Design Intelligence
Design Intelligence is a private advisory and intelligence platform serving senior leaders of architecture, engineering, and design firms, operating the Design Futures Council peer fellowship and DesignIntelligence Advisory's one-on-one strategic counsel, research, and cohort-based professional development programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersPeachtree City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Design Intelligence does
Design Intelligence is a privately held advisory and intelligence platform serving senior leaders of architecture, engineering, and design (AEC) firms. The organization operates through two complementary platforms: the Design Futures Council (DFC), a peer fellowship and publishing platform that hosts roughly ten annual convenings (Leadership Summits on Business of Design, Technology & Applied Innovation, Talent, and Environmental Responsibility, plus International Think Tanks) along with a foresight archive, newsletter, podcast, and video library; and DesignIntelligence Advisory, a one-on-one strategic counsel practice covering leadership transition, succession, strategy and growth, organizational design, talent and culture, mergers and acquisitions, and AI transformation. Underlying technology is a web-based publishing and community hub rather than a software product. The firm is led by President & CEO Dave Gilmore, Founder and Managing Principal Bob Hughes, and Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Principal Hael Kobayashi, and is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia.
The business model blends four revenue streams: per-attendee registration fees for DFC convenings (publicly disclosed at $1,500 advance and $2,000+ standard), confidential multi-month to multi-year advisory engagements priced on inquiry, custom research and AI readiness assessments, and cohort-based professional development programs. Go-to-market is primarily community-led and event-driven: members and clients are acquired through the firm's published foresight, convenings, peer referrals from existing members, and direct enterprise sales conversations with AEC firm principals. Pricing across advisory, research, and learning programs is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
The customer base is concentrated in the architecture, engineering, and design industry and includes named enterprise clients such as Arup, Thornton Tomasetti, HKS, Walter P Moore, WATG, Corgan, DLR Group, and Trammell Crow. The firm competes less on price or technology than on the depth of its thirty-year industry relationships, the credibility of its off-the-record fellowship, and the experiential credibility of advisors who have themselves led large AEC practices. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward AI transformation, environmental responsibility, and succession planning — themes that align with the most acute pressures facing founder-led design firms.
Design Intelligence firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Intelligence
- Legal name
- Design Futures Council
- Website
- https://di.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Design Intelligence is a private advisory and intelligence platform serving senior leaders of architecture, engineering, and design firms, operating the Design Futures Council peer fellowship and DesignIntelligence Advisory's one-on-one strategic counsel, research, and cohort-based professional development programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Intelligence industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Management Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Other Specialized Design Services (54149)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)
Keywords
Where Design Intelligence is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Peachtree City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Design Intelligence business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Convenings and Events: Registration fees for DFC Leadership Summits and International Think Tanks. The 2026 Leadership Summit is priced at $1,500 (advance registration) with standard pricing at $2,000+. Events are held at various locations including Harvard Faculty Club, La Valencia Hotel, and international venues.
- Advisory Services: One-on-one strategic counsel for design firm leaders on leadership transition, strategy and growth, organizational design, talent and culture, and mergers and acquisitions. Engagements are typically multi-month to multi-year and held in confidence.
- Research: Custom research, AI readiness assessments, and market intelligence for design practices. Collaborative work with DesignIntelligence Advisory to strengthen client understanding of their organization and competitive landscape.
- Professional Development Programs: Cohort-based leadership programs including 'Redefining an Understanding of Leadership' and 'Creating Business Development as a Culture'. Programs combine in-person and virtual sessions with applied practice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Leadership Summit advance registration |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Advisory Services |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Professional Development Programs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Design Intelligence product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Intelligence operates a two-platform ecosystem for the built environment: the Design Futures Council (DFC), a peer fellowship and publishing platform where senior design leaders convene, debate, and publish foresight, and DesignIntelligence Advisory, a one-on-one strategic counsel practice for architecture, engineering, and design firm leaders. The company also delivers commissioned research, AI readiness assessments, cohort-based professional development programs, and recurring off-the-record Leadership Summits and International Think Tanks.
Product overview
DesignIntelligence is a future-focused intelligence platform for the built environment, offering strategic counsel, research, and professional development for architecture, engineering, and design (AED) firms. The ecosystem consists of two complementary platforms: Design Futures Council (DFC) — a peer fellowship and publishing platform where senior design leaders convene and publish insights; and DesignIntelligence Advisory — one-on-one strategic counsel for firm leaders on leadership transition, strategy, organizational design, talent, and capital structure. Additional offerings include commissioned research, two professional development programs (Leadership and Business Development), and DFC Convenings including Leadership Summits on Business of Design, Technology & Applied Innovation, Environmental Responsibility, and Talent.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design Futures Council (DFC) A peer fellowship and publishing platform where senior design leaders across the built environment meet, debate, and shape the future of practice through editorial, events, convenings, and peer community. Targeted at CEOs, Managing Principals, Directors, and Founders of architecture, engineering, and design firms.
