Top 10 VR Startups to Keep Your Eye On in 2024

Woman with vr headset.

Virtual reality (VR) is no longer just a sci-fi fantasy — it’s rapidly becoming an integral part of our digital landscape. As the technology matures and finds applications beyond gaming, a new wave of innovative startups is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in virtual worlds. From revolutionizing remote work to transforming medical training, these are the top VR startups to watch.

VR Companies to Follow

Every year, new startups pull to the forefront of their industry through exciting innovation and industry-disrupting business models. We’ve rounded up the most exciting VR startups of 2024 that startup-lovers, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs should follow. 

Disclaimer: With so many exciting startups launching and growing worldwide, we aren’t able to cover them all. Furthermore, the startups that are listed below are not officially ranked and are listed in no particular order.

1. Neurable

  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts
  • Founder(s): Dr. Ramses Alcaide, Adam Molnar 
  • Founded In: 2015
  • Funding: Series A, $30.9 Million
  • Investors Include: Cap Table Coalition, Angeles Investors, Bramalea Partners

Neurable has built a wireless brain-computer interface platform that lets people interact with objects in virtual reality and augmented reality (AR) environments with their brain activity alone. Using a non-invasive brain monitoring technology called electroencephalography (EEG), Neurable’s device uses its sensors to instantly and accurately detect what your brain wants it to do, which is then translated into signals sent into the VR environment.

2. Gather

  • Location: San Francisco, California 
  • Founder(s): Phillip Wang, Kumail Jaffer, Alex Chen, Nathan Foss
  • Founded In: 2020
  • Funding: Series B, $76.1 Million
  • Investors Include: Index Ventures, Haystack Management Company, Alpha Citadel 

Gather is a virtual space platform that combines video calling with a 2D game-like environment. While not strictly a VR startup, Gather creates customizable virtual spaces where users can move around, interact with objects, and seamlessly start video chats with nearby participants. Gather aims to make online interactions more natural and spontaneous — particularly for remote work, education, and social events.

3. Immersed 

  • Location: Austin, Texas
  • Founder(s): Renji Bijoy
  • Founded In: 2017
  • Funding: Equity Crowdfunding, $26.8 Million
  • Investors Include: Whoa Ventures, Broadshade Investments, Fireroad

Immersed offers a VR workspace platform that allows users to create multiple virtual monitors and collaborate in shared virtual environments. The company’s software is designed to enhance productivity for remote workers, freelancers, and distributed teams. Immersed aims to revolutionize remote work by providing a more immersive and distraction-free alternative to traditional video conferencing and screen-sharing tools.

4. Osso VR 

  • Location: San Francisco, California 
  • Founder(s): Dr. Justin Barad, Matt Newport
  • Founded In: 2016
  • Funding: Series C, $109 Million 
  • Investors Include: GSR Ventures, OCA Ventures, Signal Fire 

Osso VR is a health tech startup that develops VR surgical training and assessment platforms. The company’s technology allows medical professionals to practice complex procedures in a realistic, risk-free environment. Osso VR’s goal is to improve patient outcomes by providing more effective and accessible training for surgeons and medical device companies.

5. Innoactive

  • Location: Munich, Germany
  • Founder(s): Daniel Seidl, Benedikt Reiser 
  • Founded In: 2013
  • Funding: Series A, $5.18 Million
  • Investors Include: Boost VC, Capnamic Ventures, UVC Partners

Innoactive is a VR startup that allows businesses to scale their training to thousands of users simultaneously. In the past, training employees required scheduling time with knowledgeable trainers, organizing a training space, acquiring all of the necessary equipment, models, or examples required for the training, and then inviting a limited number of employees due to capacity constraints. With Innoactive, a VR training simulation can be built one time and then redistributed across a global workforce with the click of a button. 

Best of all, Innoactive provides a seamless web-based experience, allowing users to launch apps and browse simulations across any web browser.

6. TRIPP

  • Location: Los Angeles, California 
  • Founder(s): Nanea Reeves, Zachary Norman 
  • Founded In: 2017
  • Funding: Series A, $26.3 Million
  • Investors Include: Beni Venture Capital, Elevation Capital, BITKRAKT Ventures 

TRIPP delivers a VR-based mindfulness and meditation platform. The company’s app offers immersive, psychedelic-inspired experiences designed to reduce stress, improve focus, and promote overall well-being. TRIPP combines stunning visuals, binaural audio, and gamification elements to make meditation more engaging and accessible to a wider audience.

7. Proof of Play

  • Location: New York, New York
  • Founder(s): Amitt Mahajan, Matthew Zaborowski, Fariz Chowdhury
  • Founded In: 2022
  • Funding: Seed, $32.8 Million
  • Investors Include: Andreessen Horowitz, Greenoaks Capital Partners, Justin Kan

Proof of Play provides a blockchain-based platform for the VR gaming industry. The company focuses on creating a decentralized ecosystem that allows game developers to easily integrate play-to-earn mechanics and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into their VR games. Proof of Play’s goal is to empower players by giving them true ownership of in-game assets and rewards while providing new monetization opportunities for developers.

8. Obsess

  • Location: New York, New York
  • Founder(s): Neha Singh
  • Founded In: 2017
  • Funding: Series A, $14 Million
  • Investors Include: Techstars, Disney Accelerator, Five Two Five

Obsess specializes in creating virtual stores and showrooms for ecommerce and retail brands. The company uses 3D and VR technologies to build immersive, shoppable environments that replicate the in-store experience online. Obsess aims to revolutionize digital shopping by making it more engaging, interactive, and true to the brand’s physical presence.

9. Emerge

  • Location: Los Angeles, California 
  • Founder(s): Isaac Castro, Sly Spencer Lee
  • Founded In: 2015
  • Funding: Series A, $38 Million
  • Investors Include: Golden Ventures, Afore Capital, M13

Emerge is creating shared virtual experiences that incorporate touch sensations. The company’s main product is the Emerge Wave-1, a desktop device that allows users to feel and interact with digital objects using ultrasonic waves. Emerge’s goal is to make virtual interactions more tangible and emotionally connected — particularly for remote communication and collaboration.

10. TG0

  • Location: London, England
  • Founder(s): Ming Kong, Dr. Liucheng Guo
  • Founded In: 2015
  • Funding: Later Stage VC, $7.87 Million
  • Investors Include: Plug and Play, NetMind.AI, European Innovation Council Fund

TG0 (formerly TANGI0) is developing advanced haptic technology for VR and augmented reality (AR). The company’s technology can be used by developers to prototype and manufacture next-generation digital products. TG0’s technology aims to enhance immersion in VR and AR experiences by providing more natural and intuitive ways to interact with virtual objects through tactile and deformation sensing, pressure mapping, and gesture recognition.