My Business: How a father-son team turned a hospital-bound dream into Dubai’s leading VR academy

Dubai: When he was nine years old, Aggelos Ahuja spent weeks confined to hospital beds after being diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis, a rare autoimmune condition that required chemotherapy. In those long hours of recovery, an unlikely escape became his lifeline, virtual reality.

“Virtual reality gave me the freedom to explore worlds far beyond the hospital room,” he recalled. “Soon, I wasn’t just using VR to play; I wanted to understand how these worlds were built.”

That spark turned into a mission shared with his father, technologist and entrepreneur Sonal Ahuja. The duo began experimenting, learning, and building together, a process that would eventually lead to VRAcademi, a Dubai-based immersive education and innovation hub built around creativity, technology, and empowerment.

Founded in 2020, VRAcademi teaches children and adults essential future skills through practical, technology-driven programs. Today, its state-of-the-art lab features immersive VR, robotics, motion capture, and metaverse labs. Courses span AI, coding, game development, and virtual art, blending creativity with experience.

Aggelos remains deeply involved in shaping the curriculum. “Our biggest success has been seeing how far our students grow,” he said. “We’ve had children as young as six build VR art exhibitions, teenagers design entire game environments, and adults, including one aged 82, embrace immersive technology with confidence.”

The company’s growing list of collaborations includes the Ministry of AI, with whom it hosts youth camps on AI and coding, and VR4Clima, an EU-backed Erasmus+ project that uses immersive technology to raise climate awareness.

Launching in Dubai felt almost inevitable to the Ahujas. “Dubai and the UAE understand the future,” said Sonal. “This is one of the few places where creative technology, education, AI, and entrepreneurship are encouraged at the highest level.”

He added that the local environment, from government initiatives to schools and parents, has been exceptionally receptive. “The UAE’s support system for innovation is real. It’s not just about funding; it’s about ecosystems that help you grow and connect.”

VRAcademi has been recognised by several institutions for its role in future-skills training. “We want to be key partners in the UAE’s growth story and help millions learn the skills of tomorrow,” Sonal said.

The journey has not been without challenges. “Balancing school, health, and leading a company isn’t easy,” Aggelos admitted. “We made mistakes early on, but every setback taught us something, stay patient, build with quality, and always focus on learning.”

Sonal drew parallels between entrepreneurship and athletics. A marathon runner himself, he said, “Resilience is not optional. In sport, you hit a wall and want to stop. The only way through is discipline and focus. Running a business is the same, setbacks test you, but perseverance defines success.”

VRAcademi’s growth model is deliberately sustainable. The venture began during the pandemic, was self-funded, and was driven by reinvestment rather than quick expansion. As the business matured, partnerships followed naturally. “We’ve always prioritised building something sustainable and meaningful over chasing rapid growth,” said Sonal.

In the next five years, the Ahujas aim to turn VRAcademi into a global ecosystem for creative-tech learning. Plans include expanding its virtual platform, building more labs, and forging partnerships with international universities.

“We want to empower learners from every background, from children in remote regions to professionals refining their skills,” Sonal said. “Ultimately, we want to make these future skills accessible to everyone, helping them become inventors and creators in their own right.”

Aggelos stressed that his mission remains both personal and professional. “I never thought about giving up,” he said. “When you see a student’s face light up because they built something entirely their own, that feeling keeps you going.”