Future Search
Future Search (Future Search Network) is a privately held facilitation methodology company that delivers whole-system planning workshops, facilitator certification, and training programs to corporations, governments, NGOs, and communities across more than 20 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersWynnewood, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Future Search does
Future Search is a privately held professional services and training company (legally 'Future Search Network') that sells a structured, whole-system facilitation methodology developed by Sandra Janoff and Marvin Weisbord around 1990. The methodology brings together all relevant stakeholders — those with authority, resources, expertise, information, and those affected by outcomes — for typically 16–20 hours of facilitated sessions to discover common ground and commit to actionable plans. It is grounded in living systems theory and differentiated from traditional planning approaches by its emphasis on future orientation, literal value agreement over consensus, and whole-system engagement.
The business operates across three professional services streams: training workshops (Managing a Future Search, P10 Facilitation: Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter), facilitator certification, and direct facilitation engagements for client organizations. Training is delivered through a dedicated online academy (futuresearchacademy.com), in-person workshops globally, and a partner channel (e.g., Lankaconsulting.se in Stockholm). A global Future Search Network of 6,000+ certified practitioners extends delivery capacity while the core company remains a 1–10 employee operation based in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Customers span multinational corporations (IKEA), government agencies (UNICEF, World Bank, USAID, GIZ), healthcare systems, school districts, and humanitarian organizations across more than 20 countries.
Commercial activity is supplemented by thought leadership content, case study publication, conference keynotes (notably Sandra Janoff's 2025 Academy of Management Distinguished Scholar Award), and a Donorbox-enabled donation channel supporting humanitarian engagements. There is no public pricing, no external funding rounds, no acquisitions, and no disclosed revenue, consistent with a founder-led, methodology-centered consulting and training enterprise.
Future Search firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Future Search
- Legal name
- Future Search Network
- Website
- https://futuresearch.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Future Search (Future Search Network) is a privately held facilitation methodology company that delivers whole-system planning workshops, facilitator certification, and training programs to corporations, governments, NGOs, and communities across more than 20 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Future Search is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wynnewood
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Future Search business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Training and Workshop Programs: Revenue generated from facilitation training programs including Managing a Future Search workshops and P10 Facilitation courses. Over 6,000 people have attended these workshops worldwide.
- Facilitator Certification: Revenue from certifying facilitators who join the Future Search Network. Certified facilitators can deliver Future Search methodology to client organizations.
- Direct Facilitation Services: Core service revenue from delivering Future Search conferences for organizations. Sessions typically span 3 days with 16-20 hours of facilitated engagement.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Future Search product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Future Search provides a structured facilitation methodology for whole-system planning meetings that bring diverse stakeholders together to find common ground solutions to complex problems. The company delivers Future Search conferences (typically 16-20 hours over 3 days), trains and certifies facilitators through the Future Search Academy, and operates a global practitioner network of over 6,000 trained professionals.
Product overview
Future Search is a facilitation methodology company that operates as a single core product offering with associated training and certification programs. The core offering is the Future Search methodology—a structured stakeholder engagement process designed for whole-system planning over 16-20 hours. Supporting this core are two training modules: the 'Managing a Future Search Training Workshop' (which certifies facilitators) and the 'P-10 Facilitation: Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter' (a standalone principles course). The Future Search Network (FSN) serves as the global community and credentialing body for certified facilitators.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Future Search Academy: Training and certification programs for Future Search facilitators, including Managing a Future Search workshop and P-10 Facilitation principles courses.
Products and services
- Future Search Methodology A facilitation methodology that brings diverse stakeholders together to find common ground solutions to complex problems through structured 16-20 hour meetings spanning 3 days. Enables participants to share perspectives, discover interdependence, and commit to shared action plans. Used by corporations, governments, NGOs, healthcare systems, and communities globally.
- Managing a Future Search Training Workshop A workshop that teaches participants how to plan, design, and facilitate Future Search meetings. Successful participants can join the Future Search Network as certified facilitators and deliver Future Search methodology to client organizations.
