Airigami

What Airigami does

Airigami is a Rochester, NY-based artistic studio founded in 2005 by Kelly Cheatle and Larry Moss that specializes in large-scale balloon sculpture installations, illustrations, and experiences. The company delivers balloon art ranging from small single sculptures to stadium-sized, record-breaking installations across four primary lines: corporate event and trade show features, signature sculptures for museums and cultural institutions (including the National Air & Space Museum, National Museum of Play, and Corning Museum of Glass), wedding and private party decor, and illustration and stop-motion animation for advertising agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather and 360i. The company's flagship property is the Airigami Balloon Adventure, an annual large-scale public installation series in Rochester that has run under the former Balloon Manor brand and a successor naming convention; clients also engage the firm directly for ad-hoc commissioned sculptures and team-building experiences.

The underlying production capability centers on balloon sculpture and installation art using latex and foil balloons, supplemented by stop-motion and combined animation techniques. Named proprietary elements include the Bubble Mural participatory building method, in which community members help construct large installations under artist guidance, and a balloon animation practice integrating puppetry with practical effects and human actors. Distribution is event-driven and direct-to-consumer, with project inquiries handled through the company website, email ([email protected]), and phone. The team is 1-10 employees, including the two co-founders and studio staff Nicole and Riley, who handle balloon deliveries, decor installs, and equipment maintenance.

Airigami operates as Airigami, LLC, a privately held New York limited liability company with no disclosed external investment or institutional funding; the Monroe County, NY and City of Rochester, NY governments provide funding support for community art projects. The business model is services-led: revenue is generated through bespoke commissioned projects governed by individual contracts, private event decor engagements, illustration and animation services for ad agencies and media companies, and a secondary e-commerce shop selling prints, books, kits, and limited-edition merchandise. The company is a founding member of PEBA USA (Pro Environment Balloon Alliance) and partners with Impact Earth to compost latex balloons, addressing environmental concerns around the medium. As of 2025-2026 the company has deliberately narrowed its operational focus, with co-founder Kelly Cheatle running for Rochester City Council and co-founder Larry Moss focused on the separate Teaching Artists ROC nonprofit.

Name

Airigami

Legal name

Airigami, LLC

Website

https://airigami.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Airigami is a Rochester, NY-based balloon art studio creating large-scale installations, illustrations, and animations for corporate events, museums, advertising agencies, and private celebrations, specializing in stadium-sized sculptures and community-driven Bubble Murals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Balloon Art Services

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Balloon Decor & Installations (HSACAOAC)

Keywords

• Balloon art installations
• Event decor services
• Custom balloon sculptures
• Stop-motion animation
• Public art experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

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. Custom Commissioned Projects: Large-scale balloon sculptures and installations commissioned by corporations, non-profits, and institutions for events, trade shows, and public spaces. Projects range from small sculptures to stadium-sized record-breaking installations.
2. Private Event Decor: Balloon decor services for weddings, showers, and private parties
3. Illustration and Animation Services: Balloon illustration and animation work created for advertising agencies and media companies including commercial production and character design
4. Online Shop Sales: Sale of balloon-related merchandise including prints, books, kits, and limited edition artwork through their e-commerce storefront

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Airigami is an artistic studio that designs and constructs large-scale balloon installations, illustrations, and experiences entirely out of balloons, ranging from small single sculptures to stadium-sized, record-breaking installations. They provide balloon decor for corporate events and trade shows, signature sculptures for museums and non-profits, balloon-based illustrations and stop-motion animations for advertising agencies, and decor for weddings and private parties. They also operate an e-commerce shop selling prints, books, kits, and balloon-related merchandise.

Product overview

Airigami is a team of artists specializing in large-scale balloon sculpture installations and experiences. Their core offering consists of balloon artistry services including massive stadium-sized installations, museum signature pieces, corporate events, trade shows, wedding decorations, and community-driven Bubble Murals. They also produce illustration and stop-motion animation work for advertising agencies. The company operates the Airigami Balloon Adventure as their flagship annual installation project, supplemented by an online shop selling prints and merchandise. They previously operated the Balloon Manor series. All offerings center on balloon sculpture as the primary medium for art, events, education, and entertainment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Airigami Balloon Adventure: A large-scale family-friendly balloon installation series, formerly known as Balloon Manor, featuring massive public art installations.
• Bubble Mural

