Headspring
Headspring is a joint venture between the Financial Times and IE Business School delivering bespoke executive education, leadership development, and corporate learning programs to large global enterprises across 28-30 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Headspring does
Headspring is a private executive education company operating as a joint venture between the Financial Times and IE Business School, headquartered in London with additional hubs in Madrid, Frankfurt, Paris, Dubai, and Tokyo. The company delivers fully bespoke leadership development and corporate learning programs to large global enterprises, combining FT journalists' business insight with IE Business School faculty and a network of 700+ educators across 28-30 countries. Its core product set spans Custom Executive Programmes, Large Scale / Enterprise Programmes, Corporate Leadership Academies, L&D Strategic Consulting (Headspring X), FT Executive Briefings, High-Potential Leadership Development, Early Careers Solutions, Commercial Transformation, and Scalable Talent Development Solutions — all 100% customized rather than off-the-shelf.
The technology layer combines human facilitation with digital infrastructure: a proprietary 7-step diagnostic methodology, AI-powered learning products (Aimee voice-enabled AI coach built on ChatGPT's engine; AVA WhatsApp chatbot), integrations with Howspace, CrowdComms, and Vidiv AI platforms, virtual reality learning experiences, and support for LMS integration or proprietary platform delivery. Programs are quoted-based with multi-year contract cadence, sold through a consultative direct enterprise sales motion targeting board, C-suite, senior management, high-potential, and commercial leadership audiences.
The go-to-market is exclusively direct enterprise sales via a corporate partnerships team that diagnoses needs, co-designs programs, and measures impact post-delivery. The customer base spans 280+ corporate clients over the past decade and 2,100+ bespoke programs delivered, with named logos including BBVA, Santander, Société Générale, London Stock Exchange, PwC, EY, Clifford Chance, Roche, Telefónica, Acer, Dimension Data, CMA CGM, Arla Foods, Aptar, MELIÁ Hotels International, National Housing Company (Saudi Arabia), and Bonnier. Reported outcome metrics include a 9.2 global client NPS, 95.2 NPS for FT Executive Briefings, and 200,000+ learners impacted worldwide.
Headspring firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Headspring
- Legal name
- Headspring Limited
- Website
- https://headspringexecutive.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Headspring is a joint venture between the Financial Times and IE Business School delivering bespoke executive education, leadership development, and corporate learning programs to large global enterprises across 28-30 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Headspring industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Education
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree) (EDAHAHAN), Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA), C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA)
Keywords
Where Headspring is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Headspring business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Executive Programmes: Bespoke leadership development programs designed and delivered for enterprise clients. Programs are fully customized to client strategy, culture, and ambitions. Pricing is quote-based and negotiated per engagement.
- Enterprise Learning at Scale: Large-scale corporate learning programs that can reach entire workforces with personalized learning. Includes Corporate Leadership Academies and scalable talent development solutions.
- L&D Strategic Consulting: Consulting services including corporate university creation, learning strategy optimization, curriculum design, and L&D team development.
- Financial Times Executive Briefings: Bite-sized L&D programs delivered by FT journalists. 90-120 minute live sessions for up to 450 participants.
- Commercial Transformation Programme: Virtual corporate program focused on developing sales teams to enhance performance and achieve sustainable growth.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Fully customized enterprise programs - pricing varies by scope, duration, and participant numbers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Headspring product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Headspring designs, co-creates, and delivers fully customized executive education and leadership development programs for large enterprises, combining Financial Times journalism with IE Business School faculty. Offerings span bespoke leadership programs, large-scale enterprise learning, L&D strategy consulting, FT Executive Briefings, corporate leadership academies, commercial sales transformation, and AI-powered reinforcement tools. Programs are sold direct to enterprise clients at quote-based pricing with multi-year contract cadences.
