What Aputure does

Aputure is a US-based designer and manufacturer of professional LED cinema lighting fixtures, light-shaping accessories, and lighting control software, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Los Angeles with 251-500 employees. The company sells a vertically integrated product ecosystem organized into eight families: STORM point-source fixtures (with proprietary BLAIR and BLAIR-CG light engines spanning 80W to 4,800W), NOVA 9° and NOVA II panels, Electro Storm high-output production lights, INFINIMAT inflatable RGBWW mats, INFINIBAR programmable pixel bars, Light Storm legacy fixtures, Mini portable lights, and the Sidus wireless control line (Sidus Link Pro software plus Sidus One/Four CRMX hardware). Aputure also operates the amaran sub-brand for content creators and Deity Microphones for pro-audio, and absorbed Prolycht's color science IP via an August 2023 acquisition.

Revenue is generated primarily through unit-priced hardware sales across the fixture and accessory catalog, with prices ranging from $8 covers to $13,100 for the STORM XT52 flagship, plus a subscription/recurring component from the Sidus Link Pro software platform. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce (aputure.com, fulfilled from Nevada and Pennsylvania warehouses), a US dealer network, and a dedicated enterprise sales channel for large productions. Customer segments span feature film, television, streaming, broadcast journalism, live events (including Coachella 2026), and prosumer content creators, with notable credits on Dune Part Two, The Creator, Beast Games, Cobra Kai Season 6, and Flight Risk demonstrating penetration into top-tier feature and streaming productions. The company's product strategy emphasizes spectral accuracy, wireless control interoperability (CRMX/DMX/Bluetooth), proprietary mounting (ProLock Bowens), and an integrated accessory ecosystem that creates cross-product stickiness across professional and prosumer use cases.

Name

Aputure

Legal name

Aputure Inc.

Website

https://aputure.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Aputure designs and manufactures professional LED cinema lighting fixtures, light-shaping accessories, and Sidus Link Pro lighting control software, serving cinematographers, film and television productions, broadcasters, live event producers, and pro content creators through DTC e-commerce, dealers, and enterprise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Cinema Lighting

NAICS

Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)

akta.pro primary industry

Camera Lighting & Flash (Speedlights, Continuous Lights, LED Panels) (CRACAPAG)

Keywords

• Cinema LED lighting
• Film production lights
• Light shaping accessories
• Wireless lighting control
• Professional video lighting

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. LED Lighting Hardware Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling professional LED lighting fixtures including point-source lights (STORM, Electro Storm, Light Storm series), panel lights (NOVA, NOVA II), linear lights (INFINIBAR), and mini lights. Products sold as individual fixtures and complete kits with various power ratings and form factors.
2. Lighting Accessories and Modifiers: Revenue from softboxes, fresnel lenses, reflectors, barn doors, spotlights, lanterns, and other light modifiers. Also includes cables, clamps, and mounting accessories.
3. Sidus Link Pro Software: Sidus Link Pro is a professional lighting control platform available for iPad and Mac with subscription/purchase model for advanced features including 3D previsualization and expanded workflow capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Aputure designs, manufactures, and sells professional LED cinema lighting fixtures (point-source, panel, linear, and mini lights), light-shaping accessories and modifiers, and wireless lighting control software (Sidus Link Pro). Its products serve film, television, broadcast, live event, and content creation productions, organized into named product families such as STORM, NOVA, Electro Storm, INFINIMAT, INFINIBAR, Light Storm, Mini, and Sidus.

