Humankind
Humankind is a Rotterdam-based urban design consultancy that helps European municipalities and developers create inclusive public spaces through Citizen Experience research, tactical urbanism, and participatory workshops, and in 2026 expanded into leadership training via its acquisition of The Mintable.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersRotterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Humankind does
Humankind is a private, founder-led urban design and planning consultancy founded in 2018 and headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The firm helps European municipalities, urban developers, and civic organizations translate complex urban challenges — climate, mobility, housing, public space — into human-centered, actionable plans via six core service lines: Good Public Space assessment, Citizen Experience (CX) research, Placemaking & Tactical Urbanism, Citizen Participation Workshops, Driving Urban Change strategy, and Human-Scale Area Development, augmented by Youth Programs. Its differentiated methodology rests on the proprietary Good Public Space Model (a nine-activity framework), the PRKLT modular parklet system, and the Benchmark sensor-equipped smart bench for measuring public-space usage.
Humankind firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Humankind
- Legal name
- Humankind
- Website
- https://humankind.city
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Humankind is a Rotterdam-based urban design consultancy that helps European municipalities and developers create inclusive public spaces through Citizen Experience research, tactical urbanism, and participatory workshops, and in 2026 expanded into leadership training via its acquisition of The Mintable.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Humankind industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Planning Consulting
- NAICS
- Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL), DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) & Belonging Consulting (BPAHAGAJ), Human Capital & Workforce Transformation Consulting (BPAHACAE)
Keywords
Where Humankind is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rotterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Humankind business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Urban Planning Consulting & Professional Services: Humankind earns revenue by delivering fee-for-service consulting engagements to municipalities, city governments, and urban developers. Engagements include strategic planning, area development consulting, citizen participation workshops, and urban change strategy programs. Revenue is project-based and likely varies in size by client and scope.
- Merchandise & Branded Products: The company operates an e-commerce shop selling branded merchandise including t-shirts (€39.99), embroidered caps (€29.99), and publications. These products reinforce brand identity and community belonging among urbanist audiences while generating direct retail revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise (t-shirts) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise (t-shirts) - Eyes on the Street |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise (t-shirts) - The Future is Human-Made |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise (t-shirts) - Only Kind People Make Smart Cities |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise (t-shirts) - Human Cities Kind Futures |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise (caps) - Jane Jacobs was Right |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded merchandise (caps) - Eyes on the Street Cap |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Humankind product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Humankind delivers human-centered urban development consulting to municipalities, city governments, and urban developers across Europe. Its services include Citizen Experience (CX) research, public space assessment using the proprietary Good Public Space model, placemaking and tactical urbanism (including the PRKLT modular parklet), citizen participation workshops, evidence-based urban change strategy, area development consulting, and youth programs. The firm also operates a small branded merchandise shop (t-shirts and caps). In May 2026, Humankind acquired The Mintable to extend into structured manager development and leadership training.
Product overview
Humankind is an urban design and planning consultancy based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, offering a portfolio of professional services focused on human-centered urban development. The core offering consists of six service areas: Good Public Space (assessment model based on nine human activities), Citizen Experience Research, Placemaking & Tactical Urbanism, Citizen Participation Workshops, Driving Urban Change, Human Scale Area Development, and Youth Programs. The company also operates a merchandise line of branded apparel including t-shirts (Eyes on the Street, The Future is Human-Made, Only Kind People Make Smart Cities, Human Cities Kind Futures) and embroidered caps. In May 2026, Humankind acquired The Mintable, an Australia-based leadership training platform, to expand into structured manager development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Good Public Space Humankind's assessment and design framework for evaluating and creating quality public spaces, based on nine core human activities (lying down, sitting, standing, walking, cycling, playing, meeting, exercising, eating). Used as both a diagnostic tool and a design guideline for municipalities and urban planners.
- Citizen Experience (CX) Research Research methodology that gathers insights into how people interact with their urban environment, informing human-centered urban development decisions for municipalities and developers.
- Placemaking & Tactical Urbanism Hands-on approach to designing and testing urban spaces through temporary interventions, modular PRKLT parklets, and community-driven place activation, enabling low-cost experimentation before permanent investment.
- Citizen Participation Workshops Co-creation workshops that engage citizens as active participants in shaping urban environments, using innovative methodologies and AI-enhanced visualization tools developed with UrbanistAI.
- Driving Urban Change Evidence-based urban transformation strategy consulting using models like Theory of Change and Transition Management to accelerate complex urban transitions for municipalities.
- Human Scale in Area Development Strategic consultancy aligning physical planning with programmatic ambitions, creating compelling development narratives and engaging key stakeholders for future-proof urban developments, primarily for urban developers and real estate clients.
- Youth Programs Participatory programs empowering young people (roughly ages 12-25) to become co-creators of urban futures through creative learning experiences, hands-on design, and youth-driven urban interventions.
- Eyes on the Street T-Shirt Branded t-shirt featuring Jane Jacobs' 'eyes on the street' concept, priced at €39.99. Made from 100% organic ring-spun cotton with GOTS, OCS, OEKO-TEX Standard 100, and PETA-Approved Vegan certifications.
- Jane Jacobs was Right Embroidered Cap 100% cotton corduroy 6-panel cap celebrating urbanist Jane Jacobs' philosophy that streets belong to people, not cars; adjustable buckle, priced at €29.99.
