FutureLab
FutureLab is a New Zealand-based private digital agency and SaaS builder offering web design, applied AI consulting, and growth strategy services, plus Mussel App, an AI-driven aquaculture management SaaS platform for mussel farmers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersPalmerston North, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FutureLab does
FutureLab (legal entity FutureLab Ltd, trading as Futurelab Digital) is a New Zealand-based private digital agency founded in 2011, registered in Auckland and operating with a global project remit. The company sells three interconnected service offerings under a partnership-oriented 'anti-agency' positioning: The Digital Foundation (web design and development treated as evolving infrastructure), The Intelligence Layer (applied AI consulting), and The Growth Loop (growth strategy and systems design). Go-to-market is direct and consultative, with project-based multi-year contracts, eWAY-processed payments, and pricing quoted in NZD excluding GST, supported by a modest monthly recurring hosting stream.
Beyond agency services, FutureLab has built Mussel App, a vertical SaaS product launched in February 2026 that applies AI and machine learning to aquaculture operations. The platform captures structured farm data (seeding, batch movements, mortality, harvest outcomes, labour, equipment, compliance) and uses historical performance to forecast harvest windows, stock readiness, and operational planning signals, generating plain-language reports for mussel farmers. Mussel App operates on a subscription model and is positioned for mussel farmers globally, including a Spanish-language site variant.
The business combines professional services revenue (dominant, project-based) with two smaller recurring streams (Mussel App subscriptions and website hosting). Customer references are limited: Auckland Eye (healthcare, mid-market) on the agency side and unnamed mussel farms (SMBs) on the SaaS side. The company is independently owned, with no disclosed investors, subsidiaries, acquisitions, or public market activity, and no headcount or revenue figures are available in the input data.
FutureLab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FutureLab
- Legal name
- FutureLab Ltd
- Website
- https://futurelab.digital
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- FutureLab is a New Zealand-based private digital agency and SaaS builder offering web design, applied AI consulting, and growth strategy services, plus Mussel App, an AI-driven aquaculture management SaaS platform for mussel farmers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FutureLab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Agency Services
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Scenario Planning, Forecasting Platforms & Planning Intelligence (HDAAAHAL)
Keywords
Where FutureLab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palmerston North
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
FutureLab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Web Design and Development Services: Custom web design and development services billed via contract with charges for design, creation, and incorporation of customer works. Services include 10-day acceptance period with 20-day remedial period for defects.
- Mussel App SaaS Platform: Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for mussel farmers enabling stock tracking, forecasting, and resource management. Subscription-based model for aquaculture management.
- Website Hosting Services: Monthly billed hosting services. Payments due in advance with no refunds for part or full month already paid. Clients can transfer hosting with 48 business hours notice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
FutureLab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FutureLab designs and develops digital foundations (websites and web applications), implements AI tools for business teams, and designs compounding growth systems for organisations navigating digital change. It also operates Mussel App, a standalone AI and machine-learning-driven SaaS platform that helps mussel and oyster farmers track stock lifecycles, forecast harvest readiness, and run resource management across operations.
Product overview
FutureLab operates as a digital partner offering three interconnected service areas: The Digital Foundation (web design and development infrastructure), The Intelligence Layer (AI application and integration services), and The Growth Loop (growth strategy and systems). Their flagship product is Mussel App, a standalone AI-driven aquaculture management SaaS platform for mussel farmers that leverages machine learning for stock tracking, forecasting, and resource management. The company positions its services as collaborative workstreams rather than traditional agency packages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mussel App: AI-Driven Aquaculture Management Platform - a cutting-edge SaaS solution designed to revolutionise mussel farming operations through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
- Mussel App
Products and services
- Mussel App AI-driven aquaculture management SaaS platform that helps mussel farmers track stock lifecycles, forecast harvest windows, manage resources, and monitor batch history across movements, grading, transfers, and production stages.
- The Digital Foundation Web design and development service focused on creating digital foundations that are easy to evolve as the business changes, structured for both humans and machines, and built for reliability under pressure.
- The Intelligence Layer AI application service that helps teams apply intelligence where it actually matters, reducing friction, improving decisions, and converting messy information into actionable clarity.
- The Growth Loop Growth strategy and systems design service that creates compounding growth loops where content informs learning, learning informs strategy, and strategy builds momentum over time.
- Website Hosting Services Recurring monthly website hosting service billed in advance, with the ability to transfer hosting with 48 business hours notice.
Quantifiable outcome
- Farms move from scattered information and reactive planning toward structured operations with clearer forecasting and better visibility across teams
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use FutureLab
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FutureLab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature3 records
FutureLab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
FutureLab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Klyp: Auckland-based boutique digital agency offering web design, development, and digital marketing services to NZ mid-market clients — directly comparable in size, geography, and service mix to FutureLab.
- Springload: Wellington-based digital agency building custom websites, apps, and platforms for NZ organisations — comparable boutique scale, similar service portfolio, and same anti-commodity positioning as FutureLab.
- Aquanetix: Aquaculture farm management SaaS platform providing operational tracking, planning, and reporting across finfish and shellfish — the most direct functional competitor to Mussel App's core offering.
- Appnovation: Global digital agency offering web development, CMS, and AI-enabled solutions — a comparable mid-sized competitor pursuing enterprise digital transformation work similar to FutureLab.
Emerging players
- XpertSea: Canadian aquaculture technology company applying AI/computer vision to aquaculture operations — a comparable vertical-AI play to Mussel App, though focused on shrimp rather than mussels.
Broad incumbents
- AKQA: Global design and innovation agency offering digital experience, AI, and creative services — represents the scaled incumbent end of the market FutureLab competes in for mid-market/enterprise digital work.
- R/GA: Global digital agency with strategy, AI, product, and brand capabilities, addressing the same enterprise client needs as FutureLab's Intelligence Layer and Growth Loop but at vastly greater scale.
- Huge Inc. Large global digital experience agency offering strategy, design, and technology services — competes with FutureLab for enterprise digital foundation work at much greater scale and reach.
- Webflow: Visual web development platform that increasingly enables in-house teams to build the kind of website infrastructure FutureLab delivers — a structural threat to the Digital Foundation service line.
- Automattic: Parent of WordPress.com and WooCommerce; provides website-building and hosting platforms at scale that compete with FutureLab's Digital Foundation and hosting service offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
FutureLab social profiles
Digital presenceFutureLab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FutureLab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
FutureLab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FutureLab 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 FutureLab
What does FutureLab do?
FutureLab designs and develops digital foundations (websites and web applications), implements AI tools for business teams, and designs compounding growth systems for organisations navigating digital change. It also operates Mussel App, a standalone AI and machine-learning-driven SaaS platform that helps mussel and oyster farmers track stock lifecycles, forecast harvest readiness, and run resource management across operations.
Is FutureLab a public or private company?
FutureLab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FutureLab founded?
FutureLab was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is FutureLab based?
FutureLab is headquartered in Palmerston North, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does FutureLab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Web Design and Development Services are the primary driver. The others are mussel App SaaS Platform and website Hosting Services.
Who are FutureLab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Klyp, Springload, Aquanetix and Appnovation. XpertSea is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are AKQA, R/GA, Huge Inc., Webflow and Automattic.
Does FutureLab have an API?
No public API is recorded for FutureLab.
What industry is FutureLab in?
FutureLab's product category is Digital Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAHAF, AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services, with a secondary code of HDAAAHAL, Scenario Planning, Forecasting Platforms & Planning Intelligence. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7371.