Hovertone
Hovertone is a Belgian interactive design agency creating bespoke immersive and tangible interactive experiences for museums, cultural institutions, and corporate clients across Belgium, France, and Monaco, using proprietary touch technology, AI, and computer vision.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersMons, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hovertone does
Hovertone is a Belgian interactive design agency (SPRL) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Mons, Walloon Region, with operating presence in Belgium, France, and Monaco. The firm designs and produces bespoke immersive and tangible interactive experiences for museums, science centers, cultural-heritage sites, and corporate clients, with a portfolio exceeding fifty installations including the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, BOZAR, Nausicaa, Euro Space Center, MUMONS, Musée Océanographique de Monaco, PASS, SPARKOH!, Musée de l'Homme, and corporate activations for Proximus, Delhaize, and L'Oréal. Co-founders and engineers Nicolas d'Alessandro (CCO) and Joëlle Tilmanne (CEO) bring over a decade of research in creative technologies, including the singing voice synthesis work that underpins the company's consumer app, HandSketch.
The agency's core technology combines a proprietary tactile interface branded Touch Monumental (enabling interaction on large and non-traditional surfaces such as wood, paper, textile, and plastic) with Contactless Touch, Magic Board, Spatial Augmented Reality, video mapping, Interactive Floor, and real-time AI mediation. AI capabilities are integrated using third-party foundation models (Meta's LLAMA for conversational mediation, diffusion-based image generation) and computer vision for gesture recognition, with no proprietary models or patents disclosed. The firm is privately held by its two founders, bootstrapped with €18,600 of registered capital, and supported by a core team of approximately four people supplemented by a project-based network of collaborators.
Hovertone generates revenue through project-based design and realization services, equipment rental, and software licensing, with quotation-based pricing (30-day validity) and standard 30-day payment terms. Go-to-market relies on direct outreach, the Creative Wallonia cluster, and visibility at events such as the KIKK festival, with delivery executed in partnership with Opixido, DreamWall, and La Fabrique Créative. The company is GDPR-compliant and operates without external funding, M&A activity, or disclosed revenue.
Hovertone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hovertone
- Legal name
- Hovertone SPRL
- Website
- https://hovertone.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hovertone is a Belgian interactive design agency creating bespoke immersive and tangible interactive experiences for museums, cultural institutions, and corporate clients across Belgium, France, and Monaco, using proprietary touch technology, AI, and computer vision.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hovertone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immersive Interactive Experience Design
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (541430)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Retail & Pop-up Experiences (In-store/Pop-ups) (MPAAAGAG)
Keywords
Where Hovertone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mons
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hovertone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Project-based Design and Realization Services: Custom design and implementation of immersive interactive installations for exhibitions, showrooms, reception areas, and events. Revenue generated through project fees based on scope, complexity, and duration. Includes conceptual design, development, production, and installation.
- Equipment Rental: Rental of interactive hardware and software systems to clients. Material is rented with pricing based on rental duration. Clients provide security deposits (10% of rental amount VAT inclusive) and are responsible for equipment during rental period.
- Software Licensing and Integration: Licensing of proprietary software tools and AI-mediated interaction systems developed in-house, including HandSketch application and custom AI solutions for museums.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Hovertone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hovertone is an interactive design agency that conceives, designs, and builds bespoke immersive and interactive installations for museums, cultural institutions, science centers, and corporate spaces. It combines narrative design with proprietary tangible interaction, video mapping, motion capture, spatial AR, and AI-mediated experiences, and separately sells the HandSketch iPad singing-voice synthesis application as a standalone digital product.
Product overview
Hovertone is an interactive design agency specializing in immersive and interactive experience creation for cultural institutions, leisure venues, and corporate environments. Rather than offering a unified software platform, their portfolio consists of bespoke project-based services including tangible interactive installations, video mapping, AI-powered experiences, and custom interactive devices. Key offerings include the HandSketch digital music application (iPad), various named interactive installations like ChoirMob, Drawing Sounds, Les Mots au Mur, and Climadôme, as well as AI-powered experiences using generative AI, computer vision, and natural language processing. The company designs experiences where technology serves emotional engagement and human connection.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HandSketch: A digital music instrument that produces extremely expressive and realistic singing when played with a stylus and/or fingers. Available as an iPad application.
Products and services
- HandSketch iPad Application Standalone iPad application acting as a digital music instrument that produces expressive and realistic artificial singing voice controlled via stylus and/or finger gestures; targeted at musicians, performers, and creative users interested in singing voice synthesis.
- Custom Immersive Interactive Installation Design & Realization Bespoke end-to-end service covering conceptual design, development, production, and installation of immersive and interactive installations for cultural, leisure, and corporate clients; includes video mapping, tangible interfaces, motion capture, multi-user interactivity, and AI-mediated experiences.
- Interactive Equipment Rental Rental of Hovertone's interactive hardware and software systems to clients for events and temporary installations, with duration-based pricing and a security deposit; clients bear responsibility for equipment during the rental period.
