Dpt.

What Dpt. does

Dpt. is a Montreal-based interactive experience studio founded in 2010 that designs and produces immersive installations, AR/VR/XR experiences, and AI-powered cultural tools for museums, cultural institutions, brands, and government clients globally. The studio's core technology stack spans augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, real-time 3D animation in Unity and Unreal engines, volumetric and performance capture, and increasingly generative AI. Its proprietary Echo AI Suite is a modular product comprising Echo Guide (a conversational AI tour guide), Echo Persona (AI-powered historical characters with real-time lip sync), Echo Snap (a generative AI photobooth), and Echo Visit (photorealistic 3D virtual tours), with an offline-first locally deployed AI pipeline.

Dpt. operates a project-based professional services model, earning revenue through commissioned custom work scoped and quoted per engagement. The studio delivers end-to-end from concept development through on-site commissioning, exemplified by the 34-person team that produced 87 interactive installations across a 100,000 sq. ft. indoor attraction for Mandai Wildlife Group in Singapore over a 3.5-year timeline. Notable clients include Mandai Wildlife Group, Radisson Hotels (via C2), Bentley (via Iris Worldwide), Cirque du Soleil, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Pointe-à-Callière Museum, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), the National Film Board of Canada, Library of Parliament, and Rhode Island Tourism.

The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, with projects originating from inbound inquiries ([email protected]), industry reputation, referrals from cultural agencies, and visibility through international film festivals such as Venice, SXSW, and Ars Electronica. Distribution is primarily direct enterprise sales, though the Echo AI Suite represents a transition toward more productized, turnkey modules deployable across multiple venues, supplemented by app store distribution for consumer-facing AR experiences. The company has accumulated 110+ industry awards and recognitions over 15 years of operation, reinforcing its brand as a premium creative-technical studio.

Name

Dpt.

Website

https://dpt.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dpt. is a Montreal-based interactive experience studio that designs immersive AR/VR/XR installations and AI-powered cultural tools (Echo AI Suite) for museums, cultural institutions, brands, and government clients, earning revenue through commissioned project work and emerging productized AI modules.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immersive Experience Studio

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Industrial Design Services (54142), Software Publishers (5132), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time) (MPAHACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multimodal Generation (Text-Image-Video-Audio) & Creative Toolchains (HDAAACAG), AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ), XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains (MPAFAFAF)

Keywords

• Immersive experience design
• Augmented reality development
• Virtual reality production
• Interactive installation art
• Cultural technology solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Project-Based Creative Services / Commissioned Work: Dpt. designs and produces custom interactive experiences commissioned by cultural institutions (museums, libraries), brands, and event organizers. Projects range from AR apps and VR documentaries to large-scale immersive installations. Revenue is earned through project fees, typically scoped and quoted per project.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dpt. designs and produces custom interactive immersive experiences (AR, VR, XR, AI, generative, biometric, volumetric) for cultural institutions, museums, brands, and government clients. Its productized offering is the Echo AI Suite, a modular platform of conversational AI guide, AI historical characters, generative AI photobooth, and 3D virtual tour tools. Revenue is earned through project fees for bespoke commissions and the licensing/deployment of Echo AI Suite modules.

Product overview

Dpt. is a Montreal-based studio that crafts interactive experiences for immersive platforms and physical spaces. Their portfolio spans VR, AR, and mixed reality installations for museums, brand experiences, narrative projects, and turnkey solutions. The core product architecture centers on the Echo AI Suite—a modular platform comprising Echo Guide (conversational AI tour guide), Echo Persona (AI-powered historical characters), Echo Snap (generative AI photobooth), and Echo Visit (virtual tour technology). Supporting services include social media AR filters, real-time VFX in Unity/Unreal, volumetric capture, and performance capture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Echo: Echo is Dpt.'s modular AI platform for cultural and public experiences, featuring modules including Echo Guide (conversational AI tour guide), Echo Persona (AI-powered historical characters), Echo Snap (AI-powered photo booth), and Echo Visit (virtual 3D tours).
• Echo AI Suite

Products and services

• Echo AI Suite Modular suite of AI-powered tools for cultural institutions, entertainment venues, tourism, and brands. Includes Echo Guide (conversational AI tour guide), Echo Persona (AI-powered historical characters), Echo Snap (generative AI photobooth), and Echo Visit (3D photorealistic virtual tours). Features offline-first, locally deployed AI pipeline with speech-to-text, RAG, text-to-speech, and real-time lip synchronization.
• Bespoke Interactive Experience Production Services Custom design and production of interactive immersive experiences (AR, VR, XR, AI, volumetric, biometric, generative) commissioned by museums, cultural institutions, brands, and government organizations. End-to-end delivery from concept development through on-site commissioning, including content creation, systems engineering, and storytelling.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 million+ annual visitors reached through single client (Montreal Jazz Festival)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

