Mxr Storytelling Gmbh

What Mxr Storytelling Gmbh does

Mxr Storytelling GmbH is a Gelsenkirchen-based interdisciplinary tech and project studio founded in 2019 by Roman Pilgrim and Matthias Krentzek. The company develops extended reality (XR) applications — virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality — at the intersection of cultural storytelling, urban development, heritage preservation, and social inclusion. Core technical capabilities include Gaussian Splatting-based 3D reconstruction from smartphone video, non-Euclidean VR architecture with redirected walking, and interactive VR applications for museums and public spaces. The studio operates from a 300m² facility, the mxr lab in Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf, opened in August 2022, with a core team of approximately six full-time staff supplemented by freelancers.

The company's portfolio spans cultural VR installations (VirtualCurator, Virtual Kinetic Landscape, Changing Memories), heritage-preservation projects (Oberhausen Immersive Echoes, Virtual Ruhr Express), tourism AR applications (Schalke erleben), research initiatives (ARIZON, EmpowerXR), and signature events (Places Festival, Germany's first VR festival since 2018, which grew from 2,000 to 6,000 visitors between 2018 and 2021). Revenue is generated through three primary streams: project-based XR development for cultural institutions and municipalities, grant-funded research collaborations with universities and public funding bodies (EFRE/JTF NRW, Aktion Mensch, federal and state cultural programs), and festival/event production. Customers are concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia and include cities (Gelsenkirchen, Essen, Bochum, Soest, Oberhausen), cultural institutions (Kunstmuseum Gelsenkirchen, LWL, Tourismus NRW), foundations (Stiftung Schalker Markt, E.ON Foundation, Norten Stiftung), and the Westfälische Hochschule research partner.

MxR is founder-owned with no disclosed external investment or venture capital backing. The go-to-market is event- and community-driven (Places Festival, hackathons, workshops, the mxr lab) combined with direct project engagement and research consortium participation. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to each project, with no public pricing. Distribution is primarily regional within NRW and Germany, with selective international project elements such as six European stadiums for FeVR Pitches. The company was converted from MXR Storytelling UG to mxr storytelling GmbH in 2022.

Name

Mxr Storytelling Gmbh

Legal name

mxr storytelling gmbh

Website

https://mxr-storytelling.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mxr Storytelling GmbH is a Gelsenkirchen-based XR studio developing immersive VR, AR, and mixed reality applications for cultural institutions, municipalities, foundations, and research partners across Germany, generating revenue from project fees, grant-funded research, and event production.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immersive Technology Services

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

AR/VR & Immersive Learning Content Development (EDAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

3D Product/Explainer Animation (MPAHACAD)

Keywords

• Immersive technology development
• Virtual reality experiences
• Augmented reality applications
• Cultural heritage digitization
• Mixed reality installations

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Project-based XR Development: Direct client engagements developing XR applications, digital experiences, and immersive technologies for cultural institutions, municipalities, tourism organizations, and private sector clients. Projects include digital exhibitions, AR applications, VR experiences, and interactive media installations.
2. Research & Grant-funded Projects: Collaborative research projects with universities and public institutions, funded through programs like EFRE/JTF NRW, Aktion Mensch, and various federal/state cultural funding initiatives.
3. Festival & Event Production: Organization and production of the Places VR Festival (Germany's first VR festival) and related immersive technology events, hackathons, and exhibitions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

mxr storytelling is an interdisciplinary project studio that develops XR (VR/AR/MR) concepts, strategies, and digital applications for cultural institutions, municipalities, tourism organizations, and research partners. The company delivers end-to-end immersive experience projects spanning concept development, grant/funding strategy, technical implementation, and community engagement, originating from Germany's first VR festival.

