oVRcome

oVRcome is a Christchurch-based start-up using virtual reality to treat phobias, social anxiety, and specific fears such as flying or needles. Its VR exposure-therapy app was developed with input from clinical psychologists and a clinical advisory board, and includes technical guidance from AR/VR researcher Prof. Mark Billinghurst. The app is used in 64 countries and has partnered with organisations including the NHS, Allianz, and Optum, alongside local collaborations with The Psychology Hub and the OCD and Anxiety Clinic in Christchurch. oVRcome's mission is to close the "treatment gap" that leaves most people with anxiety disorders without care, by making evidence-based VR therapy accessible on a phone rather than only in a clinic. It is a strong example of NZ VR technology being applied to healthcare and wellbeing rather than entertainment.