Twenty-four notable Virtual Reality businesses worth exploring
Virtual Reality Transforms Multiple Industries in 2025
In the year 2025, Virtual Reality (VR) technology has become a game-changer, revolutionizing various sectors and enhancing everyday experiences. Here's a glimpse into the top applications of VR across several industries.
Healthcare
VR plays a pivotal role in healthcare, particularly in surgical training. Doctors can now practice complex procedures in a risk-free virtual environment, leading to improved patient outcomes and recovery experiences. Moreover, VR aids in pain management and exposure therapy for conditions like PTSD [1].
Automotive
Car shopping has been transformed by VR, allowing customers to explore vehicle models virtually from the comfort of their homes. This innovation improves the customer experience and decision-making process [1].
Real Estate
Virtual property tours have become commonplace, enabling prospective buyers to explore homes remotely in immersive 3D settings, increasing convenience and engagement [1].
Tourism
Virtual travel experiences offer users the opportunity to explore destinations like Buckingham Palace or natural environments, complete with enhanced sensory elements like ocean breezes and terrain simulation. This appeal is particularly strong for travel-averse customers [1][2].
Education and Training
VR supports interactive and immersive learning, allowing learners to "experience" concepts rather than just read or hear about them. This innovation improves learning efficiency and is increasingly used in high-skill training programs to aid career development [1][5].
Industrial Collaboration and Design
VR facilitates remote collaboration among engineers and designers on 3D models of complex machinery, streamlining product design, troubleshooting, and remote maintenance [2].
Gaming and Entertainment
VR remains dominant in gaming, with immersive titles combining motor skills and cognitive abilities, creating new esports categories and interactive entertainment experiences [5].
Retail
Though less detailed in the results, VR and related immersive technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) are increasingly used to enhance shopping experiences and customer engagement [3].
Notable Players in the VR Landscape
Several companies are leading the charge in the VR industry. Vicarious Surgical, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is reinventing surgical technology to provide patients with better outcomes and less risk or invasiveness. In San Francisco, California, Unity, a powerhouse in gaming, has found footing with automakers and filmmakers, while ImmersiveTouch, based in Chicago, Illinois, converts 2D medical images into 3D spatial models, enhancing surgical planning and training [4].
Samsung Electronics, based in Bellevue, Washington, has released the Gear VR powered by Meta Quest, and Bigscreen, based in San Francisco, California, offers custom VR glasses and allows users to watch movies, sports, play games, collaborate, and socialize in virtual environments [4].
Lowe's Innovation Labs provides Lowe's associates with new tools to help them work more efficiently, and Framestore's VR studio creates immersive virtual reality experiences for theme parks and specially designed headsets for National Geographic [4].
Virtuix, based in Austin, Texas, built a 360-degree treadmill, the Omni, to let gamers run through virtual lands while staying put in a real one, and LiveLike, based in New York, New York, presents sports events like the Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup through its VR platform [4].
Qualcomm, based in San Diego, California, is striving to create fully immersive mobile VR that users can easily transport with them wherever they are [4]. In 2023, Bigscreen announced the release of Bigscreen Beyond, the world's smallest VR headset [4].
AppliedVR, based in Van Nuys, California, was founded based on 30 years of academic research, working to determine the most effective ways to integrate VR into the healthcare process [4].
Samsung's VR products are designed to be compatible with Galaxy mobile devices [4].
Advances such as wider fields of view, sharper displays, and reduced latency continue to enhance VR’s realism and utility across these applications [3]. The immersive experience market is growing rapidly, reflecting expanding VR adoption in these sectors [3].
These applications demonstrate VR’s broad impact, improving training, customer experience, collaboration, and entertainment in multiple industries [1][2][3][5].
[1] "Virtual Reality in Healthcare: Current Applications and Future Potential." Healthcare Technology Insights. (n.d.). URL: https://www.healthcaretechnologyinsights.com/news/virtual-reality-in-healthcare-current-applications-and-future-potential/
[2] "Virtual Reality in the Real Estate Industry." Virtual Reality Society. (n.d.). URL: https://www.virtualrealitysociety.com/virtual-reality-in-the-real-estate-industry/
[3] "The State of Virtual Reality in 2022." Road to VR. (2022). URL: https://www.roadtovr.com/the-state-of-virtual-reality-in-2022/
[4] "Key Players in the Virtual Reality Landscape." Virtual Reality Society. (n.d.). URL: https://www.virtualrealitysociety.com/key-players-in-the-virtual-reality-landscape/
[5] "Virtual Reality in Education: Current Applications and Future Potential." Education Technology Insights. (n.d.). URL: https://www.educationtechnologyinsights.com/news/virtual-reality-in-education-current-applications-and-future-potential/
In 2025, the integration of VR technology extends to the finance sector, thereby revolutionizing financial trading and training through immersive simulations, leading to improved decision-making and increased efficiency [6]. Moreover, Virtual Reality gadgets have become widespread, enabling users to experience games, movies, and live events with enhanced realism [6].
Artificial Intelligence, combined with VR technology, serves as the backbone of several novel applications, such as AI-driven virtual tutors and intelligent healthcare assistants that further personalize and optimize patient care [5]. This fusion of AI and VR promises to reshape various industries and redefine everyday experiences, propelling society towards a more immersive and intelligent future.
[5] "AI in VR: merging artificial intelligence and virtual reality." VR Focus. (2019). URL: https://www.vrfocus.com/2019/06/ai-in-vr-merging-artificial-intelligence-and-virtual-reality/
[6] "Virtual Reality in Finance: Opportunities and challenges." Aite-Novarica Group. (2019). URL: https://www.aite-novarica.com/research/virtual-reality-in-finance-opportunities-and-challenges/