- P-10 Facilitation: Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter A standalone training program teaching ten principles for designing and running successful meetings. Used for strategic planning, team development, management retreats, community action planning, new policy development, innovation, and design thinking workshops. Delivered both in-person (e.g., Stockholm) and online.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,500 child soldiers demobilized within months of South Sudan Future Search; 16,000 children returned home within two years
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Future Search
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Future Search technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Future Search partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Future Search NetworkcoreThe Future Search Network is the global community of certified facilitators supporting leaders in transformational endeavors. Practitioners collaborate, share knowledge, and grow together. Learning as a community ensures insights and expertise are continually enriched.
- Lankaconsulting.seminorSwedish partner organization that delivers P10 Approach courses in Stockholm. Facilitates in-person training for Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter in European markets.
- Future Search Academy (futuresearchacademy.com)coreDedicated online learning platform for Future Search methodology training. Provides workshop information, learning resources, and enrollment for Managing a Future Search and P10 Facilitation programs.
- Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)minorCo-sponsored Future Search on ICT in Secondary Schools Tanzania along with Ministry of Education and Culture. Example of international development agency partnership.
- David and Lucille Packard FoundationminorSponsored Future Search for reproductive health in Northern Nigeria. Funded multiple Future Search initiatives including adolescent reproductive health in Ethiopia and Philippines.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Future Search competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- MURAL: A digital collaboration platform for visual facilitation and remote workshops. Represents the technology-enabled alternative to traditional in-person facilitation methods, targeting the same enterprise teams planning strategy and stakeholder engagement sessions.
- Appreciative Inquiry Commons: Appreciative Inquiry is a strengths-based organizational change methodology that overlaps with Future Search's whole-system engagement approach. Used by similar enterprise, healthcare, and government clients for transformational change.
Direct peers
- Generon Consulting: A boutique consulting firm specializing in large-group facilitation, strategic planning, and organizational change. Competes directly with Future Search for enterprise and government transformation engagements.
- Interaction Associates: A consulting and training firm specializing in facilitation, collaboration, and leadership development. Sells facilitation training programs and consulting services in a similar model to Future Search's Managing a Future Search workshop and direct facilitation offerings.
- Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA): ICA developed the Technology of Participation (ToP) methods, which are foundational to large-group facilitation methodologies including Future Search. Sandra Janoff's work is closely connected to ToP, and ICA trains facilitators globally using similar whole-system approaches.
- World Café: World Café is a structured large-group conversational methodology for stakeholder engagement and strategic dialogue. Frequently used alongside or as an alternative to Future Search for whole-system planning and community engagement.
- Real Time Strategic Change (Cecil Group): Developer of the Real Time Strategic Change (RTSC) methodology, a direct competitor to Future Search for large-group whole-system planning. Targets similar enterprise and government clients for multi-day facilitated conferences.
Broad incumbents
- McKinsey & Company (Organization Practice): Global management consulting firm with a large Organization Practice that advises on leadership, culture, and large-scale change. A different delivery model (top-down advisory) but competes for the same enterprise change-management budget.
- Korn Ferry: A global organizational consulting firm with a leadership development and change management practice. Provides enterprise-scale transformation services that overlap with Future Search's organizational development value proposition for Fortune 500 clients.
- Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): A global leadership development and facilitation training organization offering workshops, certifications, and consulting. Overlaps with Future Search's training and certification programs and competes for enterprise and government leadership development budgets.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Future Search social profiles
Digital presenceFuture Search financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Future Search leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Future Search funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Future Search M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Future Search
What does Future Search do?
Future Search provides a structured facilitation methodology for whole-system planning meetings that bring diverse stakeholders together to find common ground solutions to complex problems. The company delivers Future Search conferences (typically 16-20 hours over 3 days), trains and certifies facilitators through the Future Search Academy, and operates a global practitioner network of over 6,000 trained professionals.
Is Future Search a public or private company?
Future Search is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Future Search founded?
Future Search was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Future Search based?
Future Search is headquartered in Wynnewood, United States, in the North America region.
How does Future Search make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Training and Workshop Programs are the primary driver. The others are facilitator Certification and direct Facilitation Services.
Who are Future Search's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are MURAL and Appreciative Inquiry Commons. Direct peers are Generon Consulting, Interaction Associates, Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA), World Café and Real Time Strategic Change (Cecil Group). Broad incumbents are McKinsey & Company (Organization Practice), Korn Ferry and Center for Creative Leadership (CCL).
Does Future Search have an API?
No public API is recorded for Future Search.