Tangible Interaction
Tangible Interaction is a Vancouver-based art and design studio that designs and builds custom interactive light, sound, and kinetic installations for global brands, music and entertainment acts, museums, and public-sector clients, with additional revenue from renting and licensing experiential products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Tangible Interaction does
Tangible Interaction is a Vancouver-based, privately held art and design studio founded in 2006 by artist Alex Beim that designs and builds custom interactive light, sound, and kinetic installations for global brands, music and entertainment acts, museums, and public-sector clients. Its work spans experiential product lines — Digital Graffiti Wall, Zygote Balls, JAX, and Haven, which are available for rent or long-term licensing — alongside bespoke commissions ranging from small architectural lighting pieces to large productions such as the 2010 Winter Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, Arcade Fire's Coachella 2011 finale for 80,000 attendees, and Samsung concept stores in London, Harajuku, and Valencia. The studio's technical core is Cortex, its proprietary real-time lighting and kinetic installation control software that integrates with Ableton, Max For Live, MIDI controllers, and DMX lighting systems via Open Sound Control (OSC), supported by a multidisciplinary in-house team covering graphic design, industrial design, sound design, electronics engineering, and software development.
The business operates three revenue streams: (1) custom installation projects billed as one-time commissions, (2) rental and licensing of experiential products, and (3) stage and performance design services for music bands, festivals, and touring productions. Pricing is quote-based with no publicly disclosed rates, and distribution is direct-to-client via project engagements. Geographic reach is global — spanning Canada, the US, UK, Spain, and Japan — anchored by a Vancouver headquarters and a Los Angeles office. The studio has earned a Bronze Pencil at The One Show 2020 Awards for the Samsung Graffiti project and maintains an active portfolio across more than 25 named enterprise and government customers. Tangible Interaction is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with no disclosed external funding, acquisitions, or leadership changes recorded in the source material.
Tangible Interaction firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tangible Interaction
- Legal name
- Tangible Interaction
- Website
- https://tangibleinteraction.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tangible Interaction is a Vancouver-based art and design studio that designs and builds custom interactive light, sound, and kinetic installations for global brands, music and entertainment acts, museums, and public-sector clients, with additional revenue from renting and licensing experiential products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tangible Interaction industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Interactive Art Installations
- NAICS
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile/Digital Experiential (AR/VR, Interactive Installations) (MPAAAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Activation/Experiential Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAO)
Keywords
Where Tangible Interaction is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Tangible Interaction business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Installation Projects: Commission-based custom interactive art installations for brands, entertainment venues, public spaces, and private clients. Projects range from small light fixtures to massive Olympic Games productions.
- Product Rentals and Licensing: Rental and long-term licensing of experiential products including Digital Graffiti Wall, Zygote Balls, JAX, and Haven. Products are customizable for brand partnerships.
- Stage and Performance Design: Custom stage lighting sets and performance art installations for music bands, festivals, and touring productions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Tangible Interaction product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tangible Interaction is a Vancouver-based art and design studio that designs, engineers, and builds interactive art installations and experiential products for global brands, museums, entertainers, and government clients. The studio delivers custom installations, tours a portfolio of rentable experiential products, and develops proprietary software (Cortex) for controlling complex lighting and sensor-driven experiences.
Product overview
Tangible Interaction is a Vancouver-based art and design studio that creates interactive experiences and experiential products. Their portfolio includes a range of customizable experiential products available for rent or long-term licensing: the Digital Graffiti Wall, Zygote Balls, JAX, and Haven. They also offer a Colouring Book App for mobile devices. Their work spans interactive art installations across public spaces, museums, music venues, and branded activations, with proprietary software called Cortex for controlling lighting and kinetic installations. The company works with brands, entertainment venues, public institutions, and musicians to create bespoke interactive experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Digital Graffiti Wall Interactive digital graffiti installation that uses a motion capture system to allow participants to paint projected surfaces with body movements; available for rental and licensing at brand activations and public events.