Product overview

mxr storytelling is an interdisciplinary tech and project studio specializing in immersive technologies (XR/VR/AR) and strategic project development. Founded in 2019 in the Ruhr area, the company offers a portfolio of distinct products and services including: the Places Festival (Germany's first VR festival since 2018), the mxr lab (300m² technology laboratory for XR democratization), various VR art installations (Virtual Kinetic Landscape, Changing Memories), research projects (ARIZON for urban centers), museum applications (VirtualCurator), cultural VR experiences (FeVR Pitches, Supermarkt der digitalen Erinnerungen), tourism apps (Schalke erleben), and social innovation initiatives (EmpowerXR). The company also provides agency services for XR strategy, concept development, funding acquisition, and technical implementation for cultural, educational, urban development, and research projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Supermarkt der digitalen Erinnerungen (Memo Markt) VR experience that allows users to immersively relive other people's memories within a virtual supermarket setting, incorporating four authentic memory narratives and drawing on neuroscience research on memory malleability.
• Oberhausen Immersive Echoes Digital memory preservation project using Gaussian Splatting to convert smartphone video into photorealistic 3D environments of abandoned urban spaces in Oberhausen, presented as a walkable VR exhibition.
• Virtual Kinetic Landscape Immersive VR art installation featuring non-Euclidean spaces and Redirected Walking techniques to create physically unrealizable digital architectures, inspired by the kinetic art collection at Kunstmuseum Gelsenkirchen.
• Changing Memories Exhibition Multimedia art exhibition combining abstract painting, light art, mixed media with Extended Reality and AI, featuring AR applications revealing hidden painting layers and MR experiences for memory exploration.
• ARIZON Research Project Applied research initiative prototyping AR/MR zones for city centers in NRW through June 2026, testing digital content delivery from smartphones to Mixed Reality glasses across three partner cities.
• VirtualCurator VR application for Kunstmuseum Gelsenkirchen that enables visitors to curate their own exhibitions by selecting, arranging, and combining works from the museum's complete collection, with collaborative features visible to subsequent visitors.
• FeVR Pitches – Fußball trifft VR VR football culture project creating immersive 3D experiences of six European football stadiums using Gaussian Splatting technology to convert smartphone videos into photorealistic VR environments.
• Schalke erleben Tourism-focused AR application for exploring the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen with AR experiences and audio guides, developed end-to-end from concept through design, photography, and media production.
• Places VR Festival Germany's first and largest VR festival since 2018, evolved into a year-round XR community platform hosting exhibitions, talks, hackathons, and hands-on immersive technology experiences in Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf.
• Virtual Reality für Kids und Eltern VR application and educational package designed for parents to experience and understand VR technology, including pedagogically valuable age-appropriate VR applications and family-oriented educational content.
• Virtueller RuhrSchnellweg (VRS1) Artistic VR experience exploring the past, present, and future of the Ruhr region through transportation routes, allowing users to cycle through time and space encountering different transportation modes across eras.
• mxr lab 300m² technology laboratory opened in August 2022 in Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf that provides a public-facing space for XR demonstrations, workshops, community engagement, and democratization of immersive technology access.
• Digitaltag Musikschulen NRW – Hacking Music Speed-hackathon and XR showcase event for music schools in NRW exploring VR and AR applications for music education, including demonstrations of VR applications for music teaching.
• EmpowerXR – Die virtuelle Welt für alle International hackathon and collaboration project exploring how XR technologies can promote social inclusion, break down barriers, and provide new tools for social welfare organizations, bringing together developers, designers, and social work experts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Places Festival grew from 2,000 visitors (2018) to 6,000 visitors (2021)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Westfälische HochschulecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Multi-year research cooperation with Westfälische Hochschule (Fachbereich Informatik & Kommunikation and Fachbereich Wirtschaft) on the ARIZON project researching AR/MR potentials for NRW city centers through June 2026. Funded through NEXT.IN.NRW EFRE/JTF program. MxR provides applied XR expertise and real-world testing environments.
• Kunstmuseum GelsenkirchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for XR projects including VirtualCurator (40th anniversary interactive exhibition) and Virtual Kinetic Landscape. MxR develops and implements VR/MR experiences for museum visitors.
• Stiftung Schalker MarktcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership for Schalke district cultural projects including Schalke Erleben AR tourism app and FeVR Pitches (part of UEFA EURO 2024 cultural program). MxR provides full-service XR development from concept through implementation.
• Paritätischer GelsenkirchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpowerXR cooperation project experimenting with XR for social welfare applications including hackathon (May 2026), focused on inclusion and barrier reduction. Funded by Aktion Mensch and supported by Volksbank.
• kitev e.V.secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Oberhausen Immersive Echoes digital memory preservation project using Gaussian Splatting technology. Funded through Smart City Oberhausen and BMWSB.
• lala.ruhrsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMxR is part of the lala.ruhr initiative (think tank for green urban development in the Ruhr region). Collaborated on Biennale der urbanen landschaft and Hackathon in Residence at mxr lab.
• LWL (Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple projects including Virtual Ruhr Express VR experience for LWL-Industriemuseum Zeche Zollern (ExtraSchicht event) and VirtualCurator funding through LWL-Museumsamt. Long-standing cultural institution partner in NRW.
• Planetarium BochumsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for immersive hackathons and XR events. MxR conducts technical workshops and demonstrations at the planetarium.
• E.ONsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClient for digital participation project 'Lösung.Stadt.Vision' commissioned by E.ON Foundation.
• Tourismus NRWsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTourism-focused AR and digital experience projects for NRW tourism promotion.
• Stadt OberhausensecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSmart City Oberhausen partnership for Oberhausen Immersive Echoes digital heritage project. Funded by federal ministry.
• Landesverband Musikschulen NRWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigitaltag event collaboration with speed-hackathon for music schools NRW, exploring XR applications in music education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Innoactive: Munich-based XR platform company serving enterprise customers with VR training, collaboration and deployment tooling. Comparable as a larger German XR player but oriented to enterprise rather than cultural storytelling.
• Dimension Studio: London-based volumetric capture and VFX studio producing immersive content for entertainment, brands and cultural institutions. Comparable on the high-fidelity 3D capture + storytelling axis and as a competitor for premium cultural XR briefs.
• Holo-Light: Munich-based XR engineering company focused on industrial and enterprise visualization, with broader scale and tooling focus than MxR's cultural projects. Relevant as a fellow DACH XR incumbent.

Direct peers

• realities.io: Berlin-based photogrammetry-driven VR studio producing high-fidelity virtual reconstructions of cultural sites and public spaces. Highly comparable on the heritage/3D-capture axis where MxR applies Gaussian Splatting.
• ZAUBAR: Berlin-based AR/VR studio building location-based and storytelling XR experiences for museums, cities and cultural brands in Germany. Closest direct peer given overlapping cultural-public-sector focus and similar small-team project-studio model.
• Inreal Technologies: German XR company offering AR/VR tools and services across real estate, retail and cultural applications. Comparable as a German-headquartered immersive studio serving public-facing institutional clients.

Regional players

• Reactive Reality: Austria-based XR company specializing in photorealistic virtual try-on and immersive commerce. Comparable as a Central-European immersive storytelling studio, but primarily serves fashion/retail rather than public-sector cultural projects.

Others

• Talespin: XR learning and training platform company. Comparable only thematically as another immersive content studio pivoting toward enterprise and learning, not as a direct cultural-XR competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mxr-storytelling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mxr Storytelling Gmbh