AI capability13 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• C2coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Dpt. on the Radisson Dream Machine project, where C2 served as a strategic partner enabling the development of an AI-driven event planning platform for Radisson Hotels. C2 facilitated the partnership between Dpt. and Radisson Hotels.
• Skill LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Oto's Planet, a VR/AR narrative project that won the Venice Film Festival Special Jury Prize.
• Small CreativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Oto's Planet alongside Skill Lab and Dpt.
• Mandai Wildlife GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient and strategic partner for Mandai Exploria — Southeast Asia's largest indoor nature-themed multimedia attraction, part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore. Opened March 3, 2026.
• GSM ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner for Mandai Exploria (with Electronics & Engineering for AV) and for numerous other Dpt. projects including Basquiat, Human, Bank of Canada Museum, and Biodome. GSM serves as both design/scenography partner and sometimes as client representative.
• Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient and strategic partner for The Machines of the Imaginary — interactive installations across multiple floors of the Grande Bibliothèque. Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Communications of Quebec.
• Jack WorldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for The Machines of the Imaginary project at BAnQ.
• TransversalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for The Machines of the Imaginary project.
• Studio RéunionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for The Machines of the Imaginary project.
• PHI CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing deployment partner for Echo AI Suite products. PHI hosts Echo Snap (AI Photobooth) and other immersive experiences. Dpt. describes PHI as a long-term deployment partner.
• Oasis ImmersioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeployment partner for Echo AI Suite and AI Photobooth. Oasis Immersion is one of the largest indoor immersive spaces in Canada (105 projectors, 119 speakers, 3,000 sq. ft. 360° projection). Dpt. created the Oasis immersive experience for the venue.
• Iris WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner for Bentley Feel The Space project — creating a biometric-responsive meditation experience inside the Bentayga EWB.
• Zimmerman, Rep+RepeatminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCreative and strategy partner working with Rhode Island Tourism on the AR portals experience created by Dpt.
• Marshmallow Laser FeastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcept originator and creative direction partner for A Colossal Wave VR/AR installation.
• NFB (National Film Board of Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Virtual Parliament (with Library of Parliament), Plastisapiens (with Lalibela Productions), and The Passengers. NFB is a major Canadian cultural institution and long-term Dpt. production partner.
• Library of ParliamentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient and co-producer of the Virtual Parliament VR experience with NFB.
• AutodeskcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for Autodesk Obsidian — an expandable virtual museum showcasing creations made with Autodesk software. Demonstrates Dpt.'s ability to create branded digital experiences at scale.
• Montréal Science Centre (GSM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient and partner for Human exhibition (27 interactive installations) and Biodome educational games.
• AGACminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Collecting AR app — the first Canadian app enabling AR art discovery on home walls.
• Cirque du SoleilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for Alegria AR — augmented reality pre-show experience for the Cirque du Soleil show, one of the first WebAR experiences in an uncontrolled outdoor environment.
• FVCKRENDERcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontreal digital artist collaborating with Romeo's Gin and Dpt. on an AR experience integrating FVCKRENDER's digital art universe with the physical gin bottle.
• La PastèqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishing house collaborating on All Dressed — a digital comic book project with 12 interactive chapters across web, mobile, VR, and physical installations.
• Pointe-à-Callière MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the Joe Beef Virtual Character — Dpt.'s AI-powered conversational historical character. The museum serves as both client and deployment partner for this flagship AI experience.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Refik Anadol Studio: Los Angeles-based media artist studio creating large-scale data-driven immersive installations using AI and machine learning. Comparable in the convergence of generative AI with permanent immersive experiences for museums and institutions.

Direct peers

• Meow Wolf: US-based immersive art and entertainment company creating large-scale interactive exhibitions combining narrative, sculpture, and technology. Direct peer in the museum/attraction space with overlapping tech and visitor-experience focus.
• Moment Factory: Montreal-based multimedia studio creating immersive environments, projections mapping, and interactive installations for cultural institutions and brands. Closest direct competitor given shared geography, similar client base (museums, festivals, cities), and overlapping technology stack including real-time graphics and AI.
• Artechouse: Washington DC-based operator of permanent immersive art venues showcasing technology-driven exhibitions from digital artists. Comparable as an institutional immersive-experience operator in the cultural sector.
• Marshmallow Laser Feast: London-based experiential studio creating immersive XR installations combining volumetric capture, real-time graphics, and multisensory environments. Direct creative peer given shared work on projects like A Colossal Wave and similar museum/cultural-institution client base.

Broad incumbents

• teamLab: Large-scale Japanese art collective operating permanent immersive museums globally and producing technology-driven interactive installations. Comparable in audience experience design but operates at significantly larger scale with proprietary venues.
• Framestore: Global VFX and immersive content studio with significant work in VR, AR, and location-based entertainment. A broader incumbent that competes for museum and brand immersive projects at higher budget levels.

Regional players

• PHI Centre: Montreal-based contemporary art and new-media venue hosting immersive exhibitions. Long-term deployment partner for Echo AI Suite products; comparable as a cultural-tech venue operator in Dpt.'s home market.
• Oasis Immersion: Montreal-based immersive entertainment venue (105 projectors, 3,000 sq. ft. 360 projection). Dpt. is a deployment partner and content creator for Oasis; comparable as a Montreal immersive venue ecosystem participant.

Others

• National Film Board of Canada (NFB): Canadian public producer and distributor of films and interactive/immersive works. Long-term production partner and co-producer on multiple Dpt. XR projects (Virtual Parliament, Plastisapiens, The Passengers); comparable as a Canadian immersive-content producer with public-sector backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bonjourdpt
• Facebookfacebook.com/dpt.co
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dpt
• Instagraminstagram.com/bonjourdpt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Dpt.