RenderHeads
RenderHeads is a UK-based creative technology studio that builds bespoke real-time interactive installations for museums, brand activations, and live events, and commercializes the AVPro suite of Unity video and capture plugins via the Unity Asset Store.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersBanbury, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What RenderHeads does
RenderHeads is a UK-headquartered creative technology studio founded in 2006 that designs and builds bespoke real-time interactive software for museums, brand activations, exhibitions, and live events. Operating from Banbury, Cape Town, and London with 11–50 employees, the firm delivers installations that combine custom low-level C++ 3D graphics engines with Unity-based systems, computer-vision hardware (Intel RealSense, Azure Kinect, VA Imaging machine-vision cameras), and bespoke hardware controllers — examples include a 52-monitor permanent video wall for the Museum of Science & Industry, the Spyscape laser-tunnel attraction in New York, and the DP World Flow Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai which drew 1.4 million visitors.
The company operates two complementary businesses. First, a services arm selling project-based bespoke interactive software directly to enterprise clients and creative agencies, with named engagements for Google, IBM, Salesforce, Meta, Amazon, Nike, Intel, VMware, Vodafone, HSBC, Shell, DP World, Splunk, and SXSW, among others. Second, a product arm commercializing the AVPro suite of Unity plugins — AVPro Video (cross-platform 8K+ playback with HLS/DASH, VR/360, spatial audio, and MV-HEVC/XR composition layer support), AVPro Movie Capture (real-time and offline rendering to 8K), AVPro DeckLink (BlackMagic broadcast I/O), AVPro Live Camera (webcam and capture-card support), External Game View (multi-monitor editor workflow), and Session Restore (Unity editor productivity).
Revenue is generated through perpetual Unity Asset Store licenses priced $100–$900 per product edition, an undisclosed multi-year Enterprise subscription for AVPro Video with priority support, and project-based fees from bespoke installations. Distribution is dual: the AVPro product suite is sold globally through the Unity Asset Store with free watermarked GitHub trials driving evaluation, while bespoke work is sold via direct enterprise and agency relationships (notably with 2LK, George P. Johnson, Make Associates, Amplify, and The Open Lab). The company is privately held with no external institutional funding disclosed and operates as an independent studio across its UK and South Africa entities.
RenderHeads firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RenderHeads
- Legal name
- RenderHeads Ltd.
- Website
- https://renderheads.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- RenderHeads is a UK-based creative technology studio that builds bespoke real-time interactive installations for museums, brand activations, and live events, and commercializes the AVPro suite of Unity video and capture plugins via the Unity Asset Store.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RenderHeads industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real-time interactive software and Unity video plugins
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Real-Time Rendering & Game Engine Tooling (MPAHADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Creator Tools & Production (Overlays, Alerts, Encoding, Editing, Audio) (MPAFAEAC), Video Creation, Editing & Publishing Tools (Creator Software) (MPACABAD)
Keywords
Where RenderHeads is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Banbury
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
RenderHeads business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Unity Plugin Sales (AVPro Product Suite): Commercial licensing of video playback, capture, and productivity plugins through Unity Asset Store. Multiple edition tiers with escalating features and support levels. Revenue from plugin sales across AVPro Video, AVPro Movie Capture, AVPro DeckLink, AVPro Live Camera, External Game View, and Session Restore.
- Bespoke Software Development: Custom interactive software development services for museums, brand activations, live events, and experiential installations. Project-based engagements involving real-time graphics, interactive systems, and custom hardware integration.
- Enterprise Licensing: Multi-site licensing and priority support contracts for enterprise customers requiring AVPro Video across multiple offices or subsidiaries.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Video Core Desktop Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Video Core Mobile Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Video Core Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Video HarmonyOS NEXT Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Video Ultra Edition |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | AVPro Video Enterprise Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Movie Capture Basic Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Movie Capture Desktop Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Movie Capture Mobile Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Movie Capture Ultra Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | External Game View |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro DeckLink |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | AVPro Live Camera |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Session Restore |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
RenderHeads product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RenderHeads builds custom real-time interactive software systems for physical spaces (museums, exhibitions, brand activations, shows, and live events), combining software engineering, 3D graphics, and spatial computing. Alongside this services work, the company develops and sells the AVPro suite of Unity plugins (AVPro Video, AVPro Movie Capture, AVPro DeckLink, AVPro Live Camera) plus editor productivity tools (External Game View, Session Restore) for professional video playback, capture, and broadcast workflows.
