Amsterdam-based BRAVR Technologies has raised €130k in pre-Seed funding to develop portable, VR-based mental resilience training for military and civilian personnel.
Designed for scalability, the system aims to provide effective mental readiness training at unprecedented scale.
“Effective stress resilience training means simulating extreme environments, which is dangerous, expensive, and usually reserved for special forces – leaving most recruits vulnerable,” says Ken Koontz, Founder and Chief Designer of BRAVR. “This funding allows us to turn our demonstration technology into a plug-and-play product ready for testing and evaluation. Ultimately, we are aiming to give instructors the tools to train and maintain mental readiness across millions of police officers, firefighters, and NATO soldiers.”
Founded in 2025, BRAVR Technologies has a team spanning Zeeland, Gelderland, and Amsterdam, building biofeedback-integrated VR training systems to improve mental readiness and resilience.
BRAVR’s system activates the body’s stress response using immersive VR, while reportedly measuring heart rate variability (HRV) in real time. This biofeedback is integrated into gameplay, helping users recognise and train their automatic physiological response to stress. The goal is improved performance in pressure situations and long-term resilience.
Maj. General (Ret.) Cornell A. Wilson Jr. of the US Marine Corps, an advisor to the startup, says: “BRAVR offers an interesting tool for NATO soldiers and civilians. This tool can help develop an individual’s skill to keep calm during chaotic moments, critically assess the situation, and deliver results based on professional training.”
Soldiers, police, firefighters face extreme scenarios as a part of their job. According to BRAVR, acute stress triggered in these moments can impair decision-making, cause physical shutdown, and lead to long-term mental health issues.
“Acute stress can ruin soldiers’ lives long after the battlefield,” says Captain Jens Serup, former head of the Danish Army’s ‘Conduct After Capture’ programme. “Training mental resilience doesn’t just help under fire; it matters in captivity, and when they come home. BRAVR can give more of our bravest men and women the skills to protect themselves and the people around them for the long term.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/08/dutch-vr-startup-bravr-raises-e130k-for-mental-resilience-training-across-defense-and-civilian-sectors/
