From Social Anxiety to Startup: Making Therapy Accessible with founder of oVRcome, Adam Hutchinson
Tue Feb 03 2026
Virtual reality can remove the biggest barriers to evidence-based mental health treatment by making exposure therapy affordable, scalable, and accessible anywhere.
In this episode, Adam Hutchinson, founder of oVRcome, discusses how lived experience with social anxiety and a background in technology led him to build a VR platform that expands access to exposure therapy worldwide. He explains why traditional exposure therapy is difficult, costly, and impractical for many conditions, and how VR “tricks the brain” to safely replicate real-world triggers without physical constraints. Adam explores the clinical value of immersive, filmed VR environments, the emerging role of generative AI in personalizing treatment, and the importance of maintaining realism for effective outcomes. He also shares insights from scaling a global startup from New Zealand, highlights use cases across self-help, clinicians, schools, payers, and health systems, and emphasizes the role of caregivers in successful treatment journeys.
Tune in and discover how immersive technology is revolutionizing anxiety care, lowering costs, and increasing access to proven mental health treatments worldwide!
Resources:
Connect with and follow Adam Hutchinson on LinkedIn.
Follow oVRcome on LinkedIn and explore their website.
More
Virtual reality can remove the biggest barriers to evidence-based mental health treatment by making exposure therapy affordable, scalable, and accessible anywhere. In this episode, Adam Hutchinson, founder of oVRcome, discusses how lived experience with social anxiety and a background in technology led him to build a VR platform that expands access to exposure therapy worldwide. He explains why traditional exposure therapy is difficult, costly, and impractical for many conditions, and how VR “tricks the brain” to safely replicate real-world triggers without physical constraints. Adam explores the clinical value of immersive, filmed VR environments, the emerging role of generative AI in personalizing treatment, and the importance of maintaining realism for effective outcomes. He also shares insights from scaling a global startup from New Zealand, highlights use cases across self-help, clinicians, schools, payers, and health systems, and emphasizes the role of caregivers in successful treatment journeys. Tune in and discover how immersive technology is revolutionizing anxiety care, lowering costs, and increasing access to proven mental health treatments worldwide! Resources: Connect with and follow Adam Hutchinson on LinkedIn. Follow oVRcome on LinkedIn and explore their website.