- DesignIntelligence Advisory One-on-one confidential strategic counsel for architecture, engineering, and design firm leaders, covering leadership transition, strategy and growth, organizational design, talent and culture, and mergers and acquisitions. Engagements are bespoke and typically span multiple months or years.
- Research Services Custom research, AI readiness assessments, and market intelligence for design practices, exploring topics from environmental responsibility to organizational dynamics. Collaborative work with DesignIntelligence Advisory to strengthen client understanding of their organization and competitive landscape.
- Redefining an Understanding of Leadership Program Cohort-based professional development program focused on leadership fundamentals including business of design, strategic mindset, decision-making, emotional intelligence, and change management. Combines in-person and virtual sessions with applied practice for AEC leaders.
- Creating Business Development as a Culture Program Cohort-based program that positions business development as a shared firm-wide responsibility, teaching relationship building, targeting sectors, and differentiating in competitive markets. Designed for AEC professionals and firms ready to engage fully.
- DFC Convenings Off-the-record gatherings of senior design leaders, including Leadership Summits on the Business of Design, Technology & Applied Innovation, Environmental Responsibility, and Talent, plus International Think Tanks in global locations. Approximately 10 convenings per year; pricing starts at $1,500 advance registration.
Companies that use Design Intelligence
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Design Intelligence technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Design Intelligence partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Design Intelligence competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PSMJ Resources: Long-established A/E/C management consulting firm offering benchmarking, training, and advisory for architecture and engineering firm leaders — overlapping customer base and advisory service line.
- FMI Corporation: Consulting and investment banking firm dedicated to the built environment, serving engineering, construction, and infrastructure clients with strategy and leadership advisory — directly overlapping in AEC advisory.
- Morrissey Goodale: A/E/C industry management consulting firm advising on strategy, M&A, leadership, and operations — closely comparable customer profile and consulting service offering.
- Hinge: Marketing and branding firm specialized for professional services including AEC, architecture, and engineering firms — adjacent but overlapping in serving AEC leadership with strategic positioning and business development services.
- Zweig Group: Management consulting, advisory, and research firm exclusively serving the A/E/C industry — directly comparable in customer base (AEC firm leaders), service mix (advisory, research, events), and category focus.
- The Coxe Group: Boutique AEC consulting firm advising architecture and engineering firms on strategy, organization, and ownership transition — directly comparable in niche focus and advisory delivery.
Broad incumbents
- McKinsey & Company: Global management consulting firm that serves AEC clients across strategy, organization, and transformation — broader portfolio but overlaps on enterprise-level advisory for large AEC firms.
- Bain & Company: Global management consulting firm with practices touching AEC and infrastructure clients — broader scope but competes for the same large-firm strategic advisory mandates.
- Boston Consulting Group (BCG): Global management consulting firm serving built-environment and infrastructure clients — broader portfolio, comparable in strategic advisory capability at the enterprise level.
- Deloitte: Global professional services firm with consulting practices serving AEC clients on strategy, transformation, and operations — broader scope and significantly larger scale, but competes for the same enterprise advisory budgets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Design Intelligence social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Intelligence financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Intelligence leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Design Intelligence funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Intelligence 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 Design Intelligence
What does Design Intelligence do?
Design Intelligence operates a two-platform ecosystem for the built environment: the Design Futures Council (DFC), a peer fellowship and publishing platform where senior design leaders convene, debate, and publish foresight, and DesignIntelligence Advisory, a one-on-one strategic counsel practice for architecture, engineering, and design firm leaders. The company also delivers commissioned research, AI readiness assessments, cohort-based professional development programs, and recurring off-the-record Leadership Summits and International Think Tanks.
Is Design Intelligence a public or private company?
Design Intelligence is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Design Intelligence founded?
Design Intelligence was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Design Intelligence based?
Design Intelligence is headquartered in Peachtree City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Design Intelligence make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Convenings and Events are the primary driver. The others are advisory Services, research and professional Development Programs.
Who are Design Intelligence's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PSMJ Resources, FMI Corporation, Morrissey Goodale, Hinge, Zweig Group and The Coxe Group. Broad incumbents are McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Deloitte.
Does Design Intelligence have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Intelligence.
What industry is Design Intelligence in?
Design Intelligence's product category is Management Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAN, Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting, with a secondary code of IMAFAAAD, Design-Build / EPC General Contracting. Its NAICS code is 54149 and its SIC code is 8700.