Product overview

Aputure is a professional cinema lighting company offering a comprehensive portfolio of LED lighting solutions for film, video, broadcast, and live production. The product lineup is organized into distinct families: STORM (next-generation high-output point source lights with BLAIR technology), NOVA 9° and NOVA II (high-intensity panel lights), Electro Storm (powerful rugged production lighting), INFINIMAT (rental-grade inflatable mat lighting), INFINIBAR (programmable pixel bars), Light Storm (versatile industry-standard point source lamps), Mini (compact portable lights), and Sidus (wireless lighting control hardware and software). The ecosystem includes extensive accessories such as spotlight modifiers, softboxes, Fresnel lenses, reflectors, and cables. Aputure serves professional cinematographers, videographers, broadcast professionals, and content creators through its direct-to-consumer online store and dealer network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• amaran: A sub-brand of Aputure offering tools for content creators
• Deity Microphones
• Sidus Link Pro
• Sidus

Products and services

• STORM Product Family Next generation LED point-source lighting fixtures with proprietary BLAIR and BLAIR-CG light engines for professional film and video production.
• NOVA 9° Product Family High-intensity narrow beam panel lights with BLAIR Tunable White Pixelated Focused LED technology for professional cinema and broadcast production.
• NOVA II Product Family Premier panel lights featuring BLAIR-CG light engine for exceptional color performance in professional film and TV production.
• Electro Storm Product Family High-output, rugged point-source LED fixtures with tunable color and bi-color options for large-scale professional productions.
• INFINIMAT Product Family Rental-grade inflatable mat lighting system with modular RGBWW Full Color Pixelated LED light mats for large-area film and TV lighting.
• INFINIBAR Product Family Programmable pixel bars for cinematography and on-screen use in PB3 (1ft), PB6 (2ft), and PB12 (4ft) sizes with RGBWW Full Color LED.
• Light Storm Product Family Versatile industry-leading point-source LED lamps including LS 600, LS 300, and LS 60 series for filmmakers and content creators.
• Mini Product Family Compact portable mini lights and kits including MC Pro, MC, MT Pro, and Accent B7c products for on-the-go production.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55% maximum discount on select products during seasonal promotions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ProlychtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2023Aputure acquired Prolycht, a company known for advancements in color science and software algorithms for film and television lighting. This strategic move aims to strengthen Aputure's technology and innovation capacity in the lighting industry. The acquisition was announced on August 24, 2023, and revealed at the IBC event in September. Prolycht had been serving the film and television industries for six years.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• BB&S Lighting: Manufacturer of professional LED lighting fixtures for film, broadcast, and studio applications. BB&S competes with Aputure's high-CRI point-source and studio lighting offerings.
• ARRI: German manufacturer of professional cinema lighting and camera systems. ARRI is the long-standing incumbent in film production lighting that Aputure competes against on major productions like Dune: Part Two, with overlapping LED fixture portfolios.
• Litepanels: Pioneer of professional LED panel lighting for film and broadcast, now part of the Vitec Group. Litepanels competes directly with Aputure's NOVA panel family in studio and on-location production.
• Kino Flo: Long-established US manufacturer of cinema and broadcast lighting, known for soft and fluorescent/LED fixtures. Kino Flo is a direct competitor to Aputure's panel and softbox lighting systems on film sets.
• Astera: German maker of wireless, battery-powered LED tubes and pixel fixtures for film and events. Astera overlaps with Aputure's INFINIBAR pixel bars and MT Pro/MC Pro portable lights in cinema and event lighting.
• Nanlite: Manufacturer of professional LED lighting fixtures for photography, film, and content creation. Nanlite competes with Aputure across point-source, panel, and tube lighting at similar price points for prosumers and professionals.
• Quasar Science: US-based maker of professional LED tube and rail lighting for film and television. Quasar Science competes with Aputure's INFINIBAR linear fixtures in cinematography and on-camera lighting use cases.
• Rotolight: UK manufacturer of LED ring lights and on-camera lighting for photography, video, and broadcast. Rotolight overlaps with Aputure's specialty and portable lighting categories.

Emerging players

• Godox: Chinese manufacturer of photography and video lighting with rapidly growing professional LED offerings. Godox competes with Aputure at lower price points and is expanding upward into the cinema tier Aputure occupies.
• Digital Sputnik: Maker of modular professional LED lighting systems for film and television. Digital Sputnik overlaps with Aputure's modular and high-output fixture families in feature film and high-end production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/nshaps
• Xx.com/AputureLighting
• Facebookfacebook.com/Aputure

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aputure