Joining a community of the country’s “most outstanding scaling businesses”, Metaverse VR now has access to one‑to‑one, bespoke and fully funded support to help the team sharpen strategy, strengthen operations and scale with confidence.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be joining ScaleUp,” said Metaverse VR’s CEO and Founder, Toby Everitt.

“It gives us access to expertise, support and guidance that will help us drive the business forward, grow even faster and deliver something genuinely game‑changing for the defence industry.”

A major benefit of the programme is access to a high‑level Strategic Advisory Board and a designated ScaleUp Director.

Together, they help identify key scaling challenges and unlock the resources, skills and connectivity needed to overcome them.

Confirmation of Metaverse VR’s membership followed a rigorous application process, including multiple on‑site visits and tours of our Portsmouth headquarters.

“We appreciated the support we received throughout the application phase, which was always incredibly positive,” added Claire Jones, Metaverse VR’s Chief Operating Officer.

“The ScaleUp team consistently highlighted the maturity of our systems, processes and offering for a startup. That’s a testament to how we’ve grown without ever compromising our values.

“We’re now excited to get started, make the most of the programme and connect with the brilliant network of mentors and directors.”

This announcement follows a series of major recognitions, including the Silver Award in the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme, a two‑year Memorandum of Understanding with Aviation Systems Group (ASG), and the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Together, Toby Everitt believes these milestones signal real intent and point to an exciting future ahead.

“While our products and solutions are built in the virtual world, the impact they have in the real world is both exciting and essential for helping high‑performance teams meet evolving challenges.

“Joining communities like ScaleUp and signing the Armed Forces Covenant are important steps in proving that what we do is credible, valuable and vital far beyond the world of virtual training.”

The award recognises employers who demonstrate exceptional support to the Armed Forces community – including serving personnel, veterans, reservists and their families – through robust policies, flexible practices and meaningful employment opportunities.

Commenting on the achievement, Toby Everitt, CEO and Founder of Metaverse VR, said:

“We’re honoured to receive this recognition. As a company working closely with defence clients, we’ve always understood our wider responsibility, not just to innovate, but to lead by example in how we support the men and women connected to the defence community.

“From recruitment policies to reservist flexibility, we’re committed to creating a supportive environment that actively contributes to national resilience.”

To achieve the Silver award, organisations must demonstrate several criteria:

1. Signed the Armed Forces Covenant
2. Create at least one employment opportunity for Reservists
3. Actively communicate and uphold positive stance to employees

4. Provide flexibility for Reservists to fulfil annual training and mobilisation commitments

“A Silver award recognises the fantastic efforts of employers who have both elevated their commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant and provided actual benefit to the Armed Forces Community,” explained Major General Marc Overton, following the awards announcement.

“The winners should all be very proud of the life-changing impact they are providing to our Reservists, veterans and their families. The number of winners this year shows that the Armed Forces family talent pool is also providing tangible business benefit.”

This recognition reflects Metaverse VR’s growing reputation not only as an innovator in immersive simulation for high-performance sectors – including defence – but also as a trusted and principled employer.

Metaverse VR has signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding with Aviation Systems Group (ASG), heralding the start of a strategic relationship focused on advancing drone operator training through immersive and integrated technologies.

The agreement lays the foundation for a collaborative framework that brings together Metaverse VR’s cutting-edge mixed and virtual reality training tools with ASG’s deep operational and aviation expertise.

As the momentum in VR training continues to accelerate, the two organisations will explore opportunities together to co-develop enhanced solutions for UAS (Uncrewed Aerial Systems) operators across defence, commercial and specialist sectors.

Toby Everitt, Founder and CEO of Metaverse VR, said: 
“We’re thrilled to formalise our relationship with the ASG team. Their operational pedigree and deep sector experience make them the perfect partner to help bring our immersive training solutions to more operators across the UK.

“By combining our VirtualSky platform with ASG’s proven training programmes and aviation insight, we’re aiming to deliver a truly unique proposition and integrated capability – giving UAS operators a smarter, safer and more effective way to train, test and improve.

“Over the next two years, we’ll be working closely together to identify new ways to push boundaries, optimise performance and redefine what operator development can look like.”

Chad Johnson, UAS Services Director of ASG, added:
“This is a really exciting opportunity to collaborate with Metaverse VR and take operator training to a whole new level.

“Their VirtualSky platform – paired with our on-the-ground training and operational delivery – will unlock new ways for UAS professionals to build capability, develop confidence and prepare for real-world missions.”

The partnership also supports wider goals across both businesses to deliver training that is scalable, cost-effective and tailored to the environments and pressures UAS teams face today.