Product overview
RenderHeads develops a suite of Unity plugins for professional video and interactive content creation. The core portfolio consists of AVPro Video (video playback), AVPro Movie Capture (video recording), AVPro DeckLink (broadcast hardware integration), and AVPro Live Camera (webcam/capture card support), all integrated into the Unity game engine. These are supplemented by workflow productivity tools: External Game View (multi-monitor display extension) and Session Restore (Unity editor state management). All products are available via the Unity Asset Store with tiered editions (Basic, Core, Ultra, Enterprise) providing different feature sets and platform coverage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AVPro Video Advanced cross-platform Unity plugin for professional video playback supporting Windows, macOS, iOS, tvOS, visionOS, Android, and HarmonyOS NEXT. Includes 8K+ decoding, VR/360 (mono and stereo) video, transparent videos, subtitles, adaptive streaming (HLS/DASH), spatial 360 audio, and multiple codecs including Hap and NotchLC. Sold in Core Desktop, Core Mobile, Core, HarmonyOS NEXT, Ultra, and Enterprise editions.
- AVPro Movie Capture Professional Unity plugin for capturing and rendering video from within Unity and standalone builds to MP4, MOV, AVI, and PNG files. Supports real-time and offline rendering up to 8K, 360/180 VR captures, motion blur, alpha channel, and audio capture from Unity or system devices including Wwise. Sold in Basic, Desktop, Mobile, and Ultra editions.
- AVPro DeckLink Professional Unity plugin providing native support for BlackMagic Design DeckLink capture and playback hardware. Supports broadcast-quality video I/O up to 8K, timecode, ancillary data, automatic input mode detection, multiple inputs, low-latency output, alpha channel output, internal/external keyer, and HLG HDR.
- AVPro Live Camera High-performance Unity plugin for webcam and video capture card support, surpassing Unity's built-in WebCamTexture. Supports XSplit-VCam, high-end cameras and formats, TV capture cards, chroma key kit integration, and is aimed at interactive installations, serious games, scientific research, simulation, computer vision, and kiosk applications.
- External Game View Workflow extension for the Unity Editor enabling fullscreen multi-monitor rendering. Allows pinning Game View to external monitors, supports display beyond Unity's 8K texture limit, provides pixel-perfect and scale-to-fit modes, passes keyboard/mouse through, and works with built-in, URP, and HDRP render pipelines. Includes full source code and is sold as a perpetual license.
- Session Restore Productivity extension for Unity that automatically restores hierarchy window state (expanded/collapsed and selection state) and per-scene scene view camera when opening, playing, or building scenes. Improves workflow efficiency for teams working on multiple Unity scenes and projects. Includes full source code and is sold as a perpetual license.
- Bespoke Interactive Software Development Custom real-time interactive software development services for museums, exhibitions, brand activations, shows, and live events. Engagements cover concept through delivery and include real-time 3D graphics, custom hardware integration, depth-camera tracking, broadcast workflows, and installation-grade durability, sold via direct enterprise project-based contracts.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1.4 million visitors experienced DP World Flow Pavilion at Expo 2020
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use RenderHeads
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
RenderHeads technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability5 records
Feature10 records
RenderHeads partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- VA ImagingcoreMachine vision specialist partnered with RenderHeads for real-time computer vision systems in interactive installations. Provided USB3 industrial color cameras for golf putting tracker achieving 100% uptime with 2,100+ interactions over 3 days.
- 2LKcoreLead agency and creative partner on multiple projects including WonderScape SXSW 2023, AWS re:Invent interactive brand tool, VMWare & Vodafone MWC 2024, Wonderwall Intel MWC 2017, Wondercube Intel MWC 2018, Datascape MWC 2022.
- George P. JohnsoncoreLead creative agency on LIV Golf/Salesforce Dreamforce 2025 and IBM Think 2026 projects. Scenic concept, design, and production partnership.
- Make AssociatescoreCreative and art direction partner on IBM Watsonx Orchestrate, F8 Central Installation Meta, Nike Faster Than Experience, and Shell Polymers projects.
- Accept & ProceedcorePhotography and motion creative agency partner on IBM Governance Think 2026 project. Also partnered on IBM Think Tour 2023.
- Jason Bruges StudiominorProduction partner on Nike Faster Than Experience interactive race installation.
- The Open LabcoreLead agency and artwork partner on DP World Flow Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai with multiple large format experiences.
- CT GroupminorTechnical direction partner on DP World Flow Pavilion project.
