Backbone International

What Backbone International does

Backbone International is a global event production company founded in 2010 in the Netherlands by Joris Joosen and Marcel Elbertse. The company provides end-to-end event production services to organizers across four verticals: Live, Sports, Brands & Corporate, and Non-Profit. Its service offering is structured around five interconnected capabilities: production management and consultancy, technical production, CAD-based technical design, overlay design and overlay management, and site and exterior operations. Backbone functions as the general contractor and central coordination point between event organizers and the underlying supplier network, maintaining budget control, safety compliance, and quality standards across each project. Core technical work is performed in CAD drawing programs used by the in-house technical draftsmen to translate creative briefs into feasible technical plots and overlay plans.

The company operates through regional subsidiaries (Backbone Europe B.V., Backbone North America Inc., Backbone Asia Limited, and PT Backbone International Indonesia) with offices in Zaandam (Netherlands, headquarters), New York, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, and Jakarta, enabling 24/7 service delivery across Europe, North America, and Asia. Its geographic footprint has been built through organic growth plus three mergers: BPM International and Live Republic in 2013, and Reza Lesmana's Indonesian operations in 2019. Named clients include Tomorrowland, Q-dance (Defqon.1, Qlimax), Insomniac (EDC Las Vegas, Electric Zoo), Red Bull, Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, Radio 538, Mysteryland, NPO 3FM (Serious Request, raising €18.4M in 2025), and Done + Dusted (Laureus World Sports Awards), with productions ranging from drone shows (Seven Wonders, 777 drones) to large civic spectacles (Festival Op De Ring, spanning a 15-kilometer site).

Backbone International is a privately held B.V. with no external institutional investment, generating revenue through project-based professional services contracts. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured per engagement, consistent with B2B bespoke production work. The company has expanded its addressable market in 2024 by joining the Infra Capacity Alliance (ICA), extending its overlay and temporary-infrastructure expertise into crisis and disaster response. Marketing is driven primarily by portfolio reputation, case studies on the company website, LinkedIn presence, and earned media in industry publications such as EB Live and TPi Magazine.

Name

Backbone International

Legal name

Backbone International B.V.

Website

https://backbone-international.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Backbone International is a global event production company providing production management, technical production, CAD-based design, and overlay management services to event organizers across the Live, Sports, Brands & Corporate, and Non-Profit industries, operating from offices in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Production Services

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Touring & Event Logistics (Trucking, Freight, Backline, Crew) (MPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mutual Assistance Crew Logistics, Staging & Base Camp Services (EUAEAIAJ)

Keywords

• Event production services
• Technical production management
• Overlay design management
• Live event staging
• Festival production services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Event Production Services: Backbone generates revenue through providing event production services including production management & consultancy, technical production, technical design, and overlay design & management. As a general contractor they manage all aspects of temporary infrastructure, working as the connection between organizers and suppliers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Backbone International is a global event production company that provides end-to-end production services for live, sports, brand, corporate, and non-profit events. Their core service offerings include Production Management & Consultancy, Technical Production, Technical Design (using CAD programs), Overlay Design & Overlay Management, and Site & Exterior Operations. They function as the central coordinator between event organizers and suppliers, managing temporary infrastructure, budget control, and safety compliance across projects of all scales.

