What Aivaf does

Aivaf Ltd is a Sheffield, UK-based designer and manufacturer of bespoke electromechanical interactive exhibits and immersive scenic experiences for museums, science centres, zoos, heritage sites, theme parks, automotive and aerospace attractions, and public spaces. Founded in 1988 by Bruce Davies, the company combines traditional craftsmanship (cabinet making, sculpting, scenic fabrication, welding) with in-house electronics engineering, software programming, and AV systems under a proprietary Aivaf ECU control platform. Over 36 years Aivaf has designed more than 5,000 different interactives and completed approximately 650 projects worldwide, ranging from £1,000 individual installations to £2 million multi-gallery builds such as the £4.5M W5 Science Centre Belfast redevelopment.

The company operates two complementary revenue streams: a high-touch bespoke build service for enterprise clients and a standardised catalogue of 50+ tried-and-tested exhibits (Air Cannon, Turbulent Orb, Graffiti Wall, Sand Table Projection, Smoke Tornado, Ferro Fluid, etc.) that lowers friction for mid-market buyers. Pricing is contract-based with project budgets ranging from £1,000 to £2M, sold via a direct consultative enterprise sales motion complemented by strategic partnerships with design firms such as Mather & Co and Qualia Design. Customer segments are vertical-focused, with primary verticals being Museums & Science Centres, Zoos & Wildlife Parks, Heritage & Historic Attractions, Councils & Public Spaces, and secondary exposure to Automotive & Transport and Theme Parks.

Aivaf is founder-owned with Bruce Davies (Managing Director) and Julie Davies (Finance Director) joined on the board by Steve Foster (Director, electronics/AV) and Associate Director Jordan Green. With 11-50 employees and no disclosed external funding, the company is a profitable, privately-held specialist operating across the UK, Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and other international markets.

Name

Aivaf

Legal name

Aivaf Ltd

Website

https://aivaf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aivaf designs and builds bespoke electromechanical interactive exhibits and immersive scenic experiences for museums, science centres, zoos, heritage sites, theme parks, and public spaces, combining traditional craftsmanship with in-house electronics and AV; projects range from £1,000 to £2 million across 650+ builds over 36 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Museum Exhibit Design & Manufacturing

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (541420), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)

akta.pro primary industry

Staging, Scenic & Set Fabrication (Stages, Backdrops, Scenic Builds) (THAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations (HSACAOAG)

Keywords

• Interactive exhibit design
• Museum exhibit manufacturing
• Scenic design services
• Custom prop fabrication
• Visitor attraction interactives

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Interactive Exhibit Design & Build: Full-service design and manufacturing of custom interactive exhibits for museums, attractions, theme parks, and public spaces. Projects range from £1,000 to £2 million in budget, combining electromechanical interactives, scenic design, custom props, and AV systems.
2. Standard Exhibits Catalog: Sale of pre-designed, tried and tested interactive exhibits from an extensive catalog. Customers select exhibits, receive design development with custom styling, and final quotation for production and installation.
3. Consulting & Advisory Services: Managing Director Bruce Davies provides expertise in developing engaging interactive experiences for visitor attractions worldwide, helping clients develop their own approach to interactivity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Aivaf designs, fabricates and installs bespoke electro-mechanical interactive exhibits, scenic environments and custom props for museums, visitor attractions, theme parks and public spaces. The company combines traditional craftsmanship (cabinet making, sculpting, fabrication) with proprietary electronics (the in-house Aivaf ECU platform) and AV systems to deliver hands-on, immersive exhibits. Projects range from £1,000 to £2 million in budget, and the company also offers a catalogue of 50+ pre-designed standard exhibits available for direct selection.

