Sun Effects
Sun Effects is a Helsinki and Tokyo-based design and production company providing end-to-end event lighting, visual design, and architectural installation services for major international events, festivals, museums, and permanent installations worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersHelsinki, Finland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sun Effects does
Sun Effects is a Helsinki-headquartered design and production company, with a regional office in Tokyo, that operates as an end-to-end lead designer for major international events, music festivals, light art festivals, museums, and architectural installations. Founded in 1996, the company integrates concept and visual design, functional and technical planning, custom lighting, video, audio, and laser installations, on-site crew execution, and equipment rental under a single delivery model. Its marquee client engagements include Slush (since 2012), Flow Festival (since 2017), Lux Helsinki (since 2012), Pori Jazz (since 2016), SusHi Tech Tokyo (since 2023), Tech Arena Stockholm (since 2024), and Shoptalk (since 2025), alongside museum and architectural projects for Helsinki Airport, Kiasma, Heureka, HAM, Stockmann, and the Finland Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020.
The company generates revenue through professional services contracts (project-based quotes for design and production), equipment rental (dry hire of lighting, audio, and video gear from its own warehouse), and architectural lighting installations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and all engagements are custom-scoped. Sun Effects operates without resellers or intermediaries, sells directly to enterprise clients via its website and direct outreach, and markets primarily through a project portfolio on its website and Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook profiles. Long-duration client relationships, dual-continent delivery capability, and an in-house equipment fleet form the operational backbone of the business, while management is led by CEO Aake Otsala, CCO Matti Jykylä, and CAO Tero Laitila.
The organization is privately held, independent (no disclosed parent company or external funding), and structured as Sun Effects Oy in Finland and Sun Effects Inc. in Japan. It employs 11-50 staff, including specialized heads of design, installations, audio, warehouse, and a Japan-based executive producer. The company does not disclose revenue, has no known venture capital or private equity backing, and combines revenue streams from cyclical event projects with longer-duration architectural and installation contracts.
Sun Effects firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sun Effects
- Legal name
- Sun Effects Oy
- Website
- https://suneffects.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sun Effects is a Helsinki and Tokyo-based design and production company providing end-to-end event lighting, visual design, and architectural installation services for major international events, festivals, museums, and permanent installations worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sun Effects industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Lighting and Production Design Services
- NAICS
- Photographic Services (54192)
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Landscape Accent & Uplighting (Trees/Facades) Installation (HSAIAHAE)
Keywords
Where Sun Effects is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Helsinki
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sun Effects business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Event Design and Production Services: Sun Effects provides end-to-end design and production services for events, including concept design, technical planning, lighting, video, audio, and on-site execution. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services contracts with event organizers and brands.
- Equipment Rental (Dry Hire): Sun Effects offers equipment rental (dry hire) for lighting, audio, and video equipment to clients. The warehouse team handles dry hire requests, allowing clients to rent professional lighting and AV equipment for their own productions.
- Architectural Lighting and Installation: Sun Effects designs and produces permanent architectural lighting installations for buildings, landmarks, and public spaces, including facade lighting, light art installations, and museum exhibition lighting.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Sun Effects product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sun Effects provides end-to-end design and production services for events and architectural installations, covering concept and visual design, functional and technical planning, on-site crew support, custom lighting, video, audio, and laser installations. The company also offers equipment dry-hire rentals and permanent architectural lighting installations for buildings, landmarks, and public spaces. It operates from Helsinki and Tokyo, serving enterprise clients globally.
Product overview
Sun Effects is a design and production company offering end-to-end event design services. The company provides a portfolio of integrated service offerings including Concept & Visual Design, Functional & Technical Planning, On-site Crew Support, Event Production, Event Lighting, Light Art, Rental Equipment, and Marketing Support. The services work together as a unified production offering, where Sun Effects serves as the end-to-end lead designer for major events—from initial concept through final execution. The company operates primarily in Helsinki (Finland) and Tokyo (Japan) and has delivered design services for flagship events including Slush, SusHi Tech Tokyo, Shoptalk, Flow Festival, Tech Arena, Groceryshop, Dubai Expo Finland Pavilion, Nordic Business Forum, and Fuji Rock, among others.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Event Design and Production Services End-to-end design and production services for events, including concept design, technical planning, lighting, video, audio, and on-site execution. Delivered to event organizers and brands as project-based professional services contracts.
- Equipment Rental (Dry Hire) Dry-hire rental of lighting, audio, and video equipment to clients for their own productions, managed by Sun Effects' in-house warehouse team.
