Formative

What Formative does

Formative is a Seattle-based private design and consulting firm founded in 2013 that helps purpose-driven organizations design and launch programs, platforms, and campaigns. The firm operates as a professional services agency (not a software product company) with a team of 11-50 employees serving clients across six vertical sectors: Health & Life Sciences, Climate & Sustainability, Global Health & Development, Education, Ethics & Technology, and Media & Society.

The firm delivers work through four integrated service lines: Program & Product Design, Brand & Executive Communications, Purpose-Driven Campaigns, and Digital Experiences. Notable engagements include Amazon's Sustainability Report Digital Experience, a Microsoft project using technology to protect an endangered species, the World Bank's Exemplars in Global Health case studies, MIT CoLab's long-term care transformation, Child Mind Institute's youth mental health digital product research, and the Fast Company/IHME #AliveUnderFive campaign. The firm also works with Bayer and the University of Washington.

Formative's business model is project-based professional services with pricing not publicly disclosed. The firm distributes primarily through its website portfolio and LinkedIn presence, relying on case studies as its principal demand-generation asset. Revenue is not disclosed, there are no funding rounds recorded, and the company operates as an independent private firm under founder and CEO Jonathan Rosoff, with Gernot Kalcher serving as Vice President of Technology.

Name

Formative

Legal name

Formative

Website

https://formativeco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Formative is a Seattle-based private design and consulting firm that designs and launches programs, platforms, and campaigns for purpose-driven organizations across health, climate, education, and global development sectors. The 11-50 employee agency serves enterprise, nonprofit, and research clients including Amazon, Microsoft, and the World Bank.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Consulting Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Graphic Design Services (54143), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Graphic Design & Visual Content Production (BPAFAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Content Creation (Docs, Media, Presentations) (EDAAAIAG)

Keywords

• Design consulting services
• Digital product design
• Purpose-driven campaigns
• Brand communications
• Program design

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Formative is a consulting and design agency that designs and launches programs, platforms, and campaigns for purpose-driven organizations. Its work spans program and product design, brand and executive communications, purpose-driven campaigns, and digital experiences, delivered across sectors such as health and life sciences, climate and sustainability, global health and development, education, ethics and technology, and media and society.

Product overview

Formative is a consulting and design agency (not a software product company) that designs and launches programs, platforms, and campaigns. The firm operates as a single unified service offering organized into four core service areas: Program & Product Design, Brand & Executive Communications, Purpose-Driven Campaigns, and Digital Experiences. These services are delivered across six sectors: Health & Life Sciences, Climate & Sustainability, Global Health & Development, Education, Ethics & Technology, and Media & Society. The company works with clients including Amazon, Microsoft, World Bank, Child Mind Institute, and Exemplars in Global Health to create impact-focused solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Program & Product Design Design and development services for programs and digital products, helping clients create impactful solutions aligned with mission-driven goals.
• Brand & Executive Communications

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The World BankminorOthersClient reference appearing on Formative's website footer/logo section. The World Bank is listed among other client organizations but no specific partnership details are provided.
• University of WashingtonminorOthersClient reference appearing on Formative's website footer/logo section. Listed among other client organizations without specific partnership details.
• BayerminorOthersClient reference appearing on Formative's website footer/logo section. Listed among other client organizations including Microsoft and Amazon without specific partnership details.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: Pioneering human-centered design and innovation consultancy with comparable multi-sector strategy, product design, and digital experience offerings for mission-driven organizations.
• frog design (now part of Capgemini Engineering): Global design and strategy firm delivering product, brand, and digital experience work across health, sustainability, and consumer sectors — directly competitive with Formative's integrated service stack.
• Huge: Digital agency offering strategy, design, marketing, and technology services; comparable mid-to-large scale digital experience build capability for enterprise and impact-driven clients.
• Ustwo: Digital product studio with a published focus on purpose-driven and social impact work; closely comparable in mission-led positioning and product/digital service mix.
• Work & Co: Digital product agency building flagship digital experiences for brands and institutions; competes for the same enterprise digital experience engagements Formative pursues.
• Instrument: Independent brand and digital experience agency with similar size and integrated capabilities across brand, campaign, and product for purpose-led clients.
• Pentagram: Independent design partnership delivering brand, digital, and editorial work; overlaps with Formative's brand and executive communications and digital experience services.

Broad incumbents

• R/GA: Large global agency combining brand, consulting, and product/technology capabilities; competes for the same enterprise digital experience and purpose-driven campaign briefs as Formative, but at much larger scale.
• AKQA: Global design and innovation agency with a comparable mix of brand, campaign, and digital experience work, including purpose-driven briefs from major enterprises and NGOs.

Emerging players

• Sub Rosa: Boutique strategy and experience firm focused on social impact and purpose-driven clients; comparable in mission orientation and in delivering integrated strategy, campaign, and digital work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/formative
• Xx.com/formativeco
• Facebookfacebook.com/formativeco

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 Formative