Products and services

• Large-Scale Balloon Installations Bespoke balloon sculpture installations ranging from small single sculptures to stadium-sized, record-breaking works, commissioned by corporations, non-profits, and institutions for events, trade shows, and public spaces.
• Events and Trade Show Features Balloon decorations and installations for corporate events, trade shows, and promotional features for small and large corporations.
• Signature Sculptures for Museums and Non-Profits Custom balloon sculptures and installations created for museums and cultural institutions including the National Air & Space Museum, National Museum of Play, and Ganondagon State Historic Site.
• Wedding and Private Party Decor Balloon decorations for weddings, showers, and other private celebrations and parties.
• Illustration and Animation Balloon-inspired illustrations and stop-motion animations for advertising agencies and media companies, including time-lapse animated shorts and 3D illustrations.
• Bubble Mural Community Installations Community-driven balloon mural installations where public participants help construct large sculptures under guidance, creating interactive public art experiences.
• Team-Building Experiences Collaborative balloon building experiences for corporate team building, where groups construct sculptures together.
• Airigami Balloon Adventure Annual massive family-friendly balloon installation at the Sibley Building in Rochester, NY, with free public viewing, educational programming, and community build participation.
• Airigami Online Shop E-commerce shop selling balloon art prints, limited edition prints, books, kits, and other balloon-related merchandise.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Corning Museum of GlasscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2025Airigami completed a community-built installation at the Corning Museum of Glass, creating a sea anemone inspired by Blaschka glass models. The museum provided the venue and audience for this participatory installation.
• PEBA USA (Pro Environment Balloon Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirigami is a founding member of PEBA USA, the Pro Environment Balloon Alliance. They do not support or facilitate deliberate release of helium-filled balloons and are committed to public education on responsible balloon use and disposal.
• Impact EarthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirigami partners with Impact Earth to compost their latex balloons whenever possible, reducing their environmental footprint through this composting partnership.
• Monroe County, NY and City of Rochester, NYminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirigami art and experiences are made possible with funding help from Monroe County, NY and the City of Rochester, NY. These local government entities provide financial support for community art projects.
• Teaching Artists ROCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Larry Moss, Teaching Artists ROC connects schools with teaching artists bringing curriculum-aligned creative programming. Airigami collaborates on community projects with this nonprofit organization.
• Rochester Museum and Science CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirigami collaborated with RMSC on the Murray the mastodon helium balloon launch event, creating engaging educational programming.
• Rochester Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirigami partnered with Rochester Public Library for the 60-foot rainbow slide installation and ongoing community art programs.
• Gemar USAminorOthersGemar USA provided balloon products for Airigami's Maker Faire Miami project.
• QualatexminorOthersQualatex provides latex and foil balloons for Airigami projects, including major installations and events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jack Morton Worldwide: Global experiential marketing agency that builds brand experiences, events, and installations for major brands. Directly comparable because it competes for the same corporate event and trade-show budgets Airigami serves, but at vastly larger scale and broader service mix.
• Sparks: Experiential marketing agency producing large-scale brand experiences, exhibits, and events. Comparable as a competitor for the corporate activation, trade show, and museum-venue RFPs where Airigami also bids.
• David Stark Design & Production: Event design studio known for large-scale artistic installations and decor for cultural and corporate clients. Comparable as a similarly sized, artist-led studio operating in the bespoke event installation space.
• MKG: Experience-led marketing agency creating brand activations, events, and immersive installations. Comparable because it pursues similar corporate clients seeking memorable, non-digital experiences.
• MAS Event Design: Event design and decor firm producing custom installations and decor for galas, corporate events, and brand experiences. Closely comparable on the decor and bespoke-installation side of Airigami's offering.
• Rafanelli Events: Boutique event design and production company crafting custom decor and immersive environments for high-end private and corporate events. Comparable because it competes in the same premium custom-installation niche.

Emerging players

• Meow Wolf: Creator of large-scale immersive art installations open to the public. Comparable as an emerging player in the experiential, immersive-installation category that competes for the same cultural and family-entertainment audience.
• teamLab: International art collective producing large-scale immersive digital and physical installations. Comparable because it competes for museum, brand, and public-venue budgets seeking immersive, shareable experiences.

Broad incumbents

• Pioneer Balloon Company (Qualatex): Largest North American balloon manufacturer and a major supplier of latex and foil balloons to the balloon art industry. Comparable because it sits in the same balloon-art value chain - Airigami uses Qualatex product - and defines the broader balloon ecosystem.
• CTI Industries: Manufacturer of balloons and balloon-related consumer products. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the balloon industry that sets baseline market dynamics for the raw material Airigami depends on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/airigami
• Facebookfacebook.com/airigami
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/airigami
• Instagraminstagram.com/airigami
• Xx.com/airigami

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Airigami