What Magnetic does

Magnetic is a London-based impact-led innovation consultancy founded in 2002 (current legal entity Fluxx Ltd, formed via the 2021 merger of Fluxx and magneticNorth) that designs and delivers human-centred innovation, product, brand, and AI integration work for global enterprises and government clients. Core offerings span strategic innovation consulting, design services (proposition, product, service, UX/UI, visual and brand design), and the proprietary NewHuman people-first AI integration framework, which is delivered as four structured workshops (Amplify, Align, Focus, Build). A central piece of methodology is Magnetic Impact Measurement, a proprietary framework intended to quantify and qualify innovation outcomes throughout the design process. The firm also operates the Design for Growth coaching programme for SMEs under a multi-year contract with Innovate UK Business Growth, and a Jumpstart graduate programme that recruits Trainee Consultants and Trainee Designers into the London studio.

The business model is professional services: revenue is generated through long-term enterprise and government engagements, project-based work, and retainer arrangements secured via direct, relationship-based field sales and referrals. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed for core consulting, with the exception of the Jumpstart programme's £30,000 starting salary. Delivery is via cross-functional embedded squads working shoulder-to-shoulder with clients, supported by a content-led marketing engine (Thought Reports, books, Medium, monthly newsletter, events such as the Magnetic Innovation Festival). The firm is B Corp certified (the first innovation consultancy to achieve this), led by CEO Jenny Burns, CCO Lou Cordwell MBE, and CFO Richard Poole, and operates from London (headquarters) and Manchester with active client engagements spanning the UK, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia.

Name

Magnetic

Legal name

Fluxx Ltd

Website

https://wearemagnetic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Magnetic is a London-based impact-led innovation consultancy that delivers human-centred design, brand, and people-first AI integration (NewHuman framework) services to global enterprises and governments via embedded squads. The firm operates proprietary impact measurement methodology and a multi-year Innovate UK SME coaching programme, with ~65 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation and Design Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy & IT Advisory (BPAEAAAA), Product Design & Mechanical Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAJ)

Keywords

• Innovation consulting
• Design strategy
• Service design
• AI integration advisory
• Product design

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

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 & Innovation Consulting): Magnetic provides professional services for design and innovation, including strategy consulting, service design, product design, capability building, AI integration, and transformation programmes. Revenue is generated through long-term client engagements, project-based work, and retainer arrangements with global enterprises, governments, and ambitious organisations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Magnetic is an impact-led innovation consultancy that provides professional design and innovation services to enterprises and governments. The company delivers strategy consulting, service design, product design, capability building, AI integration, and transformation programmes through embedded client squads. Its core offerings include the NewHuman people-first AI framework, Magnetic Impact Measurement methodology, and the Design for Growth coaching programme for SMEs.

Product overview

Magnetic is an impact-led innovation consultancy that operates as a single unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company's core portfolio consists of professional services organized around four pillars: (1) NewHuman — a people-first AI integration framework with four structured workshops (Amplify, Align, Focus, Build) that help organizations redesign how teams and AI work together; (2) Strategic Innovation Consulting — helping organizations lead change, build innovation cultures, and design better experiences through proposition design, product design, service design, and visual design; (3) Magnetic Impact Measurement — their proprietary methodology for measuring innovation results throughout the design process; and (4) Design for Growth — a coaching programme for SMEs developed with Innovate UK. Supporting offerings include the Jumpstart graduate programme, published books (The Chaos Advantage), and thought leadership reports on topics including wellness, AI, and product-led growth. The company also maintains a library of publications including Optimism, Purpose: Built, and previous titles dating to 2015.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Innovation Consulting Services Strategic innovation consulting for enterprise and government clients. Helps organisations lead change, spot emerging opportunities, understand customers, and build strategies that prepare for what's next. Includes leadership development, business transformation, and strategic foresight services.
• Design Services Human-centred design services spanning proposition design, product design, service design, visual design, UX/UI, and branding. The service co-creates, tests, and builds solutions that work in the real world by talking to customers and starting from human needs.
• NewHuman AI Integration Framework Magnetic's flagship people-first AI integration framework that helps organisations redesign how teams and AI work together. Includes four structured workshops: Amplify (AI Enablement Masterclass), Align (People-First AI Vision Workshop), Focus (AI Opportunities & Threats Workshop), and Build (AI Design Sprint).
• Design for Growth Programme A pioneering coaching programme developed with Innovate UK Business Growth to help startups and SMEs integrate user-centred design into their businesses. Features 12-week tailored coaching journeys, group workshops, and on-demand digital resources delivered online to enable coach-business matching based on expertise rather than location.
• Jumpstart Graduate Programme Six-month graduate programme offering Trainee Consultant or Trainee Designer roles in Magnetic's London studio, with exposure to multiple clients and industries. Includes a £30,000 starting salary with automatic pay rise upon permanent role conversion after 6-month probation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ SMEs supported with design coaching through the Design for Growth programme, with a forecast 10.7:1 ROI to Innovate UK
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Innovate UK (Business Growth)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Magnetic was awarded a multi-year contract to manage the Design for Growth programme — a pioneering coaching initiative helping SMEs integrate user-centred design. This is Magnetic's biggest transformation programme to date, having supported 500+ SMEs with a forecast 10.7:1 ROI. The partnership was chosen because Magnetic is 'truly design-led' and does not just talk about design but makes it core to everything.
• WSPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMagnetic partnered with WSP to support National Highways with creating a transformative stakeholder engagement plan to facilitate action around its net zero commitments. Magnetic crafted a bold and distinctive net zero stakeholder engagement strategy. The partnership builds on previous work with National Highways on their net zero plan and with WSP on internal stakeholder engagement.
• IsoscelesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIsosceles acts as Magnetic's Slavery Compliance Officer, reporting directly to the Leadership Team and working alongside the HR Department to ensure legal and ethical standards are maintained, per the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: Global design and innovation consultancy and the category-defining firm for human-centred design. Closest direct peer to Magnetic: same methodology (design thinking, prototyping, innovation strategy), same enterprise/government client profile, similar project-based delivery model.
• Wolff Olins: Global brand and innovation consultancy (part of Omnicom). Comparable to Magnetic on brand strategy, proposition design and enterprise transformation engagements with similar FTSE/Fortune 500 client profile.
• frog (Capgemini Invent): Design and innovation consultancy within Capgemini Invent. Directly comparable on human-centred design, brand, product and AI-enabled experience work, with overlapping enterprise clients and similar innovation-strategy offerings to Magnetic's NewHuman and design pillars.
• Pentagram: Independent design consultancy with partner-led delivery model. Comparable to Magnetic on brand, product and proposition design services for large enterprise clients, with similar prestige brand clientele (e.g., Condé Nast, financial services).
• Method (Accenture Song): Digital design and innovation consultancy now part of Accenture Song; comparable to Magnetic on product, brand and experience design for enterprise, with similar marquee client roster.
• Livework Studio: Service design and innovation consultancy; comparable scale to Magnetic and overlaps directly on service design, customer experience transformation, and capability-building programmes for enterprise clients.

Broad incumbents

• Baringa Partners: UK-based management and technology consultancy; comparable on enterprise transformation engagements and innovation advisory for financial-services and energy clients — segments where Magnetic also operates.
• Deloitte Digital (Deloