What DesignerCon does

DesignerCon operates annual in-person conventions focused on designer toys, collectibles, customs, plush, designer apparel, and urban/pop art. Founded in 2005 as Vinyl Toy Network and rebranded as the show expanded beyond vinyl toys, the company runs multi-day events that gather independent artists, manufacturers, apparel brands, and retailers together with collectors and enthusiasts. Its flagship is a three-day November event at The Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas (200,000+ sq. ft., 700+ vendors, 350+ artists), with a secondary Pasadena event historically in May and a 2025 international debut in Hong Kong. Supporting programming includes VIP-only evening access, Secret Walls live art battles, Flatstock poster art shows, Flatstock-style "Vegas Gig" poster exhibitions, an in-house podcast ("Origins: A Creative Journey"), and annual commemorative artist badges (Vandy the Pink for 2026).

The product surface is event-centric: ticket sales (general admission at $45–$80 and VIP at $150 for the 2026 Las Vegas edition, with early-bird pricing), vendor booth rentals across the show floor, and limited-edition merchandise and exclusives. Technology layers include a third-party ticketing platform (EventRound), a live commerce streaming partnership with Palmstreet that enables drop-style digital sales during the show, a Web3 digital membership tier via Vincents for blockchain-verified special drops, and an online merchandise storefront operated through 3D Retro. Go-to-market is event-driven, with social media (Instagram, X), an email newsletter, and earned press as primary acquisition channels for both attendees and exhibitors.

Revenue derives from three streams: ticket sales (one-time fee per pass), vendor booth rentals (transaction-based per exhibitor), and merchandise sales (direct through 3D Retro), supplemented by sponsor relationships. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and an estimated ~11 full-time employees — a lean operator structure scaled around the annual event cadence. Management team details, cap table, and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

DesignerCon

Legal name

DesignerCon

Website

https://designercon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DesignerCon operates annual conventions for designer toys, collectibles, and urban art, serving independent artists, vendors, and collectors through ticketing, booths, and exclusives in Las Vegas, Pasadena, and Hong Kong.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Shows & Conventions

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers (THAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Design, Decor & Styling (HSACAAAB)

Keywords

• Art toy convention
• Designer collectibles
• Vinyl toy event
• Pop art exhibition
• Urban art fair

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from general admission tickets (1-day and weekend passes) and VIP tickets offering early access, exclusive merchandise, and VIP-only sections
2. Vendor Booth Rentals: Vendors pay for booth space at the convention to sell their products including collectible toys, apparel, art prints, and other designer goods
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of official DesignerCon merchandise including apparel and official art through 3D Retro's online store

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DesignerCon operates an annual art and design convention that brings together collectible toys, customs, plush, designer apparel, urban art, and pop art with 700+ vendors and 350+ artists across 200,000+ sq. ft. of exhibition space in Las Vegas. Revenue is generated through tiered ticket sales, vendor booth rentals, limited-edition merchandise drops, and sponsorships, with supporting programming including artist panels, signings, live art battles via Secret Walls, and Web3-enabled digital memberships.

Product overview

DesignerCon operates as a single core product—an annual art and design convention event held primarily in Las Vegas with expansion to international locations like Hong Kong. The event brings together collectible toys, designer goods, urban art, and pop culture with over 700 vendors across 200,000+ sq. ft. of exhibition space. Supporting the main convention, the product portfolio includes VIP Attendee Tickets offering premium early access and exclusive experiences, Vendor Registration for exhibitor participation, DesignerCon Exclusives for limited merchandise drops, and artist programming including Vegas Gig Art Show and Flatstock. The convention generates revenue through ticket sales (general admission and VIP tiers), vendor booth fees, and exclusive merchandise partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DesignerCon Annual Convention An annual three-day art and design convention that brings together collectible toys, customs, plush, designer apparel, urban art, and pop art, featuring 700+ vendors and 350+ artists across 200,000+ sq. ft. of exhibition space, with artist panels, signings, live demonstrations, and exclusive merchandise drops.
• Vendor Registration & Exhibition A registration and exhibition offering that enables independent artists, toy designers, apparel brands, plush makers, and manufacturers to secure booth space at the annual convention to sell products directly to collectors, network with other creators, and gain brand exposure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Started with 1,100 sq. ft. in 2005, grew to over 300,000 sq. ft.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PalmstreetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPalmstreet app partnership for live commerce streaming. Palmstreet facilitates exclusive drops from partnered brands during live streams during the show.
• Secret WallsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecret Walls brings live art battles to the DesignerCon stage where artists compete in head-to-head art competitions.
• Vandy the PinkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Vandy the Pink, artist and designer behind popular releases, for DesignerCon 2026 special edition badges.
• The Expo at World Market CentercoreOthersEvent venue for DesignerCon Las Vegas, located at 435 S Grand Central Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89106

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Funko: Public collectible toy company with strong overlap in vinyl figures, designer toys, and pop-culture collectibles. Often exhibits at DesignerCon and represents the broader market for the category.
• San Diego Comic-Con: Industry-defining pop-culture convention that competes for the same collector and exhibitor mindshare, particularly in comics, art prints, and exclusive merchandise.
• Comic-Con International: The largest pop-culture convention in the US, with overlapping attendance from collectors, artists, and exhibitors. Operates at significantly larger scale and serves a broader entertainment category.
• New York Comic Con (ReedPop): Major pop-culture convention run by ReedPop, overlapping with DesignerCon in artist signings, exclusive merchandise, and collector demographics, but at much larger scale and broader category scope.
• Toy Fair (NYC Toy Fair): Major B2B toy industry trade show that overlaps with DesignerCon's vendor base in designer toys and collectibles, though primarily focused on mass-market toy industry buyers.
• Brand Licensing Expo: Large B2B exhibition for brand licensing, IP, and character properties. Comparable as a MICE/trade show format but serves a more corporate buyer base rather than consumer collectors.

Emerging players

• Designer Toy Awards: Annual awards event for the designer toy community, tightly connected to DesignerCon's core audience (collectible toy artists and enthusiasts) and reinforcing the same cultural ecosystem.

Direct peers

• ComplexCon: Annual convention focused on streetwear, designer toys, pop culture, and exclusive drops. Directly competes for the same audience (collectible toy/streetwear enthusiasts) and vendor base (artist/designer brands) as DesignerCon.
• Mondo: Collectibles company specializing in vinyl figures, art prints, posters, and pop-culture merchandise — the same core product categories featured at DesignerCon and often a vendor/partner at the show.

Regional players

• Surtex: Art and design licensing trade show, comparable as a B2B exhibition for designers and artists, with overlap in the artist/illustrator demographic that exhibits at DesignerCon.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/designercon
• Instagraminstagram.com/designercon
• Facebookfacebook.com/DesignerCon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designer-con

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 DesignerCon