What Event Design Collective does

Event Design Collective GmbH (EDCo) is a privately held German company founded in 2014 by Ruud Janssen and Roel Frissen, headquartered in Niederdorf, Germany, with regional operations in The Hague (Netherlands), Toronto (Canada), and Singapore. The company develops and commercializes the Event Canvas™ methodology — a proprietary, visually driven 10-step framework for designing events around stakeholder alignment and behavioral change rather than logistics. The product portfolio centers on the Event Design Facilitation Kit (physical and digital versions in English, German, Spanish, Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Danish), a structured three-level EDC certification program (Level 1–3) culminating in the Certified Event Designer (CED) designation, an EDC Trusted Advisor program, an EDC-YP track for young professionals, the Event Design Care subscription service, and supporting publications including the Event Design Handbook and Design to Change podcast.

The company monetizes through a hybrid model combining professional-services revenue (certification cohort fees ranging from €595 for Level 1 to €2,975 for Level 3 in-company cohorts), subscription revenue (Event Design Care tiers from €45/month for not-for-profit up to €3,000/month for 25-user organizational accounts, plus €150/year online training access), and one-time product sales (facilitation kits at €150–€249.95, canvas packs at €30, and merchandise). Distribution runs through the company-owned webshop (shop.edco.global), in-person and in-company training cohorts delivered globally, a self-paced online platform, and a network of certified trainers and consultants.

The customer base spans enterprise clients such as Google, the International Olympic Committee, the United Nations (ITU), Royal Bank of Canada, Caesars Entertainment, AOSPINE, Biotronik, AICPA, Indeed, Wikimedia Foundation, Internet Society, Bayer, SAS, and RAI Amsterdam, alongside a long tail of individual practitioners and university students. Long-standing strategic alliances with Meeting Professionals International and Caesars Entertainment (both since 2014) plus a flagship venue partnership with Marina Bay Sands in Singapore underpin geographic expansion. The methodology has been integrated into curricula at multiple Dutch universities including InHolland, NHLStenden, Hogeschool Zuid, Saxion Hogeschool, De Roovi Pannen, and the Universiteit van Amsterdam, embedding the standard into academic pipelines.

Name

Event Design Collective

Legal name

Event Design Collective GmbH

Website

https://edco.global

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Event Design Collective (EDCo) is a German-founded firm that commercializes the proprietary Event Canvas™ methodology through certification programs, facilitation kits, and consulting, serving event managers, event owners, and enterprises globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management Training & Consulting

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Strategy & Experience Design (BPAFAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Theming, Mood Boards & Concept Design (HSACAOAH)

Keywords

• Event design methodology
• Event management training
• Professional certification programs
• Facilitation kits
• Event consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Niederdorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Training and Certification Programs: Revenue from Event Design Certificate (EDC) programs at multiple levels (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3), in-person training events, online training, and in-company training programs. Includes certification fees and coaching services.
2. Product Sales (Facilitation Kits and Merchandise): Sale of physical and digital Event Design Facilitation Kits in multiple languages (English, German, Spanish), card decks, books, posters, and branded merchandise (swag).
3. Event Design Care Subscriptions: Monthly and annual subscription plans (Single User, Team 12 Users, Organisation 25 Users, Not for Profit options) providing ongoing tools, support, and access to the Event Design platform.
4. Trusted Advisor Program: Professional certification and coaching program for becoming a Certified Trusted Advisor, including educational content, mentoring, and assessment services.
5. Online Training Platform Access: 12-month subscription access to the online training platform with pre-recorded modules, community access, and digital resources.
6. Consultancy Services: Strategic event design consulting services provided by certified consultants to help organizations design and implement event strategies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Event Design Collective provides a proprietary event design methodology (EventCanvas™) delivered through physical and digital facilitation kits, multi-level training and certification programs (EDC Levels 1-3, Trusted Advisor, EDC-YP), subscription-based ongoing support (Event Design Care), and strategic event design consulting services for enterprise clients, event professionals, and educational institutions.

