UK Innovation in Immersive XR Technologies for screen, performance and digital entertainment: industry funding trends and insights (2006–2024)

This report surveys extended reality (XR) activity in the UK between 2006 and 2024, funded by bodies such as national arts councils, local councils, charities, and commercial entities (rather than UK Research and Innovation). We survey the landscape of XR activity from the perspectives of the technologies being used, the use cases for those technologies, and the organisations supporting this work. This report is a companion piece to the report ‘UK Innovation in Immersive XR Technologies for screen, performance and digital entertainment: UKRI funding trends and insights (2006–2024)’ published by the CoSTAR Foresight Lab in May 2025. That previous report provided an overview of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) investment into XR technologies for screen, performance and digital entertainment at the close of 2024. Our new analysis allows a comparison of the work funded by UKRI with that funded by other bodies as well as commercial ventures. Together, these reports provide a baseline from which to track key trends in XR activity before the formation of the CoSTAR Network.