As an innovative, tech-focused hub and a well known centre of excellence for businesses from the maritime, technology, security and defence sectors, Portsdown Technology Park is the perfect base for Metaverse VR.

With the promise of being co-located with like-minded SMEs, OEMs and proximity to our customers we are excited to take on this space and make it our own. We had high ambitions to create a workplace that we all love to work in. We wanted it to elevate our brand and enable complex ways of working – no small task for Blue Jelly, our full service provider of design, fit out and furniture for positive environments where people want to work.

Our dream was brought to life by developing a futuristic reception area with a custom made, light box installation of the Metaverse VR logo surrounded by brand coloured uplighting and matching soft furniture. The Pure white Corian reception desk directs our brand aesthetic through to the open plan open-plan area for desk-based working. The Metaverse VR emblem is etched throughout the space into custom acoustic panels and the glass walls of the meeting room and simulators and floor-to-ceiling brand graphics coat the feature walls. Plus, behind a set of special doors, we’ve also got some Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace bridge simulators for Royal Navy trainees as part of our work on Team Fisher. And yes – that is Portsmouth Harbour the boat is docked in. 

Blue Jelly’s Contracts Director Kevin Ward said, ‘this has been a complex and technical project, just how we like them! Working to MOD specifications and collaborating with specialist suppliers have all been part of the journey.’

The success of the new workplaces echoes through the team and we proudly show off the new space to visitors and clients alike. 

Project Selborne is a 12-year programme to modernise and deliver training for the Royal Navy.

As part of the Royal Navy training transformation, Capita, who is running the programme, has awarded Metaverse VR the contract for the interactive 3D Walkthrough training system (i3DWT), which will help modernise Submarine Qualification training. Metaverse VR will be providing a fully modernised solution to improve training experience and outcomes for sailors.

Working closely with the Royal Navy the Metaverse VR team has developed a customer focussed solution, modernising and bringing an immersive experience to the next generation of training. The use of immersive and innovative technology is at the forefront of the solution, and there are many opportunities to integrate, expand and develop the system for other submarine types currently in service or due to be introduced. Training will be fully flexible -allowing sailors to train where and when they need.

Designed for classroom-based training at HMNB Clyde, the i3DWT will be able to operate in either free-play mode for orientation around the platform, or ‘training’ mode which will include interactive menus for drills, activities, and processes. Free play will allow a user to move about the platform, interacting with any specified entity that has animation without menus or instructions for immersive platform discovery. Trainees will also be able to run emergency drills in VR with the system, and it will be capable of replay through a relay screen or projector for instructors and other audiences to see the same environment as the trainee, allowing for individual and collective training.

Toby Everitt, CEO, Metaverse VR, said “Ingenuity is at the core of our business and we’re incredibly pleased as a new organisation to have our solution recognised by the Royal Navy and Project Selborne as the right fit for their approach to modernise and transform their immersive training.”

David Hook, Managing Director of Capita Defence Training, said: “We are pleased to be partnering Metaverse VR on immersive and innovative technology solutions within the Submarine Training area, as we continue our work to modernise and transform the Royal Navy’s shore-based training, enabling better trained people to the front line faster.”

A new suite of navigation simulators for the Royal Navy will be rolled out this year as part of Project Selborne’s modernisation of Royal Navy training.

The Kongsberg Digital simulation technology will ensure that Royal Navy personnel can maximise operational effectiveness in all types of situations, from single unit pilotage through to Replenishment at Sea and Task Group manoeuvres, day and night and in all weather conditions. The simulators will enable teams to train together with multiple vessels in the same scenarios, reducing associated risks, logistics and cost of seagoing training programmes. In future, the new simulators will be able to integrate across different training establishments allowing Bridge Teams at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC), HMS Collingwood and HMNB Faslane to operate together.

Existing trainers which have served the Royal Navy well for the last 20 years will be replaced with cutting edge simulators to support the next generation of Warfare Branch personnel. Additional simulators will be installed at HMS Collingwood, enhancing capacity and training resilience.

Kongsberg Digital has been awarded the contract to deliver the new simulators by Capita, who are running Project Selborne, a 12-year programme to modernise and deliver training for the Royal Navy.

Using customised bridge configurations and instruments, Bridge Teams will experience ultimate realism in a range of training scenarios. Advanced engineering and hydrodynamic vessel modelling in the simulators ensure vessels, objects and equipment behave realistically, equipping personnel to meet future challenges in various missions. Also, for the first time, VR headsets will be used to provide an immersive training experience for evolutions such as ship handling and Replenishment at Sea.

Metaverse VR, an SME providing immersive training solutions based in Portsmouth, will provide modelling support to the project, including Virtual Reality training systems.

More information on the project can be found here.