About Pufferfish

We make unusual ideas
feel possible

For more than twenty years, Pufferfish has brought creativity, engineering and real-world delivery together to create display experiences that people naturally gather around.

Explore our story ↓
Visitors gathered around illuminated Pufferfish spherical displays
Edinburgh · Since 2004

More than two decades beyond the flat screen

Pufferfish began in Edinburgh in 2004 with a simple conviction: some stories deserve more than a rectangle. Since then, our displays have travelled from museums and science centres to brand experiences, corporate spaces and live events around the world.

Every installation, audience and long-running system has shaped how we engineer the hardware, develop the software and design the content today.

A practice shaped over time

Experience earned in the real world

  1. 2004

    Founded in Edinburgh

    Pufferfish begins developing spherical display experiences that move stories beyond the conventional rectangular screen.

  2. Across the years

    Shaped in public

    Systems travelled into museums, science centres, brand environments and live events, with practical learning returning from every deployment.

  3. 2022

    Third-generation PufferTouch introduced

    A new multi-user platform brings the spherical display, optical touch, software and content workflow together.

  4. Today

    One connected capability

    PufferStudio, PufferTech and PufferEvents connect original storytelling, specialist technology and dependable delivery.

Making · Testing · Delivery

Dependability is designed into the whole experience

01

Made as a complete system

Our production team brings display, electronics, structure and finish together with the audience, space and operating environment in mind.

02

Tested before it travels

Hardware, software, mapping and content are checked together before the finished system leaves for site.

03

Delivered into real spaces

The project thread can continue through logistics, installation, commissioning and long-term technical support.

One team, connected capability

Shape the story. Engineer the platform. Deliver the experience.

PufferStudio

Stories told differently

Original storytelling, motion and interactive applications designed for unusual canvases and shared audiences.

Explore Studio →PufferTech

Engineering designed beautifully

PufferTouch, PufferLED and the specialist engineering that turns an ambitious display idea into a coherent system.

Explore Tech →PufferEvents

Experiences delivered seamlessly

Worldwide rental, logistics, installation and live support for exhibitions, activations and other temporary moments.

Explore Events →
A history you can visit

Real projects. Real audiences.

These documented case studies show Pufferfish systems operating with real audiences in very different public settings.

A luminous spherical display installed at DIVA AntwerpCultural storytelling

DIVA Antwerp — a story with brilliance

Explore the installation →A spherical display forming a centrepiece at The BoxMuseum centrepiece

The Box — an unforgettable focal point

Explore the installation →A young visitor exploring a Pufferfish display at Edinburgh Science FestivalPublic learning

Edinburgh Science Festival — discovery at every age

Explore the installation →
Selected organisations

Work created across culture, science and industry

VolkswagenBBCNASAAudiGoogleDisney
Leadership team

The people behind Pufferfish

A multidisciplinary team combining company leadership, engineering, software, production and creative thinking.

Iain Mackay
Chairman

Iain Mackay

Iain is an experienced technology investor and company builder who helps Pufferfish turn ambitious ideas into a focused, sustainable business.

Stephen Patterson
CEO and Board Director

Stephen Patterson

Stephen leads Pufferfish’s strategy and growth, bringing together the creative, technical and commercial capabilities needed to deliver unusual display experiences around the world.

Alana McCourt
COO and Board Director

Alana McCourt

Alana brings more than 20 years of experience across finance, turnaround and operational leadership, including roles with Schuh, Eastern Western and Trust Housing Association.

Mike Pacitti
Head of Production

Mike Pacitti

Mike leads the production team that turns designs into dependable systems, coordinating build quality, testing and the practical details behind successful delivery.

Tom Frame
CTO

Tom Frame

Tom joined Pufferfish in 2018 and brings more than 25 years of experience across hardware, software and AV innovation to the development of our technology platforms.

Keith Hamilton
Head of Software

Keith Hamilton

Keith leads the software team behind PufferOS, interactive applications and the tools that help customers create, deploy and manage immersive content.

What could we make possible together?

Bring us the objective, the audience or the early idea. We will connect the right creative, technical and delivery expertise around it.

Talk to the Pufferfish team →