About Knabe Labs
Show control engineers and technology integrators for escape rooms, museums, and themed entertainment
Knabe Labs is a Philadelphia-area technology integration company specializing in show control, automation, and custom hardware for immersive experiences. We design, build, and install the technical systems that make attractions come alive.
The Story Behind the Lab
Knabe Labs grew out of a simple obsession: making things come alive. Founded by Tom Knabe — who started building haunted houses at 16 and went on to build enterprise software for brands like IKEA, American Express, Virgin, Urban Outfitters, and Turner Classic Movies — the company bridges the gap between serious engineering discipline and the creative chaos of entertainment.
That combination of enterprise software rigor and hands-on show control experience led to work with Disney, Universal Studios, and The Escape Game. Today, Knabe Labs brings that same caliber of work to escape rooms, museums, haunted attractions, and themed entertainment venues of all sizes.
Our Team
Knabe Labs is a small, tight-knit team of engineers and technicians with backgrounds spanning amusements, film, and aerospace. Our people have worked across industries where failure isn’t an option and precision is everything — and they bring that mindset to every project.
We keep our core team small by design. It means every project gets hands-on attention from experienced engineers, not junior staff learning on the job. When a project demands it, we bring in specialized contractors from our network of trusted industry professionals for installation crews, fabrication, and niche expertise.
TERPECA Award-Winning Work
TERPECA (Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards) is the most prestigious recognition in the escape room industry. Knabe Labs has engineered the technology behind multiple TERPECA-winning and top-ranked rooms across several clients:
- The Nemesis Club — Three TERPECA-winning rooms: Mogollon Monster, Henchman’s Heist, and EVIL Robots
- Gatlin’s Escape Games — Top-ranked rooms: Boogeyman and Masters of Magic
- Escape Room LA — Top-ranked room: Atlantis
From PLC-based show control systems and custom prop electronics to synchronized audio, lighting, and pneumatic effects, we build the technical backbone that makes these award-winning experiences possible.
How We Work
We work with clients nationwide, from initial concept and engineering through on-site installation and commissioning. Whether you need a complete show control system designed from scratch or someone to troubleshoot and repair existing technical elements, we bring the same level of precision and care to every project.
What We Bring to Every Project
- Full-stack engineering — Software, electrical, PLC, and mechanical capabilities all under one roof
- Cross-industry backgrounds — Our team brings experience from amusements, film, and aerospace into every build
- Industrial-grade reliability — We use PLC automation standards and commercial-grade components, not hobbyist electronics
- Award-winning results — Multiple TERPECA-winning rooms and nationally recognized installations like Otherworld Philadelphia
- Senior-level attention — A small team means experienced engineers on your project, not junior staff learning on the job
Notable Clients & Projects
We’ve had the privilege of working with organizations across entertainment, museums, and corporate installations:
- Otherworld Philadelphia — 500,000+ individually addressable LEDs across 55 immersive exhibits
- The Escape Game — Technology for one of America’s largest escape room chains
- Nike House of Innovation — Pneumatic retail installation
- Grounds for Sculpture — Night Forms immersive outdoor experience
- Eastern State Penitentiary — Halloween attraction technology
- Auburn Aquarium — Interactive museum exhibit with PLC-based show control
- The Nemesis Club — Multiple TERPECA award-winning escape rooms
- Gatlin’s Escape Games — Top-ranked escape room technology
Ready to Build Something?
Whether you’re designing a new escape room, upgrading a museum exhibit, or need technical support for an existing attraction, we’d love to hear about your project.