Helsinki XR Center (HXRC) operates as the largest extended reality innovation hub in the Nordic region, providing infrastructure and support for developers, startups, and companies working in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies. Founded in early 2019 and located in the Arabia district of Helsinki within Metropolia University of Applied Sciences' creative campus, the center has expanded to occupy approximately 1,000 square meters across the third floor of the Arabia135 building.
The organization functions as both an incubator and collaborative ecosystem. It maintains an 8-person team with diverse expertise spanning startup development, business mentoring, event management, and emerging technology implementation. The center currently supports over 30 developer hub teams with shared workspace, equipment access, and community resources. Visitor numbers have grown substantially, reaching 2,800 people in 2023 alone, while the center has collaborated with more than 100 organizations since inception.
HXRC's primary activities encompass research and development projects, startup incubation with office space and mentoring, and public engagement through workshops and demonstrations. Recent project work includes developing VR applications for urban planning and citizen participation, creating multiplayer VR training simulations for nursing professionals, and exploring augmented reality solutions for construction. The center maintains partnerships with Metropolia University, the City of Helsinki, and the Finnish Virtual Reality Association, positioning itself within broader European networks including XR4Europe and the Finnish AI Region initiative.
The center annually organizes Match XR, the Nordic region's largest dedicated extended reality conference, which attracted 1,300 attendees and 67 exhibitors in 2023.