Virtual Worlds are still an emerging market in Europe, with high expectations but limited shared understanding of what truly works in practice. To address this gap, OPENVERSE brought together, on 11 December 2025, national initiatives, technology providers, and ecosystem builders from across Europe to explore how sustainable business models for Virtual Worlds are being developed today, and how collaboration can accelerate their success.
Why This Conversation Matters
Virtual Worlds are not standalone technologies or products. They are complex socio-technical ecosystems that combine XR, AI, cloud infrastructures, data, interoperability standards, and human-centred design. As a result, business models cannot rely on technology alone. They must account for governance, monetisation, trust, inclusion, scalability, and long-term value creation.
The workshop highlighted that many current initiatives remain experimental or project-based. While this allows flexibility and innovation, it often limits scalability and financial sustainability. Understanding how technological frameworks shape value creation is therefore essential for designing viable business models that can move beyond pilots and fragmented solutions.
Key Business Model Patterns Emerging in Europe
Across countries and sectors, several recurring business model patterns emerged:
1. From Projects to Platforms
Many organisations started with bespoke XR or immersive projects and are now attempting to transition toward platforms, tools, or reusable solutions. This shift is driven by the need to reduce dependency on long sales cycles, custom development, and unpredictable margins.
2. Strong Role of Training, Education, and Industry
Training and industrial use cases remain among the most mature and commercially viable areas for Virtual Worlds. Digital twins, immersive learning environments, and collaborative simulations are already delivering measurable value, particularly in manufacturing, healthcare, and higher education.
3. Infrastructure and Data as Core Assets
Some initiatives focus less on content and more on enabling infrastructure, such as spatial mapping, positioning systems, or backend platforms. In these cases, value increasingly comes from data, licensing, and vertical services, rather than end-user experiences alone.
4. Public Funding as an Enabler—and a Constraint
EU and national funding play a critical role in sustaining early-stage activity, especially for SMEs and creative sectors. However, heavy reliance on project-based funding often prevents the emergence of long-term revenue structures and product-driven growth.
Ecosystem Challenges Shared Across Countries
Despite differences in national contexts, common challenges were repeatedly identified:
- Fragmented ecosystems with limited coordination
- Low awareness of Virtual Worlds among traditional industries
- Difficulty turning pilots into scalable products
- Skills gaps in business modelling and entrepreneurship
- Limited cross-border collaboration and shared standards
Several national initiatives are addressing these issues by acting as ecosystem coordinators, connecting companies, researchers, investors, and public bodies, and supporting matchmaking, visibility, and internationalisation.
Moving Forward Together
The workshop confirmed that Europe’s strength lies in its diversity of approaches—ranging from creative industries and cultural heritage to industrial platforms and data-driven infrastructures. At the same time, it underlined the need for greater collaboration, shared learning, and interoperability to avoid repeating the same mistakes across countries.
By focusing on real-world business cases, human-centred design, and ecosystem-level thinking, Europe can move toward scalable, collaborative, and resilient business models for Virtual Worlds. OPENVERSE will continue to support this dialogue, share insights, and connect initiatives across borders to help shape the future of Virtual Worlds in Europe.