Mike Wood Consulting

What Mike Wood Consulting does

Mike Wood Consulting LLC is a single-member, privately held consulting firm founded in 2004 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, providing technology strategy, R&D, standards, and Intellectual Property advisory services to the entertainment technology industry. The firm served entertainment technology companies, media and leisure clients, and venture capital groups needing due diligence and technology assessment, with functional expertise in lighting systems, control systems, LED/SSL technology, and IP licensing and patent strategy.

Core deliverables include professional consulting services covering input marketing, technology selection, development management, and IP protection, supplemented by two passive knowledge assets: a free weekly email subscription notifying subscribers of newly issued US entertainment technology patents, and a specialized patent database of entertainment lighting utility and design patents with PDF access and World Patent Family links. A flagship reference project is the Winspear Opera House Chandelier, delivered in collaboration with Ingham Designs LLC and J.R. Clancy.

The business operated as a sole-practitioner LLC under founder Mike Wood, who brought over 40 years of entertainment technology experience including executive roles at High End Systems (VP Engineering, CTO), JEM Theatrical (Senior Director), and DeSisti/Coemar (Director), plus leadership of industry trade bodies ESTA and PLASA. As of 2024, Mike Wood is retired and the firm is not accepting new consulting projects; no successor model, external funding, or expanded team has been disclosed.

Name

Mike Wood Consulting

Legal name

Mike Wood Consulting LLC

Website

https://mikewoodconsulting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mike Wood Consulting LLC is a sole-practitioner Austin-based consulting firm providing entertainment technology strategy, R&D, and IP advisory services to industry clients and venture capital groups; the founder retired in 2024 and the firm is no longer accepting new projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Technology Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Innovation, Product & R&D Consulting (BPAHACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Product Design & Mechanical Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAJ)

Keywords

• Entertainment technology consulting
• Lighting systems consulting
• Intellectual property advisory
• LED technology strategy
• Patent strategy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for entertainment technology, media and leisure clients, and venture capital groups. Services include technology strategy, R&D consulting, IP advisory, and expert witness services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mike Wood Consulting LLC provides consulting support to entertainment technology companies on technology strategy, R&D, standards, and Intellectual Property. Services span input marketing, technology selection, development process management, IP protection, expert witness work, and new product definition and evaluation. The firm also offers a free patent subscription email service and maintains a specialized database of entertainment lighting patents.

Product overview

Mike Wood Consulting LLC is a consulting firm specializing in entertainment technology. The company offers technology strategy, R&D, standards, and Intellectual Property consulting services to the entertainment industry. Its core offerings include Consulting Services for technology implementation and strategy, combined with a Patent Subscription Service (free weekly patent notifications) and a specialized Patent Database of entertainment lighting patents. The company also completed notable projects such as the Winspear Opera House Chandelier.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technology Consulting Services Consulting services for entertainment technology companies covering technology strategy, R&D, standards, and Intellectual Property. Includes input marketing, technology selection, development process management, IP protection and licensing, expert witness services, and new product definition and evaluation. Audience: entertainment technology companies, media and leisure clients, and venture capital groups.
• Patent Subscription Service Free weekly automated email notification of new US entertainment technology patents. Users subscribe via email and receive an automatic notification each week (US patents issue on Tuesdays) listing patents relevant to the entertainment technology community. Audience: entertainment technology professionals seeking patent awareness.
• Entertainment Lighting Patent Database Specialized database containing full versions of patents relating to entertainment lighting, including US utility and design patents. Provides PDF download capability and World Patent Family data links. Audience: entertainment technology professionals and researchers seeking patent documents.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association)coreOthersProud member of ESTA. Mike Wood served as President from 1999-2004 and Treasurer from 2006-2012. He was Immediate Past President and received ESTA's highest honor, the Eva Swan Award, in 2006.
• PLASA (Professional Lighting and Sound Association)coreOthersMember of PLASA. Mike Wood served as Vice Chairman and Chairman of PLASA (UK Entertainment Technology Industry Trade Association) from 1992-1995. He was Chair of the Governing Body of PLASA worldwide (combined ESTA/PLASA) from 2011-2012.
• Ingham Designs LLCnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the Winspear Opera House Chandelier project. Mike Wood Consulting and Ingham Designs LLC provided illuminated rods, drive electronics, data distribution, programming & control for the chandelier.
• J.R. ClancynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on the Winspear Opera House Chandelier project. J.R. Clancy provided hoists, structural support, rigging and suspension for the chandelier.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Arup: Arup is a global engineering consultancy with a dedicated acoustics, theatre, and venues practice that advises entertainment industry clients on technology, systems, and structures. It is comparable to Mike Wood Consulting in addressing entertainment technology challenges, but operates at a much larger scale with broader engineering scope.
• ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls): ETC is a leading manufacturer of entertainment lighting, dimming, and control systems with a technology strategy and consulting-oriented standards work. It is comparable to Mike Wood Consulting as a center of expertise in entertainment lighting and control systems, though as a product company rather than a pure consulting firm.

Direct peers

• Schuler Shook: Schuler Shook is a theatre planning and lighting design consultancy providing advisory services to performing arts venues, including technology strategy and equipment specification. Like Mike Wood Consulting, it serves entertainment technology clients with specialized expertise, though operating at a larger scale with multiple principals.
• Lightswitch: Lightswitch is a theatrical and entertainment lighting design and consulting firm that delivers technical design services for live entertainment, concert, and event projects. It is comparable to Mike Wood Consulting in providing specialized advisory services to the entertainment technology industry, though focused more on design than IP strategy.
• Fisher Dachs Associates: Fisher Dachs Associates is a theatre planning and consulting firm that advises performing arts clients on technology, acoustics, and systems design. It is comparable to Mike Wood Consulting in providing technical and technology advisory services to entertainment venues and organizations.
• Charcoalblue: Charcoalblue is a theatre and live entertainment consultancy providing design, technology advisory, and project services to performing arts clients. Comparable to Mike Wood Consulting in delivering specialized entertainment technology advisory services, with a similar boutique and industry-recognized profile.
• Theatre Projects Consultants: Theatre Projects Consultants provides theatre and entertainment venue planning, design, and technology consulting services globally. Comparable to Mike Wood Consulting in delivering specialized entertainment technology advisory services, though with a broader venue-planning focus.
• Auerbach Pollok Friedlander: Auerbach Pollok Friedlander is performing arts and entertainment consulting firm providing theatre technology, AV, and lighting advisory services. Comparable to Mike Wood Consulting in serving entertainment technology clients with specialized expertise in technical systems and control.

Emerging players

• Halstaff Group: Halstaff Group is a boutique entertainment technology consulting firm providing advisory services to entertainment industry clients. Comparable to Mike Wood Consulting in its boutique profile and focus on entertainment technology advisory, though smaller and less known.

Others

• ProSight Specialty Insurance (expert witness services): ProSight Specialty Insurance provides expert witness and litigation support services across various technical domains. Comparable to Mike Wood Consulting insofar as both firms provide expert witness services in technical/engineering matters, though ProSight operates across industries far beyond entertainment technology.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Mike Wood Consulting