VR-based battlefield training simulator for the military. How the Ukrainian startup HeisterVR works

In our recurring Who Are These People segment, Vector offers founders the opportunity to discuss their projects, covering aspects such as their products, marketing strategies, monetisation, investments, and business plans. The focus this time is on the team at HeisterVR, a Ukrainian startup who are in the process of building a VR simulator that uses sound to enhance navigation skills in combat zones.

Editor-in-chief Yuliia Tkach interviewed Vladyslav Maluiarchuk, CEO and founder, about the product’s features, promotion, investments, and next steps.

Conception

Vlad Maliarchuk, the founder of the project, first dove into VR technologies in early 2023. His academic thesis (he is a developer by training) centred around creating a project in this field. 

«Having access to a VR lab, headsets, and an extensive collection of games on my university’s Steam account, I eagerly experimented with as many games as possible to explore their mechanics and VR features. As I played Half-Life: Alyx and marvelled at the immersive environment, I caught myself thinking that I wanted to be part of this world by creating cool, innovative stuff of my own. I also observed a fascinating brain response to engaging with an immersive and realistic virtual world. My curiosity for this topic led me to explore the use of VR in psychotherapy.

Some of my family members lived under Russian occupation, which affected them deeply. This helped me reflect on the extent of the problem before us», — Vlad said.

He began working on the HeisterVR project in August 2023. However, the project ultimately went in a new direction; the original intention was to create scenarios that would help military personnel and civilians deal with PTSD. This is how the founder met his business partner, Serhii Brodiuk. With a specialised education from the Ukrainian Catholic University, Serhii is now working as a Data Scientist and is also pursuing a PhD.

«However, it became evident that PTSD therapy is profoundly personal, with the primary goal to recreate traumatic scenarios and address triggers through VR exposure therapy in order to diminish their impact on individuals. 

The problem was that it lacked scalability. These types of projects tend to be more research stories rather than startup stories. Our economic model was completely misaligned: development costs were too high, the market was too small, and we had no idea who would be willing to pay for it.

We began investigating other deployment strategies and thinking about what else could be done. So, having participated in the Generation H hackathon at Set University in October 2024, we chose not to continue with the original project and instead opted to brainstorm and explore other directions. This is essentially how the idea for a new project emerged. We reached out to military instructors and therapists to assess the need».

Right now, two people are working on the HeisterVR project: Vlad leads product development efforts, while Serhii handles data collection and analysis.

Product and audience

HeisterVR is a VR simulator that uses sound to enhance navigation skills in combat zones. It is capable of recreating shelling scenarios from various heavy weapon types and training recruits to better grasp their situation, evaluate potential risks, and consider the outcomes.

There are no users at this stage; this is a prototype that is being tested with military personnel, and their feedback serves as the primary database for product development», — says Vlad: «For example, we discovered that in addition to the VR mode, MR (mixed reality mode) will also be necessary».

• VR mode: in this immersive virtual environment, the user can interact with various interactive virtual objects.
• MR mode: the real-world environment is used as a training space, where the user can interact with both physical and digital items.

«Although we have collected information on the needs for as well as suggestions from military personnel, our immediate focus is on the shelling scenario. We have a list of instructors and representatives from some training centres and brigades who have shown interest. For instance, a representative from the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade has asked us to provide all demos and prototypes for their testing. They have already adopted VR and appreciate its benefits. First and foremost, we work for instructors and company commanders tasked with training and skills development for soldiers.

Provided that there are pre-existing media materials like 360° videos and audio recordings, the final version will take roughly two months to complete. We are in the process of acquiring media materials».

The project’s founder adds: «Emotional readiness is as vital for a fighter as physical prowess because the ability to effectively navigate extreme situations is a key component of survival. After interviewing combat instructors and therapists, we have confirmed that one significant issue is increased losses during the adaptation period. We are committed to finding ways to address it.

The first two weeks in a combat zone are critical, as they provide the time needed to adapt. Through XR (extended reality) technologies, we seek to deliver this experience to recruits while they are still engaged in training».

Business model and marketing strategy

«We are currently examining various scenarios for sourcing funding in Ukraine, such as selling licenses via charities or initiating a crowdfunding campaign to gather resources for particular stages of the project». They plan to work on the B2G model in the future.

During the initial stage, the product is promoted through thematic military groups and a network of brigade representatives and instructors who are keen to test it.

Investments 

Upon completing the Science2Business programme, Seeds of Bravery secured its first external funding — a grant of UAH 100,000 from Kiss My Apps. Earlier, the founder invested about $3,000 of his personal funds.

The founder estimates that launching the MVP will require between $5,000 and $8,000, which will be used for recording high-quality sound and purchasing ammunition to simulate shelling.

Looking ahead, they intend to seek further investments to enhance scaling and development. 

Plans

«Our foremost objective is to complete the initial version of the simulator, deliver it to the military for use, and receive their feedback. 

As part of our long-term strategy, we are looking to create an extensive collection of simulators for training various types of military personnel. Through discussions with instructors, I receive numerous insights into how XR technologies could be used. One potential application could be a simulator that trains mobile air defence teams to detect UAVs by sound, especially in situations with limited visibility, where such skills are highly valuable.

I also see a prospect in developing a simulator specifically for practising group tactical manoeuvres. With this tool, military personnel will be equipped to practice their communication skills and tactical movement as part of a battle group in a multiplayer setting», — summarises Vlad Maliarchuk.