FUTURE CANDY

What FUTURE CANDY does

FUTURE CANDY GmbH is a Hamburg-based innovation consultancy founded by Nick Sohnemann in 2008, operating with a small core team of approximately 12-15 personnel. The firm helps DACH-region enterprises and public-sector organizations evaluate, adopt, and operationalize emerging technologies through four interlocking service lines: strategic innovation consulting, multimedia keynotes, hands-on methodology workshops (Design Thinking, Ideation, Innovation Hacking, Future Thinking, Business Model Innovation), and end-to-end innovation event production. A signature asset is the "TECH FLAT" — a curated hands-on technology testing and evaluation platform covering robotics (Pepper, Unitree G1, Temi), VR/AR (Apple Vision Pro, smart glasses), and AI-powered devices — which the company deploys both at client sites and at large trade shows such as Deutsche Telekom's Digital X Focus Edition 2025 and the AI Catalyst Summit.

The company monetizes through a diversified mix: project-based consulting and workshop fees, premium keynote speaking engagements, hosted innovation field trips to global technology hubs (Silicon Valley at €8,450-€10,500/person, China €7,900, India €8,500, Denmark Health & Pharma €5,500, Arabia), a recurring B2B "KI Software Kit" annual subscription bundling 10 third-party AI tools with masterclasses, and published research reports (e.g., KI Workbook at €99). Its proprietary "Innovation Loop" framework (INSPIRE, IDEATE, MAKE, EVALUATE) underpins engagements. The client roster includes Deutsche Telekom, SAP, Beiersdorf, Roche, Siemens Gamesa, Goodyear, Bertelsmann, Heidelberg Materials, Ferrero, Techniker Krankenkasse, and the Bundeswehr, spanning telecom, consumer goods, healthcare, energy, automotive, and public sector verticals. Distribution combines founder-led sales, conference presence, a podcast, newsletter, and active social channels, with a San Francisco regional outpost supporting US enterprise reach. The company is privately held, founder-owned, and reports no external institutional funding.

Name

FUTURE CANDY

Legal name

FUTURE CANDY GmbH

Website

https://futurecandy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FUTURE CANDY is a Hamburg-based innovation consultancy helping DACH enterprises and public-sector clients evaluate and adopt emerging technologies through consulting, keynotes, workshops, hands-on TECH FLAT testing, and global innovation field trips, with a growing AI tools subscription product.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Consulting

akta.pro primary industry

AI & Emerging Technology Literacy (EDAAAIAJ)

Keywords

• Innovation consulting services
• Technology trend research
• Corporate keynote speaking
• Design thinking workshops
• Innovation field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Innovation consulting engagements helping companies understand future trends and make informed innovation decisions. Customized to client needs.
2. Keynotes: Innovation keynote speeches delivered at corporate events, conferences, and trade shows. Both in-person and digital via livestream or virtual room.
3. Workshops: Hands-on innovation workshops including Design Thinking, Ideation, Innovation Hacking, Creative Prototyping, Future Thinking, and Business Model Innovation. Offered as half-day to multi-day programs.
4. Innovation Field Trips: Guided tours to global innovation hubs including Silicon Valley, China, India, Arabia, Copenhagen (Health & Pharma), and Ahaus (Germany). Includes company visits, meet & greets, workshops, and full board. Priced at €5,500-€10,500 per person.
5. KI Software Kit Subscription: Annual B2B subscription providing access to 10 current AI tools, premium support, two digital masterclasses (up to 15 participants), and discounts on other services. Premium support includes dedicated contact person.
6. Reports & Publications: Research reports including KI Workbook (€99 excl. VAT), Whitepaper on Innovation Management in Purchasing, and custom research reports tailored to client needs.
7. Events Production: End-to-end innovation event production including concept, technology showcases, and execution for trade shows and corporate events.
8. Apple Vision Pro Experience: Exclusive 2.5-hour experiences for companies to test Apple Vision Pro before European market availability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

FUTURE CANDY is a Hamburg-based innovation agency that helps enterprises understand emerging technologies and make informed innovation decisions. The firm sells consulting engagements, innovation keynotes, hands-on workshops (Design Thinking, Ideation, Innovation Hacking, Creative Prototyping, Future Thinking, Business Model Innovation), the TECH FLAT technology testing platform, the KI Software Kit B2B AI tools subscription, curated international innovation field trips, and customized corporate events built around its proprietary Innovation Loop methodology.

