Squidsoup

What Squidsoup does

Squidsoup is a UK-based digital art collective founded in 1997, specializing in immersive light and sound installations that combine physical and digitally augmented spaces. The studio designs and delivers bespoke, large-scale artworks for cultural institutions, festivals, museums, cathedrals, and public venues globally, with its flagship Submergence work having been exhibited over 100 times across six continents.

The company operates a proprietary AudioWave technology platform consisting of individually addressable suspended orbs containing LEDs, WiFi-enabled processors, and speakers. Each orb communicates via ad-hoc mesh networks, enabling real-time spatialized sound and dynamic light control across hundreds to thousands of synchronized units. The system controls up to 240 DMX universes in real time, and complements the platform with off-grid power solutions combining solar panels and second-life electric vehicle batteries for installations in remote locations without mains power.

Squidsoup generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) bespoke art installation commissions from festivals, galleries, museums, and public institutions on a quote-based, project-by-project basis; (2) licensing and touring fees for established works such as Submergence, Wave, and Murmuration, which are hired to multiple venues internationally; and (3) artwork rental and standalone sales of pieces such as Drifting Echoes. The go-to-market is consultative and event-driven, relying on direct relationships with commissioners and festival organizers. The studio also secures non-dilutive funding through UK public arts grants (Arts Council England, Innovate UK, Gloucester BID, Culture Trust) and partners with organizations such as ArtReach, Scottsdale Arts, Burning Man Arts, and West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. The team is small (1-10 employees) and founder-led, with Anthony Rowe as Lead Artist, operating from a Cotswolds studio and a Shoreditch, London exhibition space.

Name

Squidsoup

Legal name

Squidsoup

Website

https://squidsoup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Squidsoup is a UK-based digital art collective, founded in 1997, that designs and delivers bespoke immersive light and sound installations using its proprietary AudioWave mesh-networked orb technology. It serves museums, festivals, cathedrals, cultural institutions, and public venues globally through commissions, touring exhibitions, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immersive Art Installations

NAICS

Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351)

SIC

Communications Equipment, Nec (3669), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Immersive/Spatial Audio Production (Dolby Atmos, 5.1/7.1, Binaural) (MPAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sound Design (Creative/Design-Heavy FX, World-Building) (MPAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Immersive light installations
• Spatialized audio art
• Audiovisual installations
• Interactive digital art
• Exhibition design

Headquarters

HQ city

Cheltenham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Art Installation Commissions: Designing and delivering bespoke immersive artworks for specific commissions from clients including festivals, galleries, museums, public institutions, and private events. Each commission is custom-designed for the specific venue and context.
2. Touring Exhibitions: Existing artworks are hired or licensed to tour to different venues and festivals across multiple locations globally. Works like Submergence, Wave, Murmuration travel internationally.
3. Artwork Sales and Rentals: Some artworks such as Drifting Echoes are available for hire or purchase as standalone pieces.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Squidsoup designs, builds, and delivers bespoke immersive light and sound art installations for museums, galleries, cathedrals, festivals, and cultural institutions. Its installations are powered by the proprietary AudioWave system of individually addressable suspended orbs (LEDs, WiFi processors, speakers, sensors) networked via mesh protocols, enabling large-scale spatialised audio and synchronised light across hundreds of units. Offerings include flagship touring works such as Submergence, Wave, Murmuration, Circular Echoes, Curve, and Sola, plus custom commissions and off-grid power solutions for remote outdoor venues.

Product overview

Squidsoup is a digital art collective specializing in immersive experiences in digitally augmented spaces, combining physical and dynamic digital spaces with novel forms of interaction. Their core product is the AudioWave technology platform - a proprietary system of individually addressable suspended orbs containing LEDs, wifi-enabled processors, speakers, and movement sensors that enable decentralized mesh networking for spatialized audio and light installations. Key works powered by AudioWave include Submergence (their flagship immersive walkthrough experience with thousands of suspended light points), Wave, Murmuration, Circular Echoes, Curve, and Drifting Echoes. They also create site-specific installations like Sola, Desert Wave, and Where There Is Light. Their Off-Grid initiative develops sustainable power solutions using solar and second-life electric car batteries for remote installations. The company operates as an art studio creating commissioned works for galleries, museums, festivals, and public events rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AudioWave: Proprietary technology system developed by Squidsoup for controlling individually addressable light and sound orbs with wi-fi enabled processors and mesh networking capabilities
• Submergence
• Wave
• Murmuration
• Circular Echoes
• Off-Grid

Products and services

• Submergence Large-scale immersive walkthrough experience using thousands of individually controlled suspended points of light to create dynamic three-dimensional scenes, landscapes, and energy fields with spatialized sound. Has been exhibited over 100 times on six continents since 2013. For museums, galleries, festivals, and cultural institutions.
• Wave Spatial audio and light installation using AudioWave technology with individually addressable suspended orbs containing LEDs, WiFi processors, and speakers. Creates dynamic lightscapes with true spatialised sound. For cathedrals, large venues, and outdoor environments.
• Murmuration Immersive walkthrough installation using approximately 500 mesh-networked points of light and sound to create responsive data swarms inspired by starling flocking patterns. For museums and large galleries.
• Circular Echoes Circle of 36 light and sound-emitting orbs creating choreographed spatialised immersive audio-visual experiences for intimate contemplative settings. For galleries and intimate venues.
• Drifting Echoes Suspended floating sonic volume using 18 voices for quiet liminal space contemplation. Available for hire or purchase. For galleries, cathedrals, and contemplative spaces.
• Curve Audio-visual sculptural object consisting of 120 suspended orbs with LEDs, speakers, processors, WiFi connectivity, and movement sensors creating a real-time immersive ecosystem of sound and light. For galleries, festivals, and events.
• Sola Cloud-like light installation inspired by Victorian Sublime artists, creating sunlit cloud structures that visitors can move through. Won 2021 Codaworx award for Art in Healthcare environments. For galleries, hospitals, and large venues.
• Desert Wave / Standing Wave

