Yamaha Corporation, a global leader in musical instruments, audio products, and services for sound and music, has decided to acquire Disguise, a global leader in visual technology for live events, location-based experiences, and virtual production. The acquisition brings together Yamaha’s heritage in music and Disguise’s leadership in visual technology, creating one partner for the world’s most ambitious venues, attractions, and live events.
Disguise technology powers some of the world’s biggest live experiences, from tours by Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Bad Bunny, to iconic venues like the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Stade de France in Paris. Over the past decade it has grown into the market-leading visual experience platform for live events and location-based experiences, winning two Emmy Awards and the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Innovation.
Following more than five years of high growth under the ownership of Carlyle, Disguise joins Yamaha at a pivotal time in the industry. This next chapter gives Disguise a strategic partner that shares a passion for innovation, to revolutionise immersive entertainment across the fast-growing live, venue, and location-based experience markets.
Atsushi Yamaura, Yamaha Corporation President and Representative Executive Officer said: “People are seeking richer and more immersive experiences from live entertainment. Audio, video, lighting, and media come together across an entire space to create experiences that move people. Disguise has earned the trust of artists and creators around the world with a platform that enables such experiences. Welcoming Disguise marks a major step for Yamaha as we move beyond the traditional boundaries of musical instruments and audio equipment to create new experiential value centred on sound and music. As part of our long-term growth strategy, we are expanding our audio business into adjacent areas, including entertainment. We will combine the strengths of Disguise and Yamaha while respecting the brand, technology, and global relationships Disguise has built with customers and partners. Together, we will make new waves in live entertainment.”
Fernando Küfer, Disguise CEO shared, “From our first conversations, it was clear Yamaha understood what makes Disguise special: Our people, our customers, and our pace of innovation. Yamaha shares our ambition and is committed to investing in our people, platform, and partners. For our customers that means more ways to create, more support, and a partner investing in where live and immersive entertainment go next. I couldn’t be prouder of our team and excited for what we will build together.”
Over the past decade under Küfer’s leadership, Disguise has grown from a media server specialist for concert touring to a global visual entertainment platform, spanning software, hardware, and creative and technical services. Its work ranges from films such as Project Hail Mary and Top Gun: Maverick, to Netflix House, The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) in Washington DC, Broadway and West End productions including Disney’s Hercules, and venues such as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The acquisition is central to Yamaha’s strategy to grow beyond musical instruments and audio equipment into experiences across entire spaces, building on its strengths in sound and music. Yamaha’s acquisition of Disguise will enable the combined company to continue expanding into software and services for live entertainment, sports, and venues, where audiences increasingly expect more immersive, emotionally engaging experiences. Combining Disguise’s software-first platform and global network with Yamaha’s audio technology and worldwide sales reach, the two companies will expand into new markets, cross-sell both portfolios and develop more integrated solutions.
The Disguise brand, identity and relationships with customers and partners will be preserved and Disguise will become a new pillar alongside Yamaha’s existing business. Customers and partners will continue to work with the same Disguise teams, with more news on the combined roadmap to follow in 2027.