Product overview

Aivaf is a specialist manufacturer of electromechanical interactive exhibits and immersive experiences for museums, visitor attractions, theme parks, and public spaces. The company offers a unified portfolio combining bespoke design and build services (Interactive Models, Scenic Design, Custom Props) alongside a catalogue of over 60 Standard Exhibits—including physics/science interactives like the Grain Pit Exhibition, Smoke Tornado, Energy Gym, Sand Table Projection, and Ferro Fluid exhibit. Projects range from £1,000 to £2 million budgets and have been delivered across approximately 650 projects worldwide over 36 years. Led by Managing Director Bruce Davies, the Sheffield-based company employs master cabinet makers, electronic engineers, software programmers, welders, fabricators, sculptors, and designers who combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive Models Bespoke design and fabrication of hands-on interactive models that captivate audiences and make learning fun; delivered for museums, galleries, attractions and public spaces.
• Scenic Design Immersive scenic environments and complete set works tailored to a project's theme for museums, theme parks or special exhibits.
• Custom Props Bespoke prop fabrication from conception to creation, producing high-quality unique props for museums, exhibitions and themed environments.
• Standard Exhibits Catalogue A catalogue of 50+ tried-and-tested pre-designed interactive exhibits (including Air Cannon, Turbulent Orb, Roll Uphill, Graffiti Wall, Thermal Imaging, Giant Keyboard, Skeleton Bicycle, Ferro Fluid, Smoke Tornado, Energy Gym, Sand Table Projection, Grain Pit, Robot Arm and more) available for direct selection by visitor attractions.
• Consulting & Advisory Services Expert advisory services from Managing Director Bruce Davies, helping visitor attraction clients worldwide develop their own approach to designing engaging interactive experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ interactives designed over 36 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers30 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mather & CocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Mather & Co on the W5 Science Centre Belfast redevelopment (£4.5 million investment). Mather & Co responsible for theatrical theming and graphics while Aivaf developed innovative, open-ended exhibits including the giant 4m Marvellous Machine.
• Qualia DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Qualia Design on the Barbados Children's Museum project. Aivaf delivered all aspects including custom cabinets, interactive exhibits, AV elements, and graphics.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ideum: US-based designer and manufacturer of interactive exhibits, multitouch tables and AV experiences for museums, zoos and cultural institutions; directly comparable product and customer overlap with Aivaf, with a stronger tilt toward digital/multitouch interactives.
• Sarner International: UK-based designer and installer of interpretive, AV and interactive experiences for museums, visitor centres and themed attractions; directly comparable service offering and target clients to Aivaf's bespoke interactive-exhibit work.
• Electrosonic: Global AV and experiential technology integrator designing interactive exhibits, control rooms and immersive attractions for museums, theme parks and visitor centres; directly comparable to Aivaf's interactive-exhibit design-and-build offering, but at significantly larger scale and broader international footprint.
• Hilights Exhibits: UK-based specialist in interactive, hands-on exhibit design and build for science centres, museums and visitor attractions; directly comparable niche focus to Aivaf, including electromechanical and educational interactives.
• Braveart: European specialist in custom interactive exhibits and scenography for museums, science centres and visitor attractions; directly comparable offering and customer base to Aivaf, particularly across continental Europe.
• Mather & Co: UK-based exhibition and interpretive design firm delivering museum, visitor-centre and themed-environment projects; directly comparable to Aivaf as both a partner (W5 Science Centre) and a competitor for the same museum and visitor-attraction design-and-build briefs.
• Designworks (exhibit designers): Exhibit design and build studio producing interpretive and interactive exhibits for museums, visitor centres and cultural venues; comparable bespoke interactive and scenic capability to Aivaf with a North American base.
• Kubik Inc. North American experiential design-build firm producing interactive exhibits, museums, brand experiences and events; closely comparable combination of custom fabrication, scenic build and interactive integration to Aivaf's services.

Broad incumbents

• Thinkwell Group: Global experience design and production agency for museums, theme parks, brand and entertainment destinations; broader incumbent offering overlapping with Aivaf on museum/attraction experience design but spanning strategy, content and master planning as well.

Emerging players

• Event Projection Ltd: UK-based AV and interactive technology provider to museums, events and visitor attractions; partial overlap with Aivaf on the AV/interactive side of exhibit delivery, though lighter on bespoke fabrication and scenic build.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aivaf-limited
• Xx.com/aivafltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/aivafltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Aivaf