Smode
SMODE is a French software company that builds a real-time visual compositing and media server platform for live events, broadcast, performing arts, sports, fixed installations, and extended-reality production, sold via software licenses with a freemium Community tier, and integrated with Unreal Engine, Notch, and major camera-tracking vendors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Smode does
Smode (operating commercially as SMODE) is a privately-held French software company that develops a real-time visual compositing and media server platform for live events, broadcast, performing arts, sports venues, fixed installations, and extended-reality (xR) productions. The platform unifies 2D/3D compositing, generative visual effects, animation timeline/cueing, 3D stage simulation, and video mapping/show control in a single software environment, with open-protocol support (NDI, Spout, PosiStageNet, Python, ISF shaders) and integrations with Unreal Engine, Notch, Adobe Substance 3D, DELTACAST, VIOSO, Mo-sys StarTracker, Stype, and Augmenta. The product portfolio is structured around five tiers — Smode Community (free, non-commercial use up to Full HD), Smode Compose (core compositing), Smode Live (live media server), Smode Live XR (XR/virtual production), and Smode Media Server — marketed against eight named use cases (Immersive Places, Live Events, TV/Broadcast, Performing Arts, Sports, Fixed Installations, xR, and a long-tail "More" segment).
The company's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through its own website and online shop, with no disclosed channel partners in the distribution layer beyond technical integrations. Revenue is generated from software licensing across the paid tiers, with the free Community product functioning as a freemium acquisition channel. End-customer logos include Jean Michel Jarre, Angèle, Phoenix, La Femme, Dior, Coperni, NCAA Final Four, Paris La Défense Arena, Vélodrome OM Stadium Marseille, TV5MONDE, RTBF, Amici, NHK Enterprises, Sony, Cercle Odyssey, Collectif MXM, Dream-Lab, IDEA Barcelona, and theatrical productions including The Sun King and We Will Rock You — concentrated in Europe with a foothold in Japan via a wholly-owned subsidiary (Smode Japan Co., Ltd., Nara, established May 2022). The primary operating entity, SAS Smode Tech, is headquartered in Paris (9 ter rue Auguste Barbier, 75011) with stated share capital of €100K, suggesting a bootstrapped operating posture rather than a venture-backed scale-up.
The company cites 16 years of technical experience, 500+ completed projects, and 9,000+ users (referred to as "Smoders"). The management team disclosed in the source materials is limited to a single publishing officer (Francis Maes, "Responsable de la publication"); no broader executive team is identified in the provided data. No funding rounds, M&A activity, regulatory actions, certifications, patents, or revenue figures are disclosed.
Smode firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smode
- Legal name
- SAS Smode Tech
- Website
- https://smode.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SMODE is a French software company that builds a real-time visual compositing and media server platform for live events, broadcast, performing arts, sports, fixed installations, and extended-reality production, sold via software licenses with a freemium Community tier, and integrated with Unreal Engine, Notch, and major camera-tracking vendors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smode industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real-time Visual Compositing and Media Server Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live Performance & DJ Software (Playback, Mixing, Lighting Control) (MPAIAIAI)
Keywords
Where Smode is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Smode business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: SMODE generates revenue through software licensing with a flexible licensing model. They offer different product tiers including free community version and paid professional versions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Smode Community - Free version |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels12 records
Smode product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smode develops and sells an integrated real-time visual compositing platform and media server software used to produce live visual content for concerts, broadcasts, theater, sports venues, immersive installations, and extended reality productions. The platform is offered in tiered software editions (Smode Community, Smode Compose, Smode Live, Smode Live XR, Smode Media Server) sold via per-seat software licenses through the company's own website.
Product overview
SMODE is an integrated real-time visual compositing platform and media server designed for content creators, artistic directors, video operators, event organizers, rental companies, scenographers, TV production companies, cultural institutions, and technical directors. The product portfolio consists of a unified software platform with multiple product tiers: Smode Community (free non-commercial version), Smode Compose (core compositing), Smode Live (live media server), Smode Live XR (extended reality), and Smode Media Server. The platform is organized around core functional modules including Compose (2D/3D compositing), Connect (third-party integrations with Notch, Unreal Engine, tracking systems), Generate (generative VFX), Animate (timeline cueing), Simulate (3D stage simulation), and Deliver (video mapping and show control).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Smode Compose: Real-time creative software for 2D and 3D compositing.
