Cicada Design

Name

Cicada Design

Legal name

Cicada Design Inc.

Website

https://cicadadesign.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Visualization Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Commercial Photography (541922), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAAAAAD

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Advertising, Marketing & PR Services/Advertising Agencies (Full-Service/Creative)

SECONDARYBPAHAKAL

Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

SECONDARYMPADAFAG

Production Design & Art Department Services (Sets, Props, Scenic)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Production Services (Crew, Equipment Rental, Locations)

SECONDARYBPAHAKAK

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Architecture, Design & Planning Services

Keywords

• Architectural visualization
• Experience design
• 3D rendering services
• Virtual reality media
• Creative production studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

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

Revenue model

1. Creative Services and Project-Based Fees: Cicada Design generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements with enterprise clients. Services are scoped and priced per project, including experience design, media production (video, animation, photography), interactive/VR/AR development, branding, and communication strategy. The firm operates as a consultancy studio with custom project pricing based on scope, complexity, and deliverables. Revenue is primarily one-time/project-based, with some ongoing retainer or phase-based relationships for long-term client engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cicada Design is a Toronto-based creative studio that provides project-based visualization, media production, and experience design services for real estate developers, architects, institutions, and government agencies. Its core offerings are organized into Experience Design (exhibits, visitor/sales centres, VR/AR, interactive architectural models, websites, and kiosks), Media Production (video, 3D animation, architectural rendering, photography, graphic design), and Communication Strategy (creative direction, branding, narrative, social media engagement). Work is delivered as bespoke, scoped engagements rather than as packaged products.

Product overview

Cicada Design is a Toronto-based creative studio that offers a comprehensive suite of integrated services organized into three main categories: Experience Design, Media Production, and Communication Strategy. The Experience Design practice encompasses exhibits/visitor/sales centres, virtual and augmented reality, interactive architectural models, websites and custom content, and kiosks/touchscreens. Media Production includes video production, 3D animation, product and architectural rendering, photography, and graphic design. Communication Strategy covers creative direction, branding and identity, production management, narrative and messaging, and social media engagement. The company serves multiple industries including commercial real estate, urban design, luxury residential, healthcare, education, sports, hospitality, and infrastructure. With over 25 years in business since founding in 2000, they position themselves as a creative partner that combines these disciplines to deliver immersive visual storytelling experiences for developers, designers, and institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Experience Design A service practice that transforms content into immersive experiences through physical spaces and interactive environments, including exhibits, visitor centres, sales centres, VR/AR experiences, interactive architectural models, websites, and kiosks. Engaged by developers, architects, institutions, and government agencies as a standalone service.
• Media Production A service practice that maximizes client messages through video production, 3D animation, product and architectural rendering, photography, and graphic design. Engaged by enterprise clients as a standalone service for campaigns and communications.
• Communication Strategy A service practice that builds long-term communication frameworks through creative direction, branding and identity, production management, narrative and messaging, and social media engagement. Engaged by enterprise clients as a standalone service for campaign and brand initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.2 billion in fundraising dollars raised for institutional clients through campaign media
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers38 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered support and core.

• Artuitive GroupsupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject management partner for the YZD Experience Centre project for Northcrest Developments. Artuitive Group provided project management services alongside Cicada Design's exhibit design and content creation scope.
• FORRECcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInterior Design & Architecture partner for the YZD Experience Centre. FORREC led interior design and architecture of the Experience Centre space while Cicada Design handled exhibit design and content creation. The collaboration integrated interior space design with exhibit components.
• Peter McCann Architectural ModelssupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerFabrication partner for the YZD Experience Centre, responsible for physical model production as part of the interactive architectural model scope.
• ASTOUND GroupsupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFabrication partner for the YZD Experience Centre, contributing to the build and installation of exhibit components and interactive installations.
• Aligned Vision GroupsupportTechnology or IntegrationDigital display technology partner for the YZD Experience Centre, providing the digital display and AV integration systems that synchronized with Cicada Design's interactive model content.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DBOX: DBOX is a New York-based creative studio producing visualizations, films, interactive experiences, and branded environments for the world's largest real estate developers — the closest analogue to Cicada's integrated architectural visualization and experiential design model serving marquee developers.
• Kilograph: Kilograph is a Los Angeles-based visualization and interactive studio serving architects, developers, and brand clients with renderings, VR, AR, and digital experiences — comparable to Cicada's integrated experience design and media production capabilities.
• Moment Factory: Moment Factory is a Montreal-based multimedia studio specializing in immersive experiences, video, lighting, and interactive installations for public spaces and institutions — directly comparable in experiential design and immersive storytelling to Cicada's experience design practice, though at larger scale.
• Hayes Davidson: Hayes Davidson is a long-established UK-based architectural visualization firm serving developers, architects, and planners with CGI imagery, animation, and interactive media — comparable in longevity, client mix, and integrated visualization services to Cicada.
• The Boundary: The Boundary (acquired by DNEG) is a London-based architectural visualization studio producing high-end CG imagery, animation, and interactive experiences for real estate developers and architects globally — comparable in craft, scale, and premium positioning to Cicada.
• Brick Visual: Brick Visual is a Polish architectural visualization studio producing CG renderings, animation, and VR content for international architectural and real estate clients — comparable in craft and service mix to Cicada, with similar boutique scale and international client base.
• Neoscape: Neoscape is a Boston-based architectural visualization and marketing studio producing renderings, animation, and interactive experiences for residential and commercial real estate developers — directly comparable in service scope and target market to Cicada.

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Stantec is a global design and engineering firm with visualization capabilities serving infrastructure and real estate clients — overlapping with Cicada in architectural visualization for transit, infrastructure, and urban design projects, though as a broad incumbent across many disciplines and also a Cicada client.
• Gensler: Gensler is a global architecture and design firm with a dedicated Brand Experience practice producing immersive environments, digital experiences, and visualization for enterprise clients — comparable to Cicada in experiential design, but operating at vastly greater scale as a broad incumbent.

Emerging players

• Beauty and The Bit: Beauty and The Bit is a Paris-based visualization studio producing high-end architectural CG imagery and animation for international architects and developers — comparable in niche focus on premium architectural visualization, though smaller and more specialized than Cicada's broader offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/cicadadesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cicada-Design-Inc-100090164994433
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cicada-design-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/cicada_design
• Xx.com/cicadadesigninc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Cicada Design