Kern and Kompany

What Kern and Kompany does

Kern and Kompany is a privately held, founder-owned event creation company headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota, operating since 1997 with a small team of specialists. The company produces large-scale public events including the nationally recognized Duluth Airshow, Duluth Oktoberfestival, and the Duluth Drag Races and Car Show (positioned as the largest legal street drag racing event of its kind in the United States), alongside the Essentia Health All-Star high school sports series (Hockey, Volleyball, Soccer) and the Weather Balloon Project. It also provides corporate event production, event marketing, and consulting services for organizations requiring turnkey event planning and logistical infrastructure. The company self-describes as the only full-service event creation company in Minnesota, supported by in-house equipment (tables, barriers, UTVs, communications, signage) and a team with over 100 years of combined event experience.

The company's product portfolio spans three clusters. The core events business delivers flagship recurring consumer events and corporate event services. Kern Artists, launched in 2023, is a talent management and casting database connecting local actors and crew with film, television, and industrial productions in St. Louis County, complemented by an online artist submission portal and the Self Tape Studio (60-minute bookable sessions via Setmore with professional lighting, sound, and chroma key). A third cluster covers STEM programming through the Weather Balloon Project with St. Louis County and Essentia Health. There is no proprietary technology platform; the business relies on third-party scheduling (Setmore) and ticketing (Etix, Ticketleap) infrastructure.

Revenue is generated through four streams: ticket-based transaction fees on public events, professional services fees for corporate event production and consulting, pay-as-you-go unit pricing for Self Tape Studio sessions, and professional services revenue from talent management and casting via Kern Artists. The go-to-market motion is hybrid — event-driven B2C for flagship events, sales-led for corporate engagements, and self-serve online booking for the studio. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, no parent entity, and no public listing; ownership is founder-led (Ryan Kern, Founder & President).

Name

Kern and Kompany

Legal name

Kern and Kompany

Website

https://kernkompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kern and Kompany is a Duluth, Minnesota-based full-service event creation company producing large-scale public events (Duluth Airshow, Oktoberfestival, Drag Races), corporate event services, talent management via Kern Artists, and a Self Tape Studio for actors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual, Hybrid & Livestream Event Coordination (HSACAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Auto, Boat & RV Shows (MPAGAFAC)

Keywords

• Event production
• Corporate event services
• Talent management
• Public event management
• Event marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Event Production & Ticketing: Produces and sells tickets to large-scale public events including Duluth Airshow, Duluth Oktoberfestival, Duluth Drag Races and Car Show, and high school All-Star sports events (Hockey, Volleyball, Soccer). Revenue generated through ticket sales.
2. Corporate Event Services: Produces corporate events and provides consulting services for entities on event planning and logistics.
3. Self Tape Studio Booking: 60-minute studio sessions booked through online scheduling for actors and talent seeking professional self tape recording facilities.
4. Talent Management & Casting: Connects local talent with film, television and industrial projects coming to the region through Kern Artists talent database.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kern and Kompany is a full-service event creation company based in Duluth, Minnesota that plans, produces, and markets live events ranging from 500 to 75,000+ attendees. The company produces its own flagship public events (Duluth Airshow, Duluth Oktoberfestival, Duluth Drag Races and Car Show, and Essentia Health All-Star sports events), delivers corporate event planning, marketing, and consulting services for businesses, operates Kern Artists talent management for the regional film and television industry, and runs a professional Self Tape Studio for actors.

Product overview

Kern and Kompany is a full-service event creation company based in Duluth, Minnesota, offering event planning, marketing, and consulting services. The company operates several distinct product lines: its core event production services for corporate and large-scale community events; Kern Artists, a talent management and casting database launched in 2023 to support the regional film and television industry; and a Self Tape Studio providing professional recording facilities for actors. The company also produces and manages signature events including the Duluth Airshow, Duluth Oktoberfestival, Duluth Drag Races, and the Essentia Health All-Star Sports series (Soccer, Volleyball, Hockey). Additionally, it operates a Weather Balloon Project for STEM education and provides logistical equipment rental services. The portfolio spans from B2B event services and talent management to consumer-facing entertainment events and educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kern Artists: Talent management organization launched in 2023 to support filmmakers bringing projects to Minnesota and St. Louis County. Provides casting services for film, television, and industrial commercial projects.

