. One advantage is that technical training can be conducted even when the relevant machines or devices are not physically available. This can be particularly helpful for cross-location training or the launch of new products. The platform is also designed to enable companies to centrally update training content and adapt it to different target groups. Specific details regarding the total number of customers, the number of training courses created, or annual recurring software revenue were not disclosed. This press release also does not include any independent studies on the effectiveness of the training.

Software Instead of Costly Custom Development

With its business model, VUSE XR is capitalizing on a trend that is also evident in other areas of enterprise software. Specialized services are increasingly being supplemented or replaced by standardized software platforms. In the field of immersive training, this approach could particularly benefit companies that regularly launch new products or need to train employees at various locations. Instead of commissioning a separate development project for each training scenario, companies should be able to reuse existing content and create new applications on their own. As a result, mixed reality could also become economically viable for a wider range of training scenarios. However, the actual benefits depend on various factors. These include the quality of existing product data, the complexity of the training content, and the users’ technical equipment. Integration into existing training processes also plays an important role. VUSE XR aims to reduce these hurdles through a central software platform and AI-powered content creation capabilities.

Investors See Potential for a Scalable Software Business

Investors cite the startup’s business model and technological development as key reasons for their investment. Markus Roithmeier, an IACD member and chairman of VUSE XR’s advisory board, highlights the combination of a specialized team, AI-powered technology, and customers already acquired. In his view, the company has what it takes to develop a scalable software business from a technically sophisticated application. Andreas Goss also sees potential in the technology. The former CEO of thyssenkrupp Steel particularly emphasizes the importance of effective training for productivity, knowledge transfer, and the safe operation of complex technical systems. Mixed-reality training could help make training content more accessible and enable its use across different products and locations. Whether—and to what extent—this results in measurable productivity or cost benefits depends on the specific conditions of use.

New Executives for Sales and Customer Service

In parallel with the financing, VUSE XR has expanded its commercial leadership team. Jan Hendrik Degner is taking on the role of Chief Commercial Officer. Robert Günther has been appointed Vice President of Sales & Service Delivery. With these personnel decisions, the company is strengthening, in particular, sales, customer development, and the implementation of its software solutions. The new roles are intended to help attract additional enterprise customers and expand existing customer relationships. At the same time, VUSE XR plans to further develop its platform technologically. A key focus is on AI-powered tools designed to further reduce the effort required to create and update training programs. Specific goals regarding employee growth, revenue development, or expansion into additional countries were not disclosed.

VUSE XR Aims to Make Mixed Reality Scalable for Businesses

With the pre-seed funding of 1.2 million euros, VUSE XR is securing additional resources for its next phase of development. The startup relies on a combination of mixed reality technology, standardized software processes, and AI-powered content creation. In doing so, it targets companies that need to regularly update technical training programs and make them available across multiple locations. The customers it has already acquired in the industrial and life sciences sectors demonstrate that such applications can be used across various industries. Key to the company’s future development will be how easily companies can actually create their own training programs and what economic advantages this offers compared to custom-developed applications. By expanding its software platform and strengthening its commercial leadership team, VUSE XR now aims to attract additional customers and further scale its business model.