Quantifiable outcome

• Submergence has been exhibited over 100 times on six continents
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers37 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cleevely Electric VehiclescoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to explore second-life electric car batteries combined with solar energy to power digital artworks off-grid. Partnership formed through The Power of Art R&D project for sustainable power solutions.
• SIRF (Stockton International Riverside Festival)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerR&D funding partner for The Power of Art project exploring flexible and sustainable solutions for powering digital artworks. SIRF provided initial funding and testing ground for off-grid power systems.
• Cotswolds National LandscapeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for testing off-grid artworks at secret woodland locations in the Cotswolds. Provided access to conserved landscape for R&D testing of sustainable power solutions.
• Home Abbey FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner location for testing off-grid power artwork installations. Farm provided site for Circular Echoes installation powered by solar panels.
• Gloucester BIDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for Submergence Gloucester 2024 and 2025. Business Improvement District supporting cultural events in Gloucester city centre.
• University of PlymouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and funding partner for Submergence Gloucester, including co-design workshops for people with Autism. Also collaborated on The Cloud Project (2019) investigating smoke and mist as media elements.
• Gloucester Culture TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and support partner for Submergence Gloucester installations.
• Eastgate Shopping Centre (Gloucester)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Submergence Gloucester 2024, providing space in disused retail unit between H&M and JD Sports.
• Vilk CollectiveminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPerformance duo (Roxanna Vilk and Peter Vilk) delivering Feel The Light workshops within Submergence Gloucester. Award-winning musicians, filmmakers, and community practitioners.
• GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partner for Submergence Gloucester and Where There Is Light. Provides support and raises awareness for refugees and asylum seekers through art installations.
• The Music WorksminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity music organization partner for Submergence Gloucester workshops and Where There Is Light project.
• West Kowloon Cultural District AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned Submerged Paradise (2024) as part of POPFEST festival. Hong Kong's premier cultural district supporting artistic programming and creative collaborations.
• ArtReachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for community-engaged art projects including Where There Is Light touring project. Supported development of new approaches to delivering work in community settings. Led consortium partners including Freedom Festival, Coventry City of Culture, Halton Borough of Culture, Journeys Festival International, and Timber Festival.
• Scottsdale ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and presenting partner for Desert Wave/Standing Wave (2019-2020). Supported both incarnations of the piece at Burning Man and Canal Convergence.
• Camp Cyberia/PolarisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created mutant vehicle (art car) for Burning Man 2019. Squidsoup contributed light installation expertise to transform M1078 Stewart & Stevenson vehicle into volume of light.
• Cheltenham Everyman TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partner for Where There Is Light project, recording refugee testimonies and collaborating on sound and light installation.
• ColliersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for Submergence Gloucester 2025.
• Together GloucesterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for Submergence Gloucester 2025.
• WonderspacescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExhibition partner for Submergence at venues in Philadelphia PA and Austin TX.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Meow Wolf: US-based immersive art and entertainment company producing permanent themed immersive experiences (House of Eternal Return, Convergence Station). Adjacent business model — building immersive artistic environments for footfall — but operates as permanent venue operator rather than touring installation studio.
• Studio Drift: Dutch art studio known for large-scale kinetic light and motion installations (Shylight, Fragile Future) exhibited at museums, festivals and biennales worldwide. Comparable in artistic ambition and the use of proprietary engineering to create immersive light-based artworks, although more sculptural/kinetic than sound-led.

Direct peers

• Moment Factory: Montreal-based multimedia studio producing immersive light, sound, and projection experiences for festivals, museums and public spaces globally. Comparable in scope and output to Squidsoup's AudioWave works, but operates at much larger scale with permanent installations.
• Refik Anadol Studio: Los Angeles-based new media art studio using data-driven, AI-generated immersive light and projection installations for museums and cultural venues. Comparable in that large-format immersive digital art is the primary commercial output, although more data/AI-led than Squidsoup's spatialized audio-orbital approach.
• Marshmallow Laser Feast: London-based experiential art collective producing immersive multi-sensory installations combining projection, light, sound and sensor technology for galleries, festivals and brand activations. Highly comparable to Squidsoup on technology, output, target clients and UK creative-studio operating model.
• Random International: UK-based studio known for large-scale immersive installations like Rain Room and Pixel Forest that merge physical space with dynamic light, sound and sensors. Direct analogue to Squidsoup's AudioWave-based spatialized experiences, operating at similar scale with exhibition-grade work.
• teamLab: Japan-based digital art collective creating immersive, technology-driven installations combining light, sound, and interactive media. Closely comparable to Squidsoup in output (large-scale immersive walkthrough experiences), though far larger and with permanent venues worldwide.
• Sila Sveta: Moscow/New York-based studio producing immersive multimedia installations and projection-mapped environments for festivals, brands and cultural venues. Similar services, target customers, and project-driven creative agency model to Squidsoup.
• United Visual Artists (UVA): London-based studio building large-scale light and sound installations (Momentum, Our Time, Vanishing Point) for cultural and commercial clients. Comparable UK creative firm with similar bespoke install + touring model and proprietary lighting/sound technology.

Regional players

• Artechouse: US-based operator of permanent immersive digital art venues featuring technology-driven installations. Adjacent to Squidsoup's commission model but focused on running its own ticketed venues rather than licensing artworks to third-party cultural institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/squidsoup
• YouTubevimeo.com/squidsoup
• Facebookfacebook.com/squidsoup
• Instagraminstagram.com/squidie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/squidsoup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Squidsoup