Product overview

FUTURE CANDY is an innovation agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of services centered around technology consulting, education, and experiential events. The core offerings include the TECH FLAT (technology testing platform), KI Software Kit (B2B AI tools subscription), and Future Candy AI Lab. These are complemented by consulting services, keynotes, workshops, innovation field trips, and the Innovation Loop methodology. The company provides AI-powered experiences including the AVATUNNEL (avatar creation with Metaverse) and Apple Vision Pro Experience. Educational offerings include Summer Academy, online webinars, and research reports. All services are designed to help companies understand, evaluate, and implement emerging technologies for innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Innovationsberatung (Innovation Consulting) Strategic innovation consulting engagements that help enterprises understand future technologies and make informed innovation decisions, applied through advisory mandates.
• Keynotes
• Workshops (Design Thinking, Ideation, Innovation Hacking, Creative Prototyping, Future Thinking, Business Model Innovation) Innovation methodology workshops offered as half-day to multi-day programs for teams and organizations, including Design Thinking, Ideation, Innovation Hacking, Creative Prototyping, Future Thinking, and Business Model Innovation.
• Events (Customized Innovation Events) Customized corporate innovation events featuring interactive technology experiences, live demonstrations, and hands-on testing of emerging technologies.
• TECH FLAT Hands-on technology testing and evaluation platform enabling companies to experience, test, and compare the latest robotics, VR/AR, smart glasses, and AI tools before making investment decisions.
• KI Software Kit Annual B2B subscription providing one-year access to ten current AI tools (including video editing, text generation, and image generation), premium support with a dedicated contact person, two digital masterclasses for up to 15 participants, and discounts on other FUTURE CANDY services.
• Future Candy AI Lab / AI Hub Innovation laboratory product focused on making AI tangible through live demonstrations of robotics, Metaverse experiences, and smart glasses technologies at events and corporate settings.
• Travel / Innovation Field Trips Curated international innovation tours to technology hubs including Silicon Valley, China, India, Arabia, Denmark, and Ahaus, featuring company visits, workshops, cultural exchange, and full board. Priced €5,500–€10,500 per person.
• Summer Academy Annual one-day educational event focused on new technologies, trends, and solutions for business innovation and competitive advantage.
• Apple Vision Pro Experience Exclusive 2.5-hour roadshow experience allowing companies to test Apple Vision Pro before European availability, demonstrating spatial computing, Industrial Metaverse, and Digital Twin applications.
• AVATUNNEL Interactive mixed-reality experience combining personalized avatar creation from a photo with Metaverse immersion, enabling visitors to create digital avatars and interact in virtual environments using mixed reality glasses.
• FUTURE CANDY Reports Research-based reports on global innovation trends, including the KI-Workbook for AI implementation (€99 ex-VAT), Whitepaper on Innovation Management in Purchasing, New Work Culture, and Hotel of the Future publications.
• HOW TO PROMPT Workshop Workshop focused on effective prompting techniques for AI tools and large language models.

Quantifiable outcome

• Beiersdorf saved mid-five-digit EUR through avoided technology misinvestments using TECH FLAT evaluation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Deutsche TelekomcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2025FUTURE CANDY collaborated with Deutsche Telekom for Digital X Focus Edition 2025 in Cologne, demonstrating Even Realities G1 smart glasses and Holobox holographic communication technology. Also partnered for regional Digital X tour across six German and Austrian cities with the AVATUNNEL.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: IDEO is a pioneer design and innovation consultancy delivering human-centered innovation, workshops, and emerging-tech engagements for global enterprises. Directly comparable service mix (consulting, workshops, keynotes, prototyping) to FUTURE CANDY, with much larger international footprint.
• frog (Capgemini Engineering): frog is a global design and innovation consultancy that helps enterprises translate emerging technologies into products and services. Highly comparable in offering (innovation strategy, design thinking, technology evaluation) and target buyers (large corporates) to FUTURE CANDY, but operates at substantially greater scale.
• TrendOne: TrendOne is a Hamburg-based trend research and innovation consultancy serving European enterprises with trend scouting, innovation workshops, and corporate programs. Closest geographic and offering overlap to FUTURE CANDY; both target DACH enterprise clients with trend-driven innovation services.
• Z-Punkt (The Foresight Company): Z-Punkt is a German foresight and strategic innovation consultancy offering trend research, scenario planning, and innovation advisory to corporates and governments. Directly comparable niche (trend + innovation research) with overlapping DACH client base.

Emerging players

• Singularity University: Singularity University provides executive education, summits, and innovation programs centered on exponential technologies (AI, biotech, robotics). Comparable in education/experience format and emerging-tech focus, but global rather than DACH-anchored.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company (QuantumBlack / Forward): McKinsey offers enterprise-wide innovation, digital, and AI advisory through QuantumBlack and McKinsey Forward, targeting the same Fortune-500 buyer. Competes with FUTURE CANDY at the high end of corporate innovation budgets via brand and scale rather than experiential differentiation.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG / BCG X): BCG's BCG X and GAMMA practices deliver corporate innovation, AI, and venture-building services to global enterprises. Comparable client profile and AI/innovation agenda to FUTURE CANDY but at vastly greater scale and consulting breadth.

Regional players

• Stubbe. (Stubbe Innovation): Stubbe is a German-speaking innovation and business-model consultancy focused on mid-market and family-owned enterprises. Compares to FUTURE CANDY on innovation workshops and trend research but with a more traditional corporate-segment focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3046D6BPpGb1EUdVsloNsg
• Facebookfacebook.com/futurecandy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/futurecandy
• Instagraminstagram.com/futurecandy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 FUTURE CANDY