- Zygote Balls Kinetic installation that generates floating bubble rings using a Bernoulli principle fan system, producing hundreds of bubbles that drift through the air; available for rental and licensing.
- JAX Interactive wearable system in which infrared and motion-sensing gloves worn by participants trigger visual and lighting effects in real time; available for rental and licensing at events and brand activations.
- Haven Immersive installation that surrounds visitors with flocking patterns of light and motion, producing emergent, responsive visual behaviour; available for rental and licensing.
- Cortex Proprietary lighting control software application developed in-house to unify lighting consoles, media servers, and sensor inputs via OSC, DMX, Art-Net, and CITP protocols for use in complex interactive installations.
- Colouring Book App Customizable digital colouring application that allows partner organizations to upload their own line drawings, enabling branded interactive engagement for events, exhibits, and venues.
- Custom Interactive Installations Commissioned end-to-end design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of bespoke interactive art installations that combine custom hardware, software, lighting, and sensor-driven experiences for clients.
- Stage and Performance Visual Design Custom stage and touring visual design service for entertainers, producing kinetic scenography, interactive lighting, and audience-engagement elements integrated with live performance.
Quantifiable outcome
- OH! created shared experiences for thousands of people near and far from Science World
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tangible Interaction
Customer profileNamed customers29 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tangible Interaction technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Tangible Interaction partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cheil WorldwidecoreAgency partnership for Samsung concept store projects. Cheil Worldwide engaged Tangible to design new digital graffiti experiences for Samsung's King's Cross location in London and subsequent Harajuku and Valencia locations. Collaboration included working with London-based graffiti artist Fanakapan for custom environments.
- Leckie StudiocoreCollaboration on custom ceiling installation for AE.R SKINLAB medical aesthetics clinic in Vancouver's Waterfall Building. Leckie Studio provided architectural design while Tangible executed the interactive lighting installation.
- Hapa CollaborativeminorLandscape architecture firm collaborated on Parasol project for Hudson Pacific Properties' Bentall Centre property. Hapa provided the patio decking design concept that inspired the umbrella-like structure.
- OURO CollectivecoreDance collective collaboration for Hako performance piece. Tangible designed technology pieces that function as additional stage characters with real-time controlled custom props interacting seamlessly with dancers.
- FanakapanminorLondon-based graffiti artist collaborated on Samsung concept store project, integrating iconic 3D balloon artwork into custom graffiti environments.
- Creative BCminorSupported OH! project through Interactive Fund grant for the interactive Science World installation.
- Ryan HemsworthminorMusician collaboration for interactive stage set with robots, rainbow, inflatable cloud, and wind-up sculpture that react to compositions in real time.
- Purity RingminorCanadian future-pop duo collaboration for twenty cocoon stage lighting set with RGB LED modules controlled via Cortex software.
- Chris MilkcoreCreative director who conceived the PixMob Zygote visual stunt for Arcade Fire's Coachella 2011 performance. Tangible designed custom inflatable Zygote balls to hold PixMob LED pixels.
- Blue Man GroupminorEntertainment act collaboration for stage performance design.
- Cirque du SoleilminorEntertainment act collaboration for performance design.
- HUMANSminorVancouver-based electronic band collaboration for Alveoli stage set that reacts to music in real time.
- TR/STminorRobert Alfons collaboration for controllable LED stalagmite stage lighting set for Fall 2014 North American tour.
- Bear MountainminorVancouver-based band's video collaboration with Kenji Rodriguez for Zygote ball planetary wonderland set up.
- Booooooom!minorOnline art community founded by Jeff Hamada collaborated on Line Segments project at IAM Festival in Barcelona and Mist installation for Squamish Festival.
- Adam LastiwkaminorComposer created soundscapes for Bubbles installation at Vancouver Aquarium, Field instrument at Ackery's Alley, and other projects.
- Blend FestminorAnnual animation festival in Vancouver where Anima collaborative laser animation installation was originally built.
- PuSh FestivalminorVancouver performing arts festival where Experience Spheres were originally created in 2015.