- AmplifycoreLead agency and production partner on Meta F8 Central Installation and Amazon Digital Catwalk projects.
- iMagminorLED & AV partner on Datascape MWC 2022 project.
- Static Light CompanyminorLighting partner on Datascape MWC 2022 project.
- Connect LiveminorNetworking & audio partner on Datascape MWC 2022 project.
- Moving BrandscoreCreative partner with 2LK on Wonderwall Intel MWC 2017 and Wondercube Intel MWC 2018.
- ImaginationminorLead agency partner on Shell Polymers NPE convention project.
- KinminorPartner on Museum of Science & Industry video wall installation software development.
- KinminorContent production partner on Museum of Science & Industry video wall installation.
- SamsungcoreSamsung Galaxy XR headset used for Google Asteroid VR project. AVPro Video XR Composition Layers developed for AndroidXR and OpenXR support.
- 30 NinjasminorProduction partner on Google Asteroid VR project at Cannes Lions 2025.
- Google 100 ZerosminorPartner on Google Asteroid VR project at Cannes Lions 2025.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
RenderHeads competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Mill: Global post-production, VFX, and experience design studio serving advertising and brand clients. Comparable on the brand-experience and real-time interactive side but much larger and diversified beyond installations.
- Framestore: Large global VFX and immersive content studio with an interactive/brand experience arm. Overlaps with RenderHeads on real-time, XR, and brand installations but operates at much greater scale across a much broader portfolio.
Direct peers
- Nexus Studios: London-based independent studio producing interactive and immersive projects combining real-time graphics, XR, and direct-to-client commissions. Closely comparable in technology stack and enterprise client work.
- Tellart: Providence-based creative technology firm designing interactive installations and digital experiences for museums, brands, and cultural institutions. Directly analogous in segment focus and bespoke service model.
- Unit9: UK-based creative technology studio producing bespoke interactive installations, films, and branded experiences for global brands, museums, and live events. Closest structural analogue to RenderHeads in size, geography, and offering mix (custom software + recurring product revenue).
- Tool of North America: Creative technology and production studio delivering interactive installations, branded content, and experiential work for major brands. Directly comparable on the custom real-time experience layer RenderHeads builds.
- Obscura Digital: San Francisco-based creative technology studio historically known for large-scale immersive projection and interactive installations at events and public spaces. Direct historical peer to RenderHeads in the museum and live-event installation category.
- Moment Factory: Montreal-based multimedia studio specializing in immersive installations for museums, public spaces, airports, and brand activations. Comparable on real-time interactive software, large-format projection, and tier-1 institutional clients.
- Stimulant: Interactive experience studio building real-time 3D/WebGL installations for museums, brands, and live events (e.g., Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian). Directly comparable on real-time rendering and venue-based interactive software.
- Potion: New York-based creative technology studio building bespoke interactive installations, software-driven products, and museum experiences for brands and institutions. Overlaps with RenderHeads on custom real-time systems and Unity-based tooling.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
RenderHeads social profiles
Digital presenceRenderHeads compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
RenderHeads financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RenderHeads leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
RenderHeads funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RenderHeads 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 RenderHeads
What does RenderHeads do?
RenderHeads builds custom real-time interactive software systems for physical spaces (museums, exhibitions, brand activations, shows, and live events), combining software engineering, 3D graphics, and spatial computing. Alongside this services work, the company develops and sells the AVPro suite of Unity plugins (AVPro Video, AVPro Movie Capture, AVPro DeckLink, AVPro Live Camera) plus editor productivity tools (External Game View, Session Restore) for professional video playback, capture, and broadcast workflows.
Is RenderHeads a public or private company?
RenderHeads is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was RenderHeads founded?
RenderHeads was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is RenderHeads based?
RenderHeads is headquartered in Banbury, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does RenderHeads make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Unity Plugin Sales (AVPro Product Suite) is the primary driver. The others are bespoke Software Development and enterprise Licensing.
Who are RenderHeads's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Mill and Framestore. Direct peers are Nexus Studios, Tellart, Unit9, Tool of North America, Obscura Digital, Moment Factory, Stimulant and Potion.
Does RenderHeads have an API?
No public API is recorded for RenderHeads.
What industry is RenderHeads in?
RenderHeads's product category is Real-time interactive software and Unity video plugins. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHADAB, Real-Time Rendering & Game Engine Tooling, with a secondary code of MPAFAEAC, Creator Tools & Production (Overlays, Alerts, Encoding, Editing, Audio). Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7812.