Darkside

What Darkside does

Darkside Audio Visual Ltd is a UK-based specialist audio-visual integrator and technical production company serving the themed attractions and entertainment industry. Founded in 2020 by David Rigby and Simon Casey — both former Merlin Entertainments technical leaders with over 30 years of combined experience across the West End, Merlin attractions, and major venues — Darkside designs, installs, and commissions integrated AV systems for theme parks, visitor attractions, immersive experiences, and seasonal events. Core service offerings span lighting design, show control systems, audio system design, video and projection (including projection mapping in challenging environments such as humid caves), CCTV, network design, and infrastructure installation, with notable capability in ride-integrated AV across multi-attraction themed lands. The company works with established third-party hardware and software platforms (Q-SYS, Pharos, Cameo Lighting, Panasonic, Martin Audio, Canon Projection, Ohm Speakers) rather than proprietary products.

Darkside's business model is project-based professional services delivered through direct enterprise sales to major venue operators in the UK. Marquee engagements include Thorpe Park's Hyperia rollercoaster and Fright Nights, Chessington World of Adventures' World of Paw Patrol (four rides), Cadbury World (winner of the Creative Retail Awards 2025), Wookey Hole Caves projection experience, Spyscape London, CBeebies Rainbow Adventure, Secret Cinema's Wishmas, Tomb Raider: The LIVE Experience, the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition at Covent Garden, and RHS Glow winter events via Illuminate Design. The company pursues strategic technology and creative partnerships (notably Panasonic for custom laser projection and Warehouse Digital for media creation), and markets primarily through its project portfolio website, Instagram and LinkedIn presence, and industry trade show participation (ScareCON). Darkside is privately held by its two co-founders, has raised no external funding, operates with approximately 7 employees, and is headquartered in London with a registered office in Northwich, UK.

Name

Darkside

Legal name

Darkside Audio Visual Ltd

Website

https://wearedarkside.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Darkside Audio Visual is a UK specialist AV integrator and technical production company that designs, installs, and commissions integrated audio-visual systems — including show control, lighting, audio, projection, and ride-integrated AV — for theme parks, visitor attractions, immersive experiences, and seasonal events. Founded in 2020 by two former Merlin Entertainments leaders, it serves enterprise entertainment operators across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audio-Visual Production Services for Themed Attractions

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Lighting Controls & Building Integration (Drivers, sensors, dimming, lighting control panels, networked lighting) (IMAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Audio visual installation
• Themed entertainment production
• Show control systems
• Projection mapping services
• Ride integration AV

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AV Installation Services: Full audio-visual installation services for attractions including show control, lighting, audio, video, projection, networking, and infrastructure. Projects are delivered for major theme parks and attractions, indicating B2B project-based revenue.
2. Technical Production: Technical production services including staging, show control, lighting, and audio for seasonal events and permanent attractions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Darkside is an audio-visual production company that designs, installs, and commissions integrated AV systems for theme parks, visitor attractions, immersive experiences, and seasonal events. Its deliverables span show control, lighting design, audio system design, video and projection, networking, and infrastructure installation, delivered as bespoke project-based engagements rather than packaged products.

Product overview

Darkside is an audio-visual production company specializing in experience production and technical installation services for the attractions and events industries. The company provides a comprehensive suite of AV services including show control, lighting design, audio system design, video/projection, CCTV, networking, and infrastructure installation. Their core offering is the design, installation, and commissioning of integrated AV systems in challenging environments such as theme parks, visitor attractions, caves, and immersive experiences. Services are delivered as project-based installations rather than standalone software products or SaaS offerings. The company operates as a technical production partner rather than a product vendor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AV Installation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Cadbury World Shop won Creative Retail Awards 2025 in the best Leisure, Visitor or Attraction category

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Warehouse DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDarkside collaborates with Warehouse Digital for media creation on projection mapping projects. Warehouse Digital created media content for Wookey Hole Caves projection mapping installation.
• PanasoniccoreTechnology or IntegrationDirect partnership with Panasonic to create custom projection systems. For Wookey Hole 4D, Darkside worked with Panasonic to develop laser projection systems compatible with existing passive 3D systems.
• Illuminate DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIlluminate Design commissioned Darkside to create major show elements for RHS Glow winter events across the UK. Darkside worked as a technical subcontractor on these projects.
• Little Lion EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDarkside provided full technical production for Tomb Raider: The LIVE Experience, working with Little Lion Entertainment as the franchise/IP holder.
• Merlin EntertainmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth founders previously worked at Merlin Entertainments' London attractions before founding Darkside. This prior relationship likely enables continued work with Merlin properties including Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Snelling Business Systems: UK AV integration and control systems provider with experience in visitor attractions and themed environments. Broader scope than Darkside but overlapping on AV integration and show control system delivery.
• proAV: Large UK AV integrator with enterprise and venue clients across corporate, retail and leisure. Operates at greater scale than Darkside with overlapping AV integration capability, particularly for visitor attractions and venues.
• Vanti: UK-based AV and smart-building systems integrator serving corporate, hospitality and visitor attraction clients. Broader integrator with overlapping capability in AV and control system deployment for visitor-facing venues.

Others

• Christie Digital Systems: Major projection and visual display manufacturer whose products (similar to Panasonic and Canon used by Darkside) are deployed across theme parks and immersive venues. Adjacent ecosystem participant as a hardware supplier to Darkside's installations.
• Coda Audio (and Martin Audio / Q-SYS integrator community): Pro-audio manufacturers and integrator ecosystem whose products Darkside specifies (Martin Audio, Q-SYS). Adjacent players in the AV supply chain rather than direct competitors, but defining the technology stack Darkside integrates.

Direct peers

• Simworx: UK-based designer and manufacturer of themed attractions and dark rides, supplying integrated ride and AV systems to parks worldwide. Overlaps with Darkside on ride-integrated AV for theme park operators in the UK and Europe.
• Holovis: UK-based immersive experience engineering company delivering projection mapping, ride integration and themed AV for attractions. Comparable to Darkside in the projection and themed-attraction niche, with overlap on ride-integration projects.
• Electrosonic: Long-standing AV integration specialist for theme parks, museums and visitor attractions. Directly comparable to Darkside in delivering integrated show control, projection and audio-visual installations for major entertainment operators globally.
• Kraftwerk Living Technologies: Austria-headquartered specialist in AV integration for theme parks, museums and experiential venues. Closely comparable to Darkside in delivering large-scale, multi-discipline show systems for international attraction operators.

Emerging players

• 7thSense Design: UK specialist in media servers, pixel processing and show control for theme parks and immersive experiences. Comparable technology overlap with Darkside's show control and projection mapping work, though more product-oriented.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/darkside-audio-visual
• Instagraminstagram.com/darkside_av

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Darkside