- Smode Live
- Smode Live XR
- Smode Media Server
- Smode Community
- SMODE Lab
Products and services
- Smode Community
- Smode Compose
- Smode Live
- Smode Live XR
- Smode Media Server
Quantifiable outcome
- V10 improvements enabled perfect synchronization of three cameras without genlock for artistic purposes
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Smode
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments11 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Smode technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature10 records
Smode partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NaostagecorePartnership with Naostage for integration with their K SYSTEM - the world's first automatic, beaconless 3D tracking system for fixed-installation and live touring AV professionals. K SYSTEM consists of KAPTA (sensor), KORE (AI computing unit), and KRATOS (user software). SMODE integrates via PosiStageNet protocol for real-time tracking data, enabling fully interactive visual experiences.
- NotchcoreTechnical partnership for Notch integration - Notch is a platform for creating real-time visual content and effects.
- Epic Games - Unreal EnginecoreTechnical partnership with Epic Games for Unreal Engine integration. SMODE connects with Notch and Unreal Engine for visual content creation and real-time rendering.
- DELTACASTcoreTechnical partnership for DELTACAST video hardware integration - providing video input/output solutions.
- VIOSOcoreTechnical partnership for VIOSO video mapping and warping solutions integration.
- Mo-sys - StarTrackercoreTechnical partnership for Mo-sys StarTracker camera tracking solution integration.
- Stype - RedSpy and FollowercoreTechnical partnership for Stype camera tracking solutions (RedSpy and Follower) integration.
- AugmentacoreTechnical partnership for Augmenta tracking solution for immersive environments integration.
- Adobe - Substance 3DcoreTechnical partnership for Adobe Substance 3D integration - enabling use of Substance materials in SMODE.
- Open ProtocolscoreSupport for open protocols including NDI (Network Device Interface), Spout, PosiStageNet, Python, and ISF shaders for maximum interoperability with third-party technologies.
- SonyminorSupported Sony's virtual production showcase at CES and Inter BEE events.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Smode competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Resolume: Resolume is a leading VJ and live video mixing software with strong adoption among clubs, festivals, and small-to-mid live event producers — a functional peer on real-time visual compositing for live performance.
- ArKaos: ArKaos makes media server and video mapping software widely used in concerts, clubs, and theatrical productions — directly overlapping Smode on video mapping, real-time effects, and music-industry clients.
- Disguise: Disguise is the leading end-to-end real-time visual production platform for concerts, broadcast, and XR, with direct functional overlap to Smode's compositing and media server capabilities serving identical enterprise customers.
- Dataton (Watchout): Watchout is a long-established show control and media server product used in museums, themed attractions, and live shows — directly comparable to Smode's media server offering for multi-display productions.
- Modulo Pi: Modulo Pi is a French media server and show control vendor serving museums, live events, and permanent installations — a closest peer by geography and product scope to Smode.
- tvONE (Green Hippo Hippotizer): tvONE's Green Hippo Hippotizer line is a well-known media server family in live events and broadcast, overlapping directly with Smode Live and Smode Media Server on real-time playback and compositing.
- AV Stumpfl (Pixera): Pixera is a widely deployed media server and compositing platform competing head-to-head with Smode Media Server across live events, fixed installations, and broadcast.
Broad incumbents
- Christie Digital: Christie is a broad AV/projection incumbent whose software and processing tools include real-time visual production capabilities, competing with Smode for enterprise AV and immersive venue budgets at scale.
Emerging players
- Brompton Technology: Brompton Technology provides LED video processing for live events and virtual production — a complementary but increasingly competitive layer in the same XR and stage visual stack as Smode.
- Notch: Notch is a real-time generative content creation platform used by VJs and stage designers — listed as a Smode technology partner, with overlapping capabilities and audience in live visual content creation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Smode social profiles
Digital presenceSmode financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smode leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Smode subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Smode funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smode 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 Smode
What does Smode do?
Smode develops and sells an integrated real-time visual compositing platform and media server software used to produce live visual content for concerts, broadcasts, theater, sports venues, immersive installations, and extended reality productions. The platform is offered in tiered software editions (Smode Community, Smode Compose, Smode Live, Smode Live XR, Smode Media Server) sold via per-seat software licenses through the company's own website.
Is Smode a public or private company?
Smode is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Smode founded?
Smode was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Smode based?
Smode is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Smode make money?
One revenue line is on record: software Licenses.
Who are Smode's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Resolume, ArKaos, Disguise, Dataton (Watchout), Modulo Pi, tvONE (Green Hippo Hippotizer) and AV Stumpfl (Pixera). Christie Digital is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Brompton Technology and Notch.
Does Smode have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smode.
What industry is Smode in?
Smode's product category is Real-time Visual Compositing and Media Server Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAIAI, Live Performance & DJ Software (Playback, Mixing, Lighting Control). Its NAICS code is 5132.