Product overview

Event Design Collective offers a comprehensive event design methodology ecosystem centered on the EventCanvas™ — a strategic visual template for designing events based on stakeholder needs and behavioral change. The core product portfolio includes physical and digital Event Design Facilitation Kits, structured training and certification programs (EDC Levels 1-3, EDC Trusted Advisor, EDC-YP for Young Professionals), an online training platform, and subscription-based Event Design Care support packages. The methodology is supported by multiple canvas tools (Stakeholder Alignment Canvas, Empathy Map, Event Delta, Prototyping Arena) and published resources including the Event Design Handbook and Design to Change book. All offerings are available in multiple languages and delivered through a network of certified trainers across global offices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Event Canvas: A visual chart/tool that allows teams to customize events, guide through the design process, and create added value for participants.
• Event Design Certificate Program (EDC)
• Event Design LAB
• EDC Trusted Advisor Program
• Event Design Care
• Design to Change Podcast

Quantifiable outcome

• 24 continuing education clock hours awarded for EDC Level 3 completion (Domain G: Meeting & Event Design, Events Industry Council)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Meeting Professionals International (MPI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014MPI has provided generous support to Event Design Collective since 2014, contributing to the widespread growth and adoption of Event Design using the EventCanvas Methodology in the United States. The partnership has helped drive industry transformation and professional development.
• Caesars EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Caesars Entertainment has supported Event Design Collective since 2014, enabling widespread growth and adoption of Event Design methodology in the United States. The partnership has been instrumental in helping event professionals discover the power of defined, purposeful design methodology.
• Marina Bay SandsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMarina Bay Sands serves as both Distribution & Marketing Partner and Venue Partner for Event Design Collective's Singapore training events. The partnership enables delivery of EDC Level 3 certification cohorts at the Marina Bay Sands venue in Singapore, supporting the company's Asia-Pacific expansion.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Event Design Institute (formerly Event Academy): Direct peer offering event design training, certification, and degree-style programs. Operates in the same niche of teaching systematic event design methodology to industry professionals, overlapping in target audience and curriculum structure.
• Velvet Chainsaw: Event marketing strategy consulting and conference content firm focused on audience-driven event design. Comparable in providing strategic event design advisory services to associations and conference organizers, though primarily U.S.-centric.

Broad incumbents

• Meeting Professionals International (MPI): Largest global association for meeting and event professionals, offering training, certification (CMP), and professional development. While primarily an association rather than a methodology owner, MPI's education portfolio and industry reach overlap with EDCo's training mission.
• Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA): Global industry association serving the business events community with education, certification and content. Comparable as a provider of event professional credentialing and continuing education against which EDCo's EIC-accredited offerings compete for curriculum time.
• BizBash: North American media and events company covering the event industry with content, awards, and training programs. Comparable as an industry knowledge and education hub, including recognition programs like the ones that named EDCo's Anthony Vade a top event professional.
• Cvent: Dominant event management technology platform offering registration, venue sourcing and event marketing software. While technology-led rather than methodology-led, Cvent competes for enterprise event team budgets and offers its own design and strategy content.

Emerging players

• EventMB (Event Manager Blog): Leading event industry content and training platform producing courses, research and resources for event professionals. Overlaps with EDCo's online training platform as a destination for self-paced event design and management learning.
• Bizzabo: Event experience platform providing event management software with emphasis on attendee engagement and event design. Adjacent in serving the same enterprise event-owner buyers with technology-enabled design and execution tools.
• Hubb: Event content management platform focused on abstract management, speaker selection and content curation. Comparable as a technology provider serving enterprise event teams with workflow tools that complement or substitute parts of EDCo's methodology.

Regional players

• IMEX Group: Operator of major worldwide trade shows for the meetings and events industry (IMEX America, IMEX Frankfurt). Comparable as a venue- and community-anchored organization that drives event professional education, networking and methodology dissemination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eventdesigncol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Event Design Collective