Meet OPENVERSE
"We are supporting the creation of inclusive, open, and ethical Virtual Worlds"
After years of observing the evolution of digital spaces and the convergence of technology, culture, and society, you’ll notice a recurring challenge: how do we build Virtual Worlds that serve everyone? Not just the tech giants, but European citizens and creators, too? Today, I’m excited to introduce the EU-funded project OPENVERSE, a bold initiative reimagining Europe’s digital future.
What Is OPENVERSE?
OPENVERSE is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) under the Horizon Europe programme. At its core, it’s the European Union’s answer to global tech competition and a strategic step toward technological sovereignty. But OPENVERSE is more than that: it’s a vision to create digital environments that are open, inclusive, and ethically grounded.
Instead of siloed, proprietary virtual spaces, OPENVERSE wants to lay the foundational framework for European Virtual Worlds built on:
Openness
Transparency
Inclusivity
Ethical and environmental responsibility
A New Kind of Virtual Worlds
What sets OPENVERSE
apart? It’s not just technology for technology’s sake. The project integrates:
User co-creation—giving everyday Europeans a say in how these worlds are built;
An OPENVERSE Observatory a searchable repository of different organisations and initiatives
A Community Hub which gathers projects, national initiatives, associations and other key actors across sectors such as industry, education, culture and entertainment, to foster collaboration and reduce fragmentation in the emerging European Virtual Worlds landscape.
Strong focus on privacy, security, and interoperability so that digital environments are open but also safe.
Goals and Guiding Principles
The OPENVERSE project is guided by clear, future-focused goals:
Inclusivity & Accessibility: Building a digital ecosystem where everyone, regardless of background or ability, can participate and benefit.
Interoperability & Security: Ensuring seamless integration and robust data protections across different platforms and technologies.
Innovation & Collaboration: Creating a space for creative minds to work together and accelerate progress.
OPENVERSE is forging ahead with roadmaps and standards to shape not just Europe’s, but potentially the world’s, approach to open, user-driven virtual spaces.
Benefits for Europe (and Beyond)
OPENVERSE is poised to redefine how Europe—and the world—thinks about digital experiences:
Empowering users with greater control and privacy over their virtual selves.
Lowering entry barriers to innovative tech, ensuring fair and equitable participation.
Fostering job sustainability and digital skills for citizens at risk of social exclusion.
Driving ethical policy and industry standards to keep virtual worlds open and trustworthy.
By aligning with European values and laws, OPENVERSE aims for a balance of innovation and accountability.
Why This Matters
For too long, Virtual Worlds have reflected a race for profits and control, often at the cost of privacy, accessibility, and real social benefit. OPENVERSE is Europe’s ambitious answer: a digital ecosystem that’s open by design, putting people first. In an era when questions of “who owns the internet?” have never mattered more, this is not just an experiment. It is a statement of intent.
Want to Learn More?
Visit the OPENVERSE project homepage for updates, events, and opportunities to get involved. Europe’s virtual future is being written, and it’s open for everyone.