Immersive technologies
3D information brought to life
Immersive technologies, often referred to as XR, blur the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds. In the future, they will have a lasting impact on numerous areas of society as well as our understanding of interaction and reality. They enable business innovation, transform industrial processes, and open up new perspectives in culture, education, and healthcare.
The advantages are obvious:
- Efficient & sustainable process design
- Realistic simulation
- Immersive experience
- Breaking down complexity through visualization
Interactive 3D visualizations or experiential applications make abstract expert knowledge accessible and interactive, supporting understanding and thus communication.
Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) are rapidly developing into an integrated technological standard. The global market for AR is expected to grow from approximately $140 billion in 2025 to approximately $2,345 billion in 2032 – representing an annual growth rate of around 35 percent.
(Source: Fortune Business Insights, 2026)
Immersive tech scene
Berlin has a diverse and active XR scene with players from the cultural, creative, and digital industries. As Germany's leading media and creative hub – thanks in part to its proximity to the Babelsberg film studios – the city has developed particular expertise in storytelling and content production. The areas of application with the highest turnover are games, entertainment, education, and tourism.
As a cross-sectional technology, XR is used in numerous industries, particularly in the healthcare industry, for example to simulate surgical procedures or to treat phobic disorders. In Berlin's fashion and music scene, innovative XR formats are constantly emerging – from virtual fittings and NFT metaverse exhibitions to immersive concert experiences.
Location advantages of Berlin
- Talent: around 200,000 students make Berlin the city with the most enrolled students in Germany
- Strong startup scene
- International hub for trusted AI and hotspot for blockchain
- Impulse for creative industries (esp. film, media, music, fashion, games)
- Research: A large number of excellent and diverse research institutes in Berlin are working successfully on further development in terms of content and technology
Scientific institutions
- Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW)
- Fraunhofer Institutes (FOKUS, HHI, IPK)
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- BHT Berliner Hochschule für Technik
- Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
- Technische Universität Berlin
- Universität der Künste
- Mediadesign University
- SAE Institute Berlin
- Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM)
- Macromedia University
