What Interactive Things does

Interactive Things is a privately held design and development studio headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, founded in 2009 and operating as a partnership of three named partners (Benjamin as Managing Director, Christian as Operations & Finance Lead, Christoph as Design Lead) with an interdisciplinary team of approximately 20 senior interaction designers, engineers, project leaders, and studio managers. The studio specializes in human data interaction — designing and engineering custom digital products that make complex datasets accessible, including data applications, data platforms, dashboards, data storytelling experiences, physical interactive installations, and reusable data design systems. Underlying technical capabilities span custom web applications, interactive data visualizations, data platforms and pipelines, GraphQL and REST APIs, and Linked Open Data technologies, delivered through agile methodologies and a human-centered design process with continuous evaluation and iteration.

The company operates a professional services model, selling Design Sprints (from CHF 20,000 for a 5-7 day intensive collaboration), Usability Tests, Expert Reviews, and full-scale product development engagements on a quote-based, project-by-project basis. Its go-to-market is selective and high-touch: a deliberately limited project intake, direct enterprise engagement, portfolio-driven business development, and reputation-led referrals within the European data visualization community. Customers span government agencies (Swiss Federal Government including the Federal Statistical Office, German Federal Government), international organizations (UNESCO, OECD, WHO, World Economic Forum), corporate enterprises (UBS, Swisscom), and media publishers (SRG SSR, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Tamedia), with active engagements across 17+ countries despite a single Zurich studio. The studio has no external funding, no disclosed revenue, and pursues award-recognized work (German Design Award Gold 2025, Best of Swiss Web 2024, Swiss Viz Award 2024) rather than venture-backed scaling.

Name

Interactive Things

Legal name

Interactive Things

Website

https://interactivethings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Interactive Things is a Zurich-based design and development studio founded in 2009 that creates custom data-driven digital products — including data applications, dashboards, platforms, and design systems — for government agencies, international organizations, and enterprises worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Data Visualization and Digital Product Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Data visualization services
• Custom web application development
• Interactive dashboard design
• Data platform engineering
• User experience design studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Design & Development: The company generates revenue through custom design and development engagements. Services include product strategy, interaction design, interface design, data visualization, software engineering, and project leadership. Pricing follows a project-based model with packages like Design Sprints starting from CHF 20,000 and full-scale product development engagements.
2. Service Packages: Individual service packages including Design Sprints, Usability Tests, and Expert Reviews offered as standalone offerings or entry points to long-term collaborations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Interactive Things is a Zurich-based design and development studio that designs and builds custom data-driven digital products for enterprise and institutional clients. Offerings span user interface and user experience design, interactive prototyping, design systems, fullstack web application engineering, interactive data visualizations, data platforms and pipelines, GraphQL and REST APIs, and linked open data implementations, delivered as project-based engagements and packaged services such as Design Sprints.

Product overview

Interactive Things is a design and development studio specializing in human data interaction. Their portfolio consists of multiple distinct products across several categories: Data Applications (tailored applications for engaging with data), Data Platforms (large-scale systems for exploring and sharing datasets), Data Dashboards (focused interfaces for monitoring metrics and trends), Data Storytelling (visual narratives combining data, media, and interactivity), Data Experiences (physical installations and interactive displays), and Design Systems (standards and templates for data visualization). These products include both client-specific projects (such as the Cancer Monitoring Dashboard for the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Violence Info for WHO, UIS Data Browser for UNESCO, and various election/voting dashboards for Swiss government agencies) and their service offerings spanning User Interface Design, User Experience Design, Data Visualization Design, Interactive Prototyping, Design Systems, Design Sprints, Custom Web Applications, Interface Component Libraries, Data Platforms & Pipelines, GraphQL & REST APIs, Linked Open Data, Digital Project Leadership, Customer Journey Mapping, Requirements Engineering, Solution Architecture, Development Roadmapping, Release Planning, User Research, Accessibility Evaluation, Data Analysis, Benchmark Comparison, Expert Review, and Usability Testing. The company operates from Zürich and serves international clients including government agencies, non-profits, media organizations, and corporations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design Sprint
• Full-Scale Product Development
• Usability Test
• Expert Review

Quantifiable outcome

• German Design Award 2025 Gold in Communication Design for Dashboard work
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• shiftcode GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration partner on software engineering projects including Covid-19 Dashboard and UIS Data Browser implementations.
• Dreipol GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDevelopment partner on Global Education Observatory project for software engineering implementation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Datylon: Antwerp-based company offering a data visualization platform and design services for charts and reports — overlapping on data viz craft but with a more productized/template-led approach than Interactive Things' bespoke model.

Direct peers

• Ustwo: Independent digital product studio with a similar boutique-to-mid-size scale, creating custom apps, platforms, and data-driven products for enterprise and public-sector clients in Europe and globally.
• Studio NAND: Munich-based independent studio building custom data-driven web applications and interactive visualizations for cultural, scientific, and public-sector clients — direct overlap on the full-stack data product stack and on German-speaking public-sector buyers.
• Raureif: Berlin-based data design studio creating interactive visualizations, digital publications, and data-driven editorial products — closely overlapping with Interactive Things' Data Storytelling and Data Experience categories and similar DACH market footprint.
• We Are Key: A small European design and development studio specialized in custom data visualizations, dashboards, and interactive digital products — same boutique, project-driven delivery model and similar client types to Interactive Things.
• Kiln: UK-based digital product studio that designs and engineers custom data-intensive applications and platforms, frequently for cultural, scientific, and public-interest clients — comparable model with a slightly larger team.
• Accurat: Milan-based data visualization and digital design studio with a comparable boutique model, building award-winning data-driven stories and platforms for cultural institutions, publishers, and public-sector clients across Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Thoughtworks: Global technology consultancy that combines custom software engineering with design and data work for governments, NGOs, and large enterprises — overlaps on the data-platform and public-sector delivery components but operates at much greater scale and broader scope.
• Pentagram: Largest independent design consultancy in the world with deep data visualization and information design experience across editorial, civic, and enterprise clients — a much broader, multi-partner incumbent that competes for high-profile data-viz mandates.
• IDEO: Global design and innovation consultancy with a strong practice in data visualization, service design, and public-sector engagement — competes at the top of the same client list (UN agencies, governments) but as part of a far broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/interactivethings
• Xx.com/ixt
• Facebookfacebook.com/interactivethings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/interactivethings

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Interactive Things