GSM Project
GSM Project (now GSM Studios) is a Montreal-based multidisciplinary design and production firm that designs and produces narrative-driven exhibitions and immersive experiences for museums, cultural attractions, and government cultural institutions worldwide through four studios.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GSM Project does
GSM Project, now operating as GSM Studios following a March 2026 rebrand, is a Montreal-headquartered multidisciplinary design and production firm specializing in experience design for museums and cultural attractions. The firm partners with government cultural departments, national museums, and private cultural organizations to conceive, design, and produce narrative-driven exhibitions, immersive digital environments, and interactive installations. Its core offering is end-to-end experience design and production — encompassing narrative development, spatial design, media integration, and fabrication — delivered through a network of four studios (Montreal, Singapore, Paris, Dubai) each rooted in local cultural context.
The company generates revenue through project-based, one-time engagements; pricing is custom-quoted per engagement and not publicly disclosed. Customers are predominantly institutional — government ministries of culture, national museums, heritage sites, and a small number of private cultural brands (e.g., House of Cointreau) — and engagement sizes are large, given the scale of permanent exhibitions and world-expo pavilions. The company operates a direct, enterprise field-sales model: projects are secured via direct relationships with museum directors, government cultural ministers, and institutional leaders, with marketing driven primarily through a portfolio website, professional social channels, and industry recognition including B Corp certification.
The firm is privately held with no disclosed external investors beyond a single $5M round in 2018 from BDC Venture Capital and EDC Capital; current ownership appears founder-controlled. Leadership includes founder Jacques Guillon and President/Chief Creative Officer Yves Mayrand, with Eric Demay as Managing Director. The company is a member of the Humanise Collective, a network of human-centered design firms.
GSM Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GSM Project
- Legal name
- GSM Studios
- Website
- https://gsmproject.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- GSM Project (now GSM Studios) is a Montreal-based multidisciplinary design and production firm that designs and produces narrative-driven exhibitions and immersive experiences for museums, cultural attractions, and government cultural institutions worldwide through four studios.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GSM Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experience Design and Production Services for Museums and Cultural Attractions
- NAICS
- Other Specialized Design Services (54149)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)
Keywords
Where GSM Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
GSM Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Experience Design and Production Services: GSM Studios generates revenue through project-based engagements designing and producing transformative experiences for museums, cultural attractions, and exhibitions. Each project involves creative partnerships with visionary leaders to craft narrative experiences.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
GSM Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GSM Project (operating as GSM Studios) designs and produces transformative narrative experiences for museums, cultural attractions, and heritage institutions. The firm delivers end-to-end experience design and production services, encompassing immersive exhibitions, storytelling environments, and interactive installations, working as creative partners with government cultural departments, national museums, and private cultural organizations worldwide.
Product overview
GSM Studios operates as a single unified creative service offering, not a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company specializes in experience design and production for museums and cultural attractions, functioning as a global creative group with studios in Montreal, Singapore, Paris, and Dubai. Their core offering encompasses the entire creative partnership process with visionary leaders—from understanding their mission and values to crafting transformative journeys. While they have worked on diverse projects including pulsations exhibitions, memorial centers, natural history installations, and heritage sites, these represent client outcomes rather than distinct product lines or modules. The company's primary service is their integrated design and production expertise, delivered through a collaborative studio network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Experience Design and Production Services End-to-end experience design and production services for museums and cultural attractions, creating transformative narrative experiences that examine the past, engage with the present, and offer visions of the future. The service encompasses immersive exhibitions, storytelling environments, and interactive installations delivered through a global studio network for government and private cultural institutions.
Companies that use GSM Project
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
GSM Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
GSM Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Justine EmardcoreGSM Studios collaborated with artist Justine Emard to create the permanent exhibition for the France Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka. This partnership demonstrates their ability to work with visionary artists to create groundbreaking cultural experiences.
- Humanise CollectiveminorGSM Studios is a member of the Humanise Collective, a network of companies focused on human-centered design and experiences. This affiliation aligns with their mission of cultivating empathy and meaningful connections through experience design.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GSM Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mather & Co: UK-based designer of visitor attractions, museums, and themed experiences. Comparable scope and client type (institutional museums and attractions) to GSM Studios.
- Event Communications: UK museum and exhibition design firm (British Museum, Wellcome Collection). Direct comparable in narrative exhibition design and production for major cultural institutions.
- Ralph Appelbaum Associates: Global leader in museum exhibition design (US Holocaust Memorial Museum, NMAAHC). Direct comparable to GSM Studios in narrative-driven exhibition master planning and production for cultural institutions.
- Local Projects: New York-based experience design firm known for interactive museum installations (Cooper Hewitt, 9/11 Museum). Directly comparable on immersive digital + physical exhibition design for cultural clients.
- Casson Mann: London-based exhibition and museum design firm (Tate Modern, Imperial War Museum). Direct peer in narrative-led experiential design for major cultural institutions.
- Atelier Bruckner: Stuttgart-based exhibition design studio with strong portfolio in narrative and immersive museum environments. Direct comparable in storytelling-driven cultural exhibition design.
- Studio Joseph: New York-based exhibition and experience design firm (Cooper Hewitt Store, various museum projects). Comparable boutique-scale peer in cultural exhibition design.
- Luci Creative: US-based experience design firm specializing in museum, visitor center, and brand experience projects. Comparable in institutional cultural client work and experiential design scope.
Broad incumbents
- Thinkwell Group: Los Angeles-based experience design and production company serving theme parks, museums, and brand attractions. Broader portfolio than GSM but overlapping in cultural and attraction experience design.
Emerging players
- Ideum: New Mexico-based interactive exhibit and software firm specializing in touch-based museum installations. Adjacent/emerging competitor in the digital experience layer of museum design that GSM also operates in.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GSM Project social profiles
Digital presenceGSM Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GSM Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
GSM Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GSM Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GSM Project
What does GSM Project do?
GSM Project (operating as GSM Studios) designs and produces transformative narrative experiences for museums, cultural attractions, and heritage institutions. The firm delivers end-to-end experience design and production services, encompassing immersive exhibitions, storytelling environments, and interactive installations, working as creative partners with government cultural departments, national museums, and private cultural organizations worldwide.
Is GSM Project a public or private company?
GSM Project is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was GSM Project founded?
GSM Project was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is GSM Project based?
GSM Project is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does GSM Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: experience Design and Production Services.
Who are GSM Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mather & Co, Event Communications, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Local Projects, Casson Mann, Atelier Bruckner, Studio Joseph and Luci Creative. Thinkwell Group is listed as a broad incumbent. Ideum is listed as an emerging player.
Does GSM Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for GSM Project.
What industry is GSM Project in?
GSM Project's product category is Experience Design and Production Services for Museums and Cultural Attractions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAL, Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design, with a secondary code of MPAAAAAD, Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX). Its NAICS code is 54149 and its SIC code is 7812.