- Architectural Lighting and Installation Permanent architectural lighting installations for buildings, landmarks, and public spaces, including facade lighting, light art installations, and museum exhibition lighting.
- Light Art Festival Curation and Production Program curation, design, and production for light art festivals such as Lux Helsinki, Polar Night Light Festival, and Reflektor, including program management, logistics, and technical execution.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million visitors experienced the Finland Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020, which featured Sun Effects' lighting, sound, and video design.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sun Effects
Customer profileNamed customers38 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sun Effects technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Sun Effects partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
27 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kingfisher (Circular Economy)coreKingfisher and Superson commissioned Sun Effects to design and produce 'Circulation', a kinetic sculpture made from 80 second-life mobile devices, presented at MWC Barcelona 2023.
- SupersoncoreSuperson co-created the 'Circulation' kinetic sculpture with Kingfisher and Sun Effects, presented at MWC Barcelona 2023.
- Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support / 博展minorDeloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support and 博展 (Hakuten) co-produced City-Tech.Tokyo alongside Sun Effects, a new startup event launched by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
- JKMM ArchitectscoreJKMM Architects was the architect of the Finland Pavilion 'Snow Cape' at Dubai Expo 2020. Sun Effects collaborated with JKMM, Futudesign, and Flatlight Creative House on the exhibition's lighting, sound, and video design. The pavilion welcomed over 1 million visitors.
- FutudesigncoreFutudesign was part of the collaborative team for the Finland Pavilion 'Snow Cape' at Dubai Expo 2020. Sun Effects, Futudesign, Flatlight Creative House, and JKMM Architects jointly created the exhibition design.
- Flatlight Creative HousecoreFlatlight Creative House collaborated with Sun Effects, Futudesign, and JKMM Architects on the Finland Pavilion exhibition design at Dubai Expo 2020.
- AudicominorAudico was the builder of the Finland Pavilion exhibition at Dubai Expo 2020.
- GoljatminorGoljat was the builder of the Finland Pavilion exhibition at Dubai Expo 2020.
- HAM Helsinki Art MuseumcoreHAM Helsinki Art Museum co-produced the Helsinki Biennial 2021 and commissioned Sun Effects for indoor/outdoor lighting across artworks, with Sun Effects also handling production project management and logistics.
- MetsähallitusminorMetsähallitus co-produced the Helsinki Biennial 2021 alongside HAM and Sun Effects, providing access to the Vallisaari island venue.
- Kaleidoskop (Copenhagen lighting company)coreKaleidoskop, a Copenhagen-based lighting company, co-produced the overall lighting design and area visuals for Copenhagen Distortion Ø 2019 together with Sun Effects.
- FLASH (Finnish Light Art Association)coreFLASH (Finnish Light Art Association), co-founded by Sun Effects' CCO Matti Jykylä, co-curated the first Reflektor light art event in 2018 alongside Sun Effects and Kaleidoskop founder Christina Dvinge.
- Lighting Design CollectivecoreLighting Design Collective won the open competition to create Silo 468 — one of the most iconic permanent light art installations of the past decade — in Helsinki. Sun Effects served as system integrator for the project, which features 1,280 pixels and hundreds of mirrors.
- VALOA Design OyminorVALOA Design Oy was the concept designer for the Signal facade lighting project at Solo Sokos Hotel Torni in Tampere. Sun Effects handled technical design and production.
- Granlund OyminorGranlund Oy was the designer for the Stockmann Light Lines LED accent lighting installation. Sun Effects and Illumitech Finland Oy handled production.
- Illumitech Finland OyminorIllumitech Finland Oy co-produced the Stockmann Light Lines installation with Sun Effects.
- WSP Finland OyminorWSP Finland Oy was the lighting designer for the Yle Mediatalo 'Yhdessäenemmän' light art installation. Sun Effects handled technical design, system integration, and programming.
- EWO (lighting manufacturer)coreEWO is an Italian family-owned lighting manufacturer. Sun Effects served as the Finnish partner and installer for EWO's custom lighting fixtures and poles across Helsinki Airport Terminal 2's new entrance facade.
- HT-Teknocenter OyminorHT-Teknocenter Oy handled installation for the Yle Mediatalo light art installation.
- Consrak OyminorConsrak Oy handled ground contract work for the Fazer Water Tower lighting installation.
- Heureka Science CentrecoreHeureka commissioned Sun Effects for lighting, video, and sound design for immersive exhibitions including the Giant Dinosaurs animatronics and Wild Wild Wood exhibitions.