- BeakerheadminorCalgary's science and arts festival where second iteration of Sound Clouds inflatable installation was showcased.
- Etro ConstructionminorConstruction partner for Helix sculpture at IDS West 2019, handling engineering and assembly of the 9-foot reclaimed Douglas fir piece.
- UnbuildersminorProvided century-old reclaimed Douglas fir from deconstructed house for Helix sculpture project.
- HCMA Architecture+DesignminorArchitecture firm collaborated on Field installation in Ackery's Alley with Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association.
- Cause+AffectminorArchitectural consultants for Vancouver House interactive Voice It Table installation during 2010 Winter Olympics.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tangible Interaction competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Studio NAND: Berlin-based studio producing interactive installations and data-driven visual experiences. Comparable in working at the intersection of design, technology, and narrative for cultural and commercial clients.
- Design I/O: Brooklyn-based creative studio designing interactive installations, immersive environments, and immersive media for museums, brands, and public spaces. Similar scale and experimental approach to interactive technology in art contexts.
- The Church of the Spreadsheet: London-based creative studio building interactive installations and visual experiences for agencies and brands. Comparable boutique scale with focus on interactive technology and brand activations.
Broad incumbents
- teamLab: Tokyo-headquartered interdisciplinary art collective producing immersive digital art installations, museums, and large-scale public exhibitions. Operates in the same immersive-installation category at significantly greater scale and global footprint.
Direct peers
- Universal Everything: UK-based digital art and design studio producing screen-based and spatial artworks for brands, museums, and cultural institutions. Comparable in marrying generative visuals with brand and cultural clients and operating at a similar boutique scale.
- Moment Factory: Montreal-based multidisciplinary studio creating immersive multimedia environments for public spaces, museums, and brands. Most direct comparable in terms of custom interactive light/sound installations, projection mapping, and brand activation work for global clients.
- Random International: London-based studio known for large-scale interactive art installations (e.g., Rain Room). Closely comparable in combining artistic practice with technology-driven kinetic and sensory installations for museums, brands, and public commissions.
- Obscura Digital: San Francisco creative technology studio specializing in large-scale projection mapping and immersive brand experiences. Directly comparable in delivering experiential installations for major brands and live events.
- Jason Bruges Studio: London-based design studio specializing in permanent and temporary interactive installations for architecture, brand, and public-space clients. Comparable in scale, project-based bespoke model, and integration of technology with spatial design.
Regional players
- Artech Interactive: Montreal-based interactive media studio producing digital experiences, installations, and immersive environments. Comparable in service offering and production approach, with primary operations in the Canadian market like Tangible.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tangible Interaction social profiles
Digital presenceTangible Interaction financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tangible Interaction leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tangible Interaction funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tangible Interaction 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 Tangible Interaction
What does Tangible Interaction do?
Tangible Interaction is a Vancouver-based art and design studio that designs, engineers, and builds interactive art installations and experiential products for global brands, museums, entertainers, and government clients. The studio delivers custom installations, tours a portfolio of rentable experiential products, and develops proprietary software (Cortex) for controlling complex lighting and sensor-driven experiences.
Is Tangible Interaction a public or private company?
Tangible Interaction is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tangible Interaction founded?
Tangible Interaction was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Tangible Interaction based?
Tangible Interaction is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Tangible Interaction make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Installation Projects are the primary driver. The others are product Rentals and Licensing and stage and Performance Design.
Who are Tangible Interaction's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Studio NAND, Design I/O and The Church of the Spreadsheet. teamLab is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Universal Everything, Moment Factory, Random International, Obscura Digital and Jason Bruges Studio. Artech Interactive is listed as a regional player.
Does Tangible Interaction have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tangible Interaction.
What industry is Tangible Interaction in?
Tangible Interaction's product category is Interactive Art Installations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAGAI, Mobile/Digital Experiential (AR/VR, Interactive Installations), with a secondary code of MPAAAAAO, Activation/Experiential Creative Agencies. Its NAICS code is 71151 and its SIC code is 7990.