Product overview

Backbone International offers a unified suite of event production services rather than a software platform. The core offering consists of five interconnected service areas: Production Management & Consultancy (project oversight and coordination), Technical Production (on-site execution), Technical Design (CAD-based technical planning and drawings), Overlay Design & Management (temporary infrastructure), and Site & Exterior Operations. These services work together as an integrated production solution, with the company serving clients across Live, Sports, Brands & Corporate, and Non-Profit industries globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Production Management & Consultancy Worldwide specialist service for production management, maintaining firm grip on all aspects of creating, designing, managing, and executing projects. Engages all relevant parties, manages production processes, and focuses on budget control for event organizers and corporations.
• Technical Production Worldwide specialist in technical production, maintaining firm grip on all aspects of creating, designing, managing, and executing event projects. Engages all relevant parties, manages production processes, and focuses on budget control for clients in Live, Sports, Brands & Corporate, and Non-Profit sectors.
• Technical Design Technical design service using extensive CAD drawing programs to translate creative ideas into feasible technical plots and plans. Helps clients visualize events, identify and rectify possible issues, and manage overall client expectations.
• Overlay Design & Overlay Management Acting as a general contractor managing all aspects of temporary infrastructure. Makes efficient use of existing infrastructure and consolidates required facilities and crew to realize optimal results from small- to large-scale projects.
• Site & Exterior Operations Comprehensive site and exterior operations service managing all aspects of temporary infrastructure for events, from small-scale to large-scale projects, complementing Backbone's overlay management capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• SAIL 2025 attracted over 2.5 million visitors and featured more than 10,000 ships
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Infra Capacity Alliance (ICA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Backbone International joined as one of the associate partners of the Infra Capacity Alliance (ICA). This collaborative alliance is dedicated to enhancing global crisis and disaster responses, whether civil or military, where direct mobility and emergency facilities are essential.
• AGES (Association of Global Event Suppliers)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022AGES is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of temporary infrastructure at significant events. Backbone International was one of the hosts and organizers of the 2022 AGES edition.
• Reza Lesmana / Jakarta OperationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019In 2019, Backbone International merged with Reza Lesmana and opened an office in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reza Lesmana serves as Managing Director Indonesia and leads the Asian team executing stadium concerts, corporate events, and festival productions.
• BPM International (Rutger Jansen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Merged with Rutger Jansen's BPM International in 2013, resulting in the establishment of Backbone North America office in New York City. This merger formalized Backbone International as a global entity.
• Live Republic (Pieter Lubberts)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Merged with Pieter Lubbert's Live Republic in 2013. Live Republic had made a name for corporate and brand events in the Netherlands. Pieter is in charge of the Backbone Europe office.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Clair Global: Clair Global is a leading provider of live-event audio, communications, and production services, serving major tours and festivals globally. Directly comparable to Backbone for live-event technical production and tour-support capability.
• Encore (PSAV/Encore): Encore provides event-technology, staging, and production services for corporate meetings, conferences, and live events at hotels, convention centers, and venues worldwide. Directly comparable as a multi-region event-production services provider, with stronger weighting toward corporate events.
• Production Resource Group (PRG): PRG is the largest global provider of event production services - lighting, video, audio, rigging, and scenic - serving concerts, festivals, sports, and corporate clients worldwide. Most directly comparable to Backbone because it operates as a multi-region production partner for marquee live events, the same market Backbone serves.
• Solotech: Solotech provides audio, video, lighting, and rigging rental along with full event production services across North America and Europe. A direct peer in the event-production / overlay management space serving concerts, festivals, and corporate events.
• TAIT: TAIT designs and delivers staging, automation, scenic, and show-control solutions for large-scale live events and touring shows. Directly comparable to Backbone's technical-design and overlay capabilities, particularly on technically complex productions.
• The Producers Group: The Producers Group is a US-based event-production company providing creative direction, scenic, staging, and technical production for concerts, sports ceremonies, and corporate events. A direct peer in integrated live-event production with comparable marquee-event profile.

Broad incumbents

• Jack Morton Worldwide: Jack Morton (part of IPG) is a global brand-experience agency producing events, activations, and sponsorship experiences for major brands. Overlaps with Backbone's Brands & Corporate vertical, particularly on flagship launches and brand activations.
• Opus Agency: Opus Agency designs and produces brand experiences, conferences, and incentive events for technology and consumer brands. Overlaps with Backbone on brand/corporate event production at the larger end of the budget range.
• Freeman: Freeman is one of the largest brand-experience and event-management companies globally, offering event production, AV, and exhibitor services. A broader incumbent that competes with Backbone for large corporate events and brand experiences but operates at significantly larger scale.
• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: GPJ is a large experience-marketing agency designing and producing brand experiences, product launches, and corporate events worldwide. A broad incumbent that competes with Backbone on brand-experience and corporate-event production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/backbone-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Backbone International