- FinaviacoreFinavia (operator of Helsinki Airport) commissioned Sun Effects to install EWO lighting fixtures across the new Terminal 2 entrance facade.
- ALA Architects Ltd / HKP ArchitectscoreALA Architects and HKP Architects were the architects for Helsinki Airport Terminal 2, where Sun Effects installed custom EWO lighting solutions.
- Ramboll FinlandminorRamboll Finland provided lighting design for Helsinki Airport Terminal 2.
- Tokyo Metropolitan GovernmentcoreThe Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched SusHi Tech Tokyo, one of Asia's largest startup conferences, with Sun Effects as end-to-end lead designer since 2023.
- Hyve GroupcoreHyve Group powers Groceryshop, America's leading grocery innovation conference, for which Sun Effects serves as end-to-end lead designer.
- Kari Kola / Tehomet Oy / Empower OyminorKari Kola was the concept designer, Sun Effects and Tehomet Oy co-designed poles and bollard lights, and Empower Oy handled installation for the Ilosaari light art installation in Joensuu.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sun Effects competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NEP Group: Worldwide outsourced production partner for live events, sports, and broadcast, offering lighting, video, and audio solutions. Comparable as an end-to-end technical production provider for premium global events and broadcasts.
- PRG (Production Resource Group): Global provider of event production, lighting, video, and audio services for live events, concerts, and brand experiences. Directly comparable to Sun Effects in offering end-to-end event production services, but at a much larger scale with broader geographic coverage.
- Jack Morton Worldwide: Global brand experience agency producing events, activations, and immersive experiences for enterprise brands. Comparable to Sun Effects in delivering end-to-end designed brand experiences for major corporate and event clients.
- MCI Group: Global event and association management company that designs and produces conferences, exhibitions, and brand experiences. Overlaps with Sun Effects in end-to-end design and production for major international conferences and business events.
- Solotech: North American provider of audiovisual, lighting, and event production services for concerts, festivals, and corporate events. Comparable in core offering of lighting, audio, and video design and execution for large-scale live events.
- George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: Experience marketing agency that designs and builds brand experiences, events, and expos for enterprise clients. Comparable to Sun Effects in providing custom-designed event experiences, particularly for flagship brand and technology clients.
Regional players
- Bright!: German event production agency specialized in event technology, lighting, and audiovisual design. Comparable to Sun Effects as a regional European peer providing technical event production, though operating primarily in the DACH region.
- Habegger: Swiss provider of event technology, lighting, and stage construction for large-scale corporate and public events. Comparable in technical event production capabilities, with geographic overlap in Central Europe.
Emerging players
- Marshmallow Laser Feast: UK-based experiential art studio producing immersive light, sound, and visual installations for cultural institutions and brand experiences. Comparable to Sun Effects' light art festival work (Lux Helsinki, Reflektor) in merging art, technology, and immersive design.
Others
- Lichtenstein Event Production: European technical event production companies such as Gahrens + Battermann (Germany) and Lleyton Event (Switzerland) provide AV and lighting rental for corporate events, overlapping with Sun Effects' dry-hire equipment rental business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sun Effects social profiles
Digital presenceSun Effects financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sun Effects leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Sun Effects funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sun Effects 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 Sun Effects
What does Sun Effects do?
Sun Effects provides end-to-end design and production services for events and architectural installations, covering concept and visual design, functional and technical planning, on-site crew support, custom lighting, video, audio, and laser installations. The company also offers equipment dry-hire rentals and permanent architectural lighting installations for buildings, landmarks, and public spaces. It operates from Helsinki and Tokyo, serving enterprise clients globally.
Is Sun Effects a public or private company?
Sun Effects is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Sun Effects founded?
Sun Effects was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sun Effects based?
Sun Effects is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does Sun Effects make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Event Design and Production Services are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rental (Dry Hire) and architectural Lighting and Installation.
Who are Sun Effects's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NEP Group, PRG (Production Resource Group), Jack Morton Worldwide, MCI Group, Solotech and George P. Johnson Experience Marketing. Regional players are Bright! and Habegger. Marshmallow Laser Feast is listed as an emerging player. Lichtenstein Event Production is listed as an others.
Does Sun Effects have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sun Effects.
What industry is Sun Effects in?
Sun Effects's product category is Event Lighting and Production Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAJ, Lighting Design Services, with a secondary code of HSAIAHAE, Landscape Accent & Uplighting (Trees/Facades) Installation. Its NAICS code is 54192 and its SIC code is 7819.