- Proprietary Software Licensing & AI Integration Licensing of Hovertone's in-house proprietary software tools and AI-mediated interaction systems (including HandSketch and custom LLM/computer-vision mediation solutions) for integration into third-party installations and experiences.
Quantifiable outcome
- Technology disappears behind the story - success measured by visitor engagement and emotional impact rather than technology visibility
Companies that use Hovertone
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hovertone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature6 records
Hovertone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Ame en ScienceminorFrench partner specializing in science communication. Collaboration on cross-border innovation projects in cultural mediation.
- Creative WalloniaminorRegional innovation initiative of Digital Wallonia supporting creative industries and digital innovation in Wallonia.
- Boost (Podcast)minorPodcast initiative by Wallonia Design featuring creative professionals and entrepreneurs.
- OpixidocoreCollaborated on multiple museum projects including Rites funéraires égyptiens (Musée Pincé), Sauvez la peau and La peau organe du toucher (Musée de l'Homme). Opixido provides complementary interactive design and production capabilities.
- DreamWallcoreCollaboration on Méditerranée 2050 (Musée Océanographique de Monaco) and Lunar·X (Euro Space Center). DreamWall provides 3D modeling and immersive content production.
- La Fabrique CréativecorePartnered on Maison de la Grenouillère scenographic renovation project. La Fabrique Créative handles overall scenography while Hovertone provides interactive technology.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hovertone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- teamLab: Japanese interdisciplinary art collective known for massive immersive, digitally-driven art installations and museum-style exhibitions globally. Comparable product category (immersive interactive environments) and museum/brand client base, though at vastly larger scale and visitor-throughput focus.
- Moment Factory: Montréal-based multimedia studio creating immersive, interactive installations for museums, public spaces, and brand activations. Closest direct peer to Hovertone in terms of bespoke immersive experience design for cultural and corporate clients, though at significantly larger scale.
- Ideum: US-based company designing and building interactive exhibits, multitouch tables, and installations for museums and cultural institutions. Comparable product mix (custom interactive installations including tangible/multitouch surfaces) and museum client focus.
- ART+COM: Berlin-based studio developing media-based installations, interactive exhibits, and kinetic sculptures for museums and corporate spaces. Closely comparable to Hovertone in tangible interactive exhibit design for science centers and cultural institutions across Europe.
- Universal Everything: UK-based digital art and experience studio creating generative, interactive screen-based and spatial installations for cultural institutions and brands. Comparable creative-tech agency model and museum/cultural client mix, though more screen-centric than Hovertone's tangible-interaction focus.
- Local Projects: New York-based design studio specializing in interactive and immersive museum and cultural experiences (e.g., National September 11 Memorial Museum, Cooper Hewitt). Highly comparable to Hovertone's museum-focused interactive installations and co-design delivery model.
- Marshmallow Laser Feast: London-based experiential collective creating large-scale immersive installations combining projection, spatial audio, and sensor-based interaction. Directly comparable to Hovertone's spatial augmented reality and multi-sensory installation work for cultural venues and brands.
Broad incumbents
- Obscura Digital: Historically prominent San Francisco experiential design firm known for large-scale projection-mapping and interactive installations for museums and brands. Listed as a reference incumbent in the immersive-experience category comparable to Hovertone's projection and interactive-installation work.
Others
- DreamWall: Belgian 3D animation and immersive content studio that has collaborated with Hovertone on museum projects (Méditerranée 2050, Lunar·X). Included as a strategic co-delivery partner with significant overlap in immersive cultural-installation production capabilities.
Emerging players
- Stereolab: European creative technology studio working on interactive installations, generative art, and immersive experiences for events and cultural venues. Comparable emerging player in the bespoke immersive-experience space, with overlapping event/festival and cultural-client focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hovertone social profiles
Digital presenceHovertone compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Hovertone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hovertone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Hovertone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hovertone 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 Hovertone
What does Hovertone do?
Hovertone is an interactive design agency that conceives, designs, and builds bespoke immersive and interactive installations for museums, cultural institutions, science centers, and corporate spaces. It combines narrative design with proprietary tangible interaction, video mapping, motion capture, spatial AR, and AI-mediated experiences, and separately sells the HandSketch iPad singing-voice synthesis application as a standalone digital product.
Is Hovertone a public or private company?
Hovertone is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hovertone founded?
Hovertone was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hovertone based?
Hovertone is headquartered in Mons, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Hovertone make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Project-based Design and Realization Services are the primary driver. The others are equipment Rental and software Licensing and Integration.
Who are Hovertone's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are teamLab, Moment Factory, Ideum, ART+COM, Universal Everything, Local Projects and Marshmallow Laser Feast. Obscura Digital is listed as a broad incumbent. DreamWall is listed as an others. Stereolab is listed as an emerging player.
Does Hovertone have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hovertone.
What industry is Hovertone in?
Hovertone's product category is Immersive Interactive Experience Design. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAGAG, Retail & Pop-up Experiences (In-store/Pop-ups). Its NAICS code is 541430 and its SIC code is 7900.