Products and services

• Kern and Kompany Event Services Full-service event creation, event marketing, and consulting services for corporate clients and organizations needing event planning, marketing campaigns, and logistical support in Minnesota.
• Kern Artists Talent management and casting database organization launched in 2023 to connect local actors, day players, extras, and support staff with filmmakers and production companies bringing projects to Minnesota and St. Louis County.
• Self Tape Studio State-of-the-art self-tape recording studio featuring professional lighting, sound recording, and a chroma key blue background. Offers 60-minute booking sessions for actors preparing self-tape audition submissions.
• Duluth Airshow Nationally recognized and award-winning airshow event featuring aerial performances and aviation displays in Duluth, Minnesota.
• Duluth Oktoberfestival Annual Oktoberfestival event in Duluth featuring traditional German festival activities, food, and entertainment.
• Duluth Drag Races and Car Show Largest legal street drag racing event of its kind in the United States, combining drag racing competitions with a car show in Duluth, Minnesota.
• Essentia Health All-Star Soccer High school All-Star soccer game featuring top senior athletes from the region, with separate girls and boys games, sponsored by Essentia Health.
• Essentia Health All-Star Volleyball High school All-Star volleyball game featuring top senior volleyball players from the region, sponsored by Essentia Health.
• Essentia Health All-Star Hockey High school All-Star hockey game featuring top senior hockey players from the region with separate girls and boys games, sponsored by Essentia Health and hosted at NorthStar Ford Arena in Hermantown.
• Weather Balloon Project STEM education initiative presented by St. Louis County and Essentia Health that teaches students about weather balloons, weather patterns, and science in St. Louis County schools.
• Logistical Support Services Equipment rental and support services for live events, providing tables, benches, barrels, UTVs, communication equipment, signage, barriers, and crowd control materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Events range from 50-75,000 attendees
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• St. Louis CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Louis County is a strategic partner, particularly for the Weather Balloon Project presented alongside Essentia Health. The county has become a rapidly growing hotbed for the Film and Television industry, making it a key geographic partner for regional development initiatives.
• Essentia HealthflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerEssentia Health serves as title sponsor for multiple All-Star sports events including High School All-Star Hockey (March 10, 2026), Volleyball (November 11, 2025), and Soccer (November 3, 2025) events. Presenting sponsor for Weather Balloon Project.
• NorthStar Ford ArenacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner hosting Essentia Health High School All-Star Hockey Game in Hermantown. Strategic venue relationship for hosting large-scale sports events.
• Duluth Denfeld High SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner hosting All-Star Volleyball (Duluth Denfeld High School Gymnasium) and All-Star Soccer (Walt Hunting Stadium at Duluth Denfeld High School) events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Feld Entertainment: Produces large-scale touring live events including Monster Jam (motor sports directly analogous to Kern and Kompany's Drag Races), Disney on Ice, and Supercross. Both companies produce mass-attendance live entertainment events requiring similar operational capabilities in logistics, ticketing, sponsorship sales, and event management.
• C3 Presents: Produces major music festivals (Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits). Directly comparable in producing large-scale public events with corporate sponsorship, ticketing, and integrated marketing — operates at national scale vs. Kern and Kompany's regional focus, but with similar event-creation business model.

Others

• Backstage: Casting and talent platform connecting actors with film, TV, and audition opportunities. Directly comparable to Kern Artists' talent database and Self Tape Studio functions as a marketplace for actor-talent engagement, serving overlapping customer segments.
• Pollstar: Trade publication and data provider for the live entertainment industry. While not a direct competitor, Pollstar sits adjacent to Kern and Kompany's market and is a useful proxy for industry data on live event economics relevant to their business.
• Casting Networks: Online casting platform used by casting directors to find actors for film, TV, and commercial projects. Directly comparable to Kern Artists' talent management and casting services and serves the same actor/casting-customer base Kern Artists targets.
• Octagon: Global sports marketing and event agency. Comparable in producing sports-related events (similar to Kern and Kompany's All-Star sports series) and corporate event consulting, but at international scale and without the consumer ticketing/event prominence.

Broad incumbents

• Live Nation Entertainment: World's largest live entertainment company operating concerts, festivals, and venue management. Operates at vastly greater scale but competes in live event production and presents similar event categories (ticketed public events, festivals, sports-adjacent entertainment).
• AEG Presents: Live entertainment and venue operator producing concerts, festivals (Coachella), and tours. Comparable in event production scope but operates at much larger scale and serves global markets rather than a single regional footprint.
• IMG (Endeavor): Global events, talent management, and licensing company. Competes with both Kern and Kompany's event production capabilities and Kern Artists' talent management functions across sports, entertainment, and media — providing a direct analog for the full-service model at international scale.
• Nederlander Organization: Theater and live event production company operating venues and presenting shows across the U.S. Comparable in event presenting/production capabilities but focused on theatrical and performing arts rather than outdoor events, motorsports, and festivals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KERNKOMPANY
• Facebookfacebook.com/kernkompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/kernartists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 Kern and Kompany