IMPULSE

The IMPULSE Programme is a European support and matchmaking framework for XR and immersive technology projects at different stages of development. IMPULSE connects selected creative and entrepreneurial projects with funders, curators, industry partners, and ecosystem organisations through structured pitching, coaching, and targeted meetings. 

IMPULSE was created to respond to a recurring gap identified across the European XR ecosystem: promising projects often struggle not because of a lack of quality, but because of limited access to the right decision-makers at the right moment.

The Programme is designed to:

  • Support XR projects in clarifying their positioning and next steps
  • Facilitate structured encounters with relevant stakeholders
  • Strengthen cross-border connections within the European XR ecosystem
  • Enable projects to move from development to funding, distribution, or deployment

In 2026, the Programme will be produced by XR4Europe and will once again take place during Immersive Tech Week in Rotterdam. The Call for applications is now open until 13 March 2026.

Apply Now to IMPULSE

Two Distinct Programme Tracks

Content Creation

This track supports artists, studios, and creative teams developing immersive works for cultural, artistic, and narrative contexts. Projects typically operate across virtual reality, mixed reality, spatial storytelling, and location-based experiences.

Support focuses on:

  • Curatorial feedback and professional exchange
  • Visibility toward festivals, cultural institutions, and commissioning bodies
  • International networking within the immersive arts ecosystem

Selected projects have historically included immersive narratives, interactive installations, and experimental XR formats presented in cultural and artistic settings.

Past Selected Content Creation Projects

DEMARÉ

A Sensory Journey into the Depths of the Ocean, DeMare’s is a MR VR multiplayer experience that intertwines the universe of artisanal fishing and animal perception to address the gradual decline of the ocean’s health. – IMPULSE 2024

LUMEN

A coming-of-age fantastic story about the need to find a path in life. The story is metaphorically based on the moment when we grow up and must separate ourselves from the comfort zone that childhood represents. – IMPULSE 2023

OTO'S PLANET

An interactive experience in stereoscopic virtual reality (6Dof) that places us in the position of an omniscient spectator, while telling us the story of Oto whose peaceful existence on a tiny planet is disrupted by the arrival of Exo, a small, cumbersome cosmonaut. – IMPULSE 2022

Entrepreneurship

This track supports XR startups, SMEs, and applied projects developing solutions for sectors such as health, education, industry, media, and public services.

Support focuses on:

  • Strategic positioning and pitch development
  • Access to investors, corporates, and public funding actors
  • Matchmaking with technology partners and ecosystem organisations

Projects range from early-stage ventures to market-ready companies seeking partnerships, pilots, or scale-up opportunities.

Pasted Selected Entrepreneurship Projects

COGNICLEAR VR

Cogniclear VR is a brief cognitive assessment test in VR, to detect the earliest forms of cognitive decline. The test assesses multiple cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, or temporal orientation, as well as features that are unique to VR scenarios (e.g., motor control, and egocentric spatial orientation).  – IMPULSE 2024

GN3RA

GN3RA is a revolutionary AI powered creative platform that allows non-technical users to build outfits for avatars and AR, with automated export to leading virtual worlds and to their own AR app that allows users to immediately wear the outfits as filters. – IMPULSE 2023

SOMAREALITY

SOMA Reality develops eye tracking–based digital biomarkers that provide real-time insights into cognitive processes such as attention, cognitive load, and fatigue. The company applies scientifically validated neuropsychology and eye tracking research to deliver accessible cognitive monitoring solutions across sectors including healthcare, aviation, automotive, and research. – IMPULSE 2022

A programme shaped by the European XR ecosystem

IMPULSE builds on earlier editions developed within the VRDays and Immersive Tech Week and has evolved into a European programme through collaboration with XR4Europe and its network.

Across its editions, IMPULSE has supported a wide range of XR projects and contributed to the formation of longer-term collaborations. Notably, many of the founding members of the VR Health Champions initiative first connected through the 2023 edition of the Programme, illustrating its role as a catalyst for durable ecosystem partnerships.