Product overview
Headspring is an executive education company formed as a joint venture between the Financial Times and IE Business School. The portfolio consists of Custom Executive Programmes (fully bespoke leadership development), Large Scale/Enterprise Programmes (custom learning at scale), L&D Consulting (Headspring X strategic advisory with 7-step methodology), FT Executive Briefings (90-120 minute sessions with FT journalists), Talent Development Solutions (scalable learning for large cohorts), Corporate Leadership Academies (governance structures linking leadership to business outcomes using a 10-dimension framework), AI-Powered Learning Solutions (Aimee voice coach and AVA chatbot), Commercial Transformation Programme (sales leadership development), Early Careers Development Solutions, High-Potential Leadership Development, and the EPIC framework for multi-level customisation. All offerings are 100% customised and delivered by FT journalists and IE Business School faculty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Aimee: AI-powered voice coach built to turn learning into action, extending the impact of leadership programmes with on-demand, personalised voice coaching
- AVA
Products and services
- Custom Executive Programmes Fully bespoke leadership development programs built around each client's strategy, culture, and ambitions. Delivered to senior leaders via co-creation with Headspring's network of FT journalists and IE Business School faculty.
- Large Scale / Enterprise Programmes Leadership development programs delivered at scale across entire organizations without compromising on customization, using the EPIC framework for multi-level customization and personalization.
- L&D Consulting (Headspring X) Strategic learning and development consulting using a 7-step methodology to help organizations align L&D with business strategy, create corporate universities, and measure ROI on learning investments.
- FT Executive Briefings Bite-sized L&D programs (90–120 minute live sessions, online or face-to-face) delivered by Financial Times journalists, providing industry insights, critical thinking skills, and unbiased perspective for up to 450 participants. Achieves a 95.2 NPS.
- Scalable Talent Development Solutions Enterprise-wide talent development solutions combining human-centred facilitation with digital scale, leveraging the Vidiv AI Agent, CrowdComms Platform, and live educators to develop skills, mindsets, and behaviours across entire populations.
- Corporate Leadership Academies Governance structures for leadership development linking leadership behaviour to business outcomes across all levels, using a 10-dimension modular framework covering C-Suite, Senior Leadership, Middle Management, High-Potential Leaders, and First-Time Managers, with AI and analytics integrations such as Howspace.
- AI-Powered Learning Solutions (Aimee & AVA) AI-enhanced learning products extending program impact. Aimee is a 24/7 voice-enabled AI coach for on-demand personalized coaching. AVA is an AI chatbot on WhatsApp for real-time support, reminders, and FAQs. Both built on foundation models and customized for leadership development.
- Commercial Transformation Programme Virtual corporate program focused on developing sales teams to enhance performance and achieve sustainable growth, covering understanding buyers, sales strategy, competency development, and personal action plans. Delivered by IE professors and FT journalists.
- Early Careers Development Solutions Programs building a pipeline of future leaders from university to workplace, including attract, develop, and retain phases, covering business fundamentals, strategic thinking, and future mindset.
- High-Potential Leadership Development Bespoke approach to developing future leaders through tailored discovery, Hogan's Assessments, custom program design, intermodular support, and capstone projects, covering Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading the Organisation.
- C-Suite & Board Leadership Development Corporate governance advisory services for board members, chairs, and non-executive directors, covering economic context, corporate governance, and board leadership with geopolitical context and governance benchmarking.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9.2 Global client NPS score indicating high customer satisfaction
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Headspring
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Headspring technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability4 records
Feature6 records
Headspring partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- Financial TimescoreHeadspring is a joint venture between Financial Times and IE Business School. Financial Times provides 130+ years of trusted business insight, 200+ journalists who deliver programs, and access to global business networks. The partnership provides credibility, content, and brand recognition in executive education.
- IE Business SchoolcoreHeadspring is a joint venture between Financial Times and IE Business School. IE Business School provides 50+ years of business education innovation, world-class faculty, and an entrepreneurial mindset. The partnership combines academic rigor with practical business application.
- NikkeiregionalPartnership with Nikkei to support Asian companies meet challenges of 21st century business. Nikkei is one of Asia's most respected household names and provides regional reach and credibility.
- Above & BeyondcoreHeadspring and Above & Beyond run leadership programmes specifically targeted at critical moments in the female leadership pipeline to retain, develop and inspire future leaders. This is a featured client story demonstrating program impact.
- Clifford ChanceregionalCollaboration with global law firm Clifford Chance to co-design a programme facilitating discussions on making ethical decisions and finding courage to act. Part of FT Executive Briefings addressing ethical dilemmas.
- SantandercoreSantander Bank leveraged Headspring's enterprise customisation and online resources to create large-scale solutions to train and keep over 16,000 staff compliant with European financial regulations. Demonstrates scalable enterprise learning capability.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Headspring competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- INSEAD Executive Education: Top-tier global business school offering customized executive education programs for enterprises and open-enrolment executive development. Directly comparable in targeting senior leadership cohorts with bespoke co-designed programs across multinational clients.
- IMD Business School: Switzerland-based business school with a heavy custom executive education and leadership development focus. Competes head-to-head in European enterprise leadership programs and shares the same bespoke engagement model targeting large multinational L&D buyers.
- London Business School Executive Education: London-headquartered business school with a dedicated custom executive education arm serving similar Fortune 500/FTSE clients. Overlaps directly on custom programme design, senior executive development, and London-based enterprise accounts.
- Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Specialist provider of leadership development programs, coaching, and research for global enterprises. Directly comparable in custom-designed leadership curricula, executive coaching, and corporate leadership academies targeting similar buyer personas.
- DDI (Development Dimensions International): Specialist leadership and talent development firm focused on enterprise-wide leadership pipelines, assessments, and training programs. Direct competitor for mid-management and high-potential program design at scale across global enterprises.
- FranklinCovey: Global leadership and execution consulting firm delivering enterprise leadership programs, content, and training. Comparable in selling firm-wide leadership development frameworks and content IP into large corporate L&D budgets.
- Hult EF (Hult Ashridge Executive Education): Global business school offering bespoke corporate leadership programs and open enrolment executive education. Competes in the same European custom executive education market with comparable program design and corporate partnerships teams.
Broad incumbents
- Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm offering leadership development, talent management, and executive search as part of a much broader HR services portfolio. Competes in enterprise leadership development but with a wider consulting wrapper.
- Egon Zehnder: Executive search and leadership advisory firm with a leadership development and board advisory practice. Overlaps with Headspring's C-Suite and board-facing offerings as part of a broader executive services portfolio.
Emerging players
- Axonify: AI-powered frontline employee learning and performance platform selling into large enterprises. Comparable emerging adjacency as a technology-led learning reinforcement layer that increasingly competes for AI-enhanced L&D budget slices.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Headspring social profiles
Digital presenceHeadspring financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Headspring leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Headspring funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Headspring 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 Headspring
What does Headspring do?
Headspring designs, co-creates, and delivers fully customized executive education and leadership development programs for large enterprises, combining Financial Times journalism with IE Business School faculty. Offerings span bespoke leadership programs, large-scale enterprise learning, L&D strategy consulting, FT Executive Briefings, corporate leadership academies, commercial sales transformation, and AI-powered reinforcement tools. Programs are sold direct to enterprise clients at quote-based pricing with multi-year contract cadences.
Is Headspring a public or private company?
Headspring is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Headspring founded?
Headspring was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Headspring based?
Headspring is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Headspring make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Custom Executive Programmes are the primary driver. The others are enterprise Learning at Scale, L&D Strategic Consulting, financial Times Executive Briefings and commercial Transformation Programme.
Who are Headspring's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are INSEAD Executive Education, IMD Business School, London Business School Executive Education, Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), DDI (Development Dimensions International), FranklinCovey and Hult EF (Hult Ashridge Executive Education). Broad incumbents are Korn Ferry and Egon Zehnder. Axonify is listed as an emerging player.
Does Headspring have an API?
No public API is recorded for Headspring.
What industry is Headspring in?
Headspring's product category is Executive Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAAAA, Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development, with a secondary code of EDAHAHAN, Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree). Its NAICS code is 61143 and its SIC code is 8742.