Training the Future – Immersiv’s Vision for AR/VR in Defence and Industry

In this episode of the Defense Tech Lisbon Podcast, host Maria Beckers speaks with Maria Vilar, CEO and Founder of Immersiv Studios, a Portuguese startup developing extended reality (XR) solutions that are beginning to reshape how we train for crises and operate in high-risk environments. Maria shares how her team is adapting immersive technologies, originally built for brand activations and enterprise training, to support real-time crisis simulations, mission rehearsal, and civil protection exercises. With applications spanning from virtual reality command rooms to haptic-enhanced disaster training, Immersiv is exploring how digital environments can prepare responders and decision-makers for increasingly complex challenges. We discuss the potential of XR in defence and emergency response, the barriers to adoption in conservative sectors, and what it means to build tech for readiness, resilience, and real-world impact. Recorded in the lead-up to the Defense Tech Meetup in Lisbon, and produced by the Black Swan Initiative.