Spitz
Spitz designs, manufactures, and installs projection domes, complete planetarium systems, and architectural domes for science museums, theme parks, giant-screen cinemas, and commercial builders worldwide, operating since 1947 as a subsidiary of Cosm alongside sister company Evans & Sutherland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersChadds Ford, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Spitz does
Spitz, Inc., founded in 1947 by Armand Spitz and headquartered in a 47,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, designs, fabricates, and installs projection domes and complete planetarium systems for science museums, theme parks, giant-screen cinemas, and architectural projects worldwide. Its product portfolio centers on three dome tiers (Standard Lap Seam, Premium Seam, and the proprietary NanoSeam, which renders panel seams invisible under projection), the SciDome digital planetarium built on Digistar software from sister company Evans & Sutherland, plus architectural domes, NanoCove LED cove lighting, 5.1 audio systems, and proprietary powder coating. Specialized manufacturing equipment including a custom 5-axis large-bed router and stretch press enables precision-form aluminum dome panels; over 2,000 Spitz dome installations have been delivered across six continents, and IMAX sources its domes exclusively from Spitz since 1973.
The company operates an enterprise field-sales go-to-market with direct engagement on custom projects; pricing is by quote and not publicly disclosed. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of dome structures and complete planetarium systems, recurring service contracts (System Protection Plans and Preventive Maintenance Agreements covering 200+ active sites), and licensing of fulldome content through Spitz Creative Media. Customers include Disney, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Volkswagen, IMAX, Zeiss, Griffith Observatory, Adler Planetarium, California Academy of Sciences, Liberty Science Center, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Stiftung Planetarium Berlin, European Southern Observatory, and the Shanghai Astronomy Museum. Since 2020, Spitz has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cosm, a global immersive-technology group, alongside E&S; the combined E&S + Spitz platform positions itself as the only turnkey provider of complete dome theaters integrating dome, software, projection, content, and integration services.
Spitz firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spitz
- Legal name
- Spitz, Inc.
- Website
- https://spitzinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Spitz designs, manufactures, and installs projection domes, complete planetarium systems, and architectural domes for science museums, theme parks, giant-screen cinemas, and commercial builders worldwide, operating since 1947 as a subsidiary of Cosm alongside sister company Evans & Sutherland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Spitz is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chadds Ford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Spitz business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Projection Domes Sales: Sale of projection dome screens including NanoSeam, Premium Seam, and Standard Lap Seam options. Domination of market with over 2,000 installations worldwide for planetariums, giant screen cinema, and theme park attractions.
- Planetarium Systems: Complete planetarium systems including Digistar software from Evans & Sutherland, projection equipment, automation, lighting, and audio systems.
- Service & Support Contracts: Annual service agreements including System Protection Plan (SPP) for digital systems and Preventive Maintenance Agreements (PMA) for opto-mechanical systems. Over 200 planetariums currently on coverage programs.
- Fulldome Content: Licensing of fulldome shows and educational content for planetarium theaters through Spitz Creative Media.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quotation for dome theater projects |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Spitz product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spitz designs, fabricates, and installs projection domes (NanoSeam, Premium Seam, and Standard Lap Seam), complete planetarium systems (SciDome with Digistar software), architectural dome structures, and supporting theater components (NanoCove LED lighting, audio systems). Combined with sister company Evans & Sutherland, Spitz acts as a turnkey provider of complete dome theaters for science museums, planetariums, giant screen cinemas, and theme park attractions worldwide.
Product overview
Spitz, a Cosm company, is a turnkey provider of complete dome theaters and immersive experience solutions. The core product portfolio centers on projection domes (Standard Lap Seam, Premium Seam, and proprietary NanoSeam technology), planetarium systems (SciDome with Digistar software), architectural domes, and specialized theater components including NanoCove LED lighting, audio systems, and powder coating services. The company also offers comprehensive design/engineering services and maintains a 47,000 sq ft manufacturing facility. Key products include NanoSeam seamless projection domes (over 200 delivered since 2007), DomeX LED immersive domes (8K resolution), and the complete SciDome digital planetarium platform. Spitz operates as part of Cosm alongside sister company Evans & Sutherland, combining dome screen manufacturing with projection technology and content production for planetariums, giant screen cinemas, and theme park attractions worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NanoSeam: Revolutionary seaming technique and powder-coat finish making NanoSeam the most uniform projection surface available, with seams completely invisible under projection conditions
- NanoCove LED Lighting
- SciDome
Products and services
- NanoSeam Projection Domes Revolutionary seaming technique producing the most uniform projection surface available with no folds, overlaps, or irregularities. Seams completely disappear under projection conditions. Available in multiple sizes for science museums, planetariums, and immersive attractions.
- Projection Domes (Premium Seam and Standard Lap Seam) World's leading projection dome screens with over 2,000 installations across six continents. Includes Premium Seam and Standard Lap Seam options for planetariums, giant screen cinemas, and theme park attractions.
- SciDome Planetarium Systems Complete digital planetarium solutions combining Digistar software from Evans & Sutherland with Spitz projection systems. Features real-time 3D rendering, fulldome video, astronomy simulation, and integration with projection, automation, lighting, and audio systems.
- Architectural Domes, Spheres and Freeform Structures Custom curved structures including exterior domes, ceilings, spherical panels, and architectural treatments. Used in museums, theme parks, malls, military installations, and private buildings. Provides precision curved structures with seamless surfaces and invisible attachment hardware.
- DomeX LED Dome LED-based immersive dome technology that delivers brightness and contrast far exceeding conventional projection, heightening the sense of presence for sports, entertainment, and educational experiences.
- NanoCove LED Lighting High-quality LED cove lighting systems for dome theaters including NanoCove RGB with ChromaBlend color mixing technology and NanoCove White for low-energy room illumination. Provided in partnership with ChromaCove.
- Dome Theater Audio Systems Stereo and 5.1 channel sound systems designed for dome theaters, including compact consoles with mixers, amplifiers, hearing assistance systems, and various audiovisual components.
- Powder Coating Services Proprietary epoxy powder coating applied electrostatically by robotic process for uniform finish with precise dome gain control. More durable than paint, washable with solvents, and allows perfect panel matching for repairs.
- Dome Theater Design and Engineering Comprehensive theater design services from concept development through construction support, including dome size and placement, equipment layout, acoustic considerations, and ADA requirements for planetarium and dome theater projects.
- Service and Support Contracts Full customer support, training, and field service including the System Protection Plan (SPP) for SciDome digital systems and Preventive Maintenance Agreement (PMA) for opto-mechanical systems. Over 200 planetariums are currently enrolled in coverage programs.
- Fulldome Show Licensing Licensing of fulldome content through Spitz Creative Media for planetariums and science centers, including productions such as Atlas of a Changing Earth, Birth of Planet Earth, and Black Hole: First Picture.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,000 dome installations delivered worldwide
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Spitz
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Spitz technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Spitz partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and supporting.
- CosmcoreParent company (a Cosm company) enabling people to experience entertainment in immersive ways across Sports and Entertainment, Science and Education, and Parks and Attractions markets. Cosm acquired E&S and Spitz in 2020.
- Baobab StudiosnotableExclusive agreement for Cosm Studios to distribute Namoo to planetarium and fulldome theaters globally. Baobab Studios created 360 fulldome experience adapted from VR version of Namoo for Cosm.
- Evans & SutherlandcoreSister company within Cosm. E&S provides Digistar planetarium software and DomeX LED dome technology. Spitz and E&S together form the world's only turnkey provider of complete dome theaters, combining projection domes, computing systems, and content.
- Zygote MedianotablePartnership to create 3D biology simulation content for dome theaters, enhancing educational fulldome programming.
- ChromaCovesupportingProvider of NanoCove RGB and NanoCove White LED cove lighting systems for dome theaters. ChromaCove's ChromaBlend technology provides color mixing for lighting effects.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Spitz competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Evans & Sutherland: Sister company within Cosm and the leading supplier of digital planetarium projection systems and software (Digistar). Directly comparable to Spitz: both target the same planetarium buyers with complementary products and together form a turnkey offering.
- GOTO Inc. Japanese manufacturer of opto-mechanical and digital planetarium projectors (e.g., GSS-Helios, CHIRON). Directly competes with Spitz and E&S for global planetarium installations, especially in Asia.
- Konica Minolta Planetarium: Operates the Infinium S and MEDIAGATE planetarium product lines serving science centers and commercial domes worldwide. Direct competitor to Spitz in digital planetarium systems.
- Carl Zeiss (ZEISS Planetarium Division): German manufacturer of premium opto-mechanical and hybrid planetarium projectors (e.g., UNIVERSARIUM, SKYMASTER). Competes with Spitz for high-end science center installations and is also a Spitz partner for optics.
- RSA Cosmos: French designer and manufacturer of digital planetarium systems and dome screens. Directly competes with Spitz in Europe, the Middle East, and emerging markets for turnkey planetarium solutions.
- Sky-Skan: US-based integrator of digital planetarium systems (DigitalSky, Definiti) and dome theaters. Direct competitor to Spitz/SciDome for science museum and university planetariums.
- Global Immersion: UK-based provider of large-format immersive dome theaters and fulldome content. Comparable to Spitz in serving science centers and large-format cinematic venues in EMEA.
Broad incumbents
- Christie Digital Systems: Major projection and image-processing vendor for large-venue, cinema, and simulation markets. Competes broadly with Spitz/E&S projection stack and supplies projectors used in dome theaters.
- Barco: Global projection and visualization company serving cinema, events, and simulation. Overlaps with Spitz in large-format immersive projection and competes for large-venue display budgets.
Others
- IMAX Corporation: Both a long-standing Spitz customer (IMAX uses Spitz domes exclusively since 1973) and an adjacent operator of large-format dome/film theaters. Comparable as a major force in giant-screen dome cinema that influences dome theater demand and standards.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Spitz social profiles
Digital presenceSpitz financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spitz leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Spitz funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Spitz 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 Spitz
What does Spitz do?
Spitz designs, fabricates, and installs projection domes (NanoSeam, Premium Seam, and Standard Lap Seam), complete planetarium systems (SciDome with Digistar software), architectural dome structures, and supporting theater components (NanoCove LED lighting, audio systems). Combined with sister company Evans & Sutherland, Spitz acts as a turnkey provider of complete dome theaters for science museums, planetariums, giant screen cinemas, and theme park attractions worldwide.
Is Spitz a public or private company?
Spitz is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Spitz founded?
Spitz was founded in 1947. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Spitz based?
Spitz is headquartered in Chadds Ford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Spitz make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Projection Domes Sales are the primary driver. The others are planetarium Systems, service & Support Contracts and fulldome Content.
Who are Spitz's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Evans & Sutherland, GOTO Inc., Konica Minolta Planetarium, Carl Zeiss (ZEISS Planetarium Division), RSA Cosmos, Sky-Skan and Global Immersion. Broad incumbents are Christie Digital Systems and Barco. IMAX Corporation is listed as an others.
Does Spitz have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spitz.