Quantifiable outcome
- The Benchmark smart bench project in Groningen demonstrated that exact location is crucial for bench utilization, that bench design significantly impacts inclusivity, and that current benches are often placed in suboptimal locations.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Humankind
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Humankind technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Humankind partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The MintablecoreHumankind acquired The Mintable, an Australia-based leadership training platform backed by Blackbird Ventures. The acquisition enables Humankind to expand from organizational design into structured manager development, combining strategic architecture with Mintable's Manager Foundations course. The next Manager Foundations cohort begins July 22.
- OpperclaesminorHumankind collaborated with Rotterdam-based creative studio Opperclaes to co-create and design the Pride Parklet, a modular parklet intervention for Rotterdam Pride 2019. Opperclaes provided creative design input to transform the PRKLT parklet with pride-themed visuals.
- Bureau BuitendienstminorHumankind collaborated with Bureau Buitendienst on The Benchmark smart bench project in Groningen. Bureau Buitendienst co-designed the smart bench sensor and QR-code survey system used to measure public space seating usage.
- Smart Cities KlubminorHumankind partnered with Slovakian organization Smart Cities Klub to deliver a workshop in Trnava with decision-makers from seven Slovakian municipalities. The collaboration focused on cycling infrastructure and livable public spaces, based on shared values around people-oriented smart cities.
- EIT Urban MobilitycoreHumankind participates in EIT Urban Mobility's RAPTOR Program, engaging citizens in urban mobility pilots across the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Sweden. EIT Urban Mobility is a European Institute of Innovation and Technology initiative supporting urban mobility transitions.
- UrbanistAIcoreHumankind co-developed an AI-enhanced citizen engagement workshop with UrbanistAI, integrating generative AI and visualization technology into participatory urban design processes. This collaboration enables more creative and efficient public space co-creation sessions.
- Municipality of AmsterdamcoreHumankind delivered a Good Public Space workshop at Municipality of Amsterdam's OR Lab internal event on AI in design and participation. The municipality hosted the event and Humankind provided the workshop content and methodology, representing an ongoing client and collaborative relationship.
- Municipality of RotterdamcoreThe Municipality of Rotterdam is a repeated client and co-creation partner for Humankind, having collaborated on the Pride Parklet (2019), Rotterdam Waterfront Activation, and Rotterdam mobility intervention strategy. The relationship involves municipal procurement and ongoing project collaboration.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Humankind competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Project for Public Spaces: NYC-based nonprofit consultancy focused on placemaking and citizen participation, with a closely overlapping methodology to Humankind's Good Public Space framework, CX research, and tactical urbanism service lines.
- Gehl Architects: Copenhagen-based urban design firm founded by Jan Gehl that pioneered people-centered public life research and livable streets work, directly comparable to Humankind's human-centered urban development methodology and CX research practice.
- 8 80 Cities: Toronto-based civic engagement and urban innovation nonprofit working with municipalities on inclusive, healthy urban design—a near-categorical match to Humankind's mission, methodology, and customer base.
- MASS Design Group: Boston-based design firm using built environment work for social impact, with comparable mission orientation, public-sector clients, and human-centered design methodology to Humankind.
- WXY architecture + urban design: NYC-based architecture and urban design practice focused on public space, civic infrastructure, and inclusive city-making—directly comparable in service mix and municipal client orientation to Humankind.
- Stoss Landscape Urbanism: Boston-based landscape architecture and urban design firm specializing in civic plazas, public realm, and participatory planning, comparable to Humankind's tactical urbanism and Good Public Space service lines.
Broad incumbents
- Arup: Global engineering and urban planning consultancy with a large cities, planning, and design practice serving municipalities on mobility and public realm—overlapping capabilities to Humankind but at far greater scale and as part of a multidisciplinary portfolio.
Emerging players
- UrbanistAI: Emerging AI-for-urban-participation platform that Humankind co-develops workshops with; reflects a partial-overlap emerging player in citizen engagement and generative AI for urban design.
- Bureau Buitendienst: Amsterdam-based spatial design studio that co-developed the Benchmark smart bench with Humankind in Groningen; comparable in size, methodology mix, and target audience of civic-minded design work.
Others
- UN-Habitat: United Nations agency for sustainable urban development that convenes municipalities and influences urban policy frameworks; adjacent to Humankind as an ecosystem shaper rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Humankind social profiles
Digital presenceHumankind financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Humankind leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Humankind subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Humankind funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Humankind 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 Humankind
What does Humankind do?
Humankind delivers human-centered urban development consulting to municipalities, city governments, and urban developers across Europe. Its services include Citizen Experience (CX) research, public space assessment using the proprietary Good Public Space model, placemaking and tactical urbanism (including the PRKLT modular parklet), citizen participation workshops, evidence-based urban change strategy, area development consulting, and youth programs. The firm also operates a small branded merchandise shop (t-shirts and caps). In May 2026, Humankind acquired The Mintable to extend into structured manager development and leadership training.
Is Humankind a public or private company?
Humankind is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Humankind founded?
Humankind was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Humankind based?
Humankind is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Humankind make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Urban Planning Consulting & Professional Services are the primary driver. The others are merchandise & Branded Products.
Who are Humankind's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Project for Public Spaces, Gehl Architects, 8 80 Cities, MASS Design Group, WXY architecture + urban design and Stoss Landscape Urbanism. Arup is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are UrbanistAI and Bureau Buitendienst. UN-Habitat is listed as an others.
Does Humankind have an API?
No public API is recorded for Humankind.
What industry is Humankind in?
Humankind's product category is Urban Planning Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAJ, Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities), with a secondary code of BPADALAL, Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure. Its NAICS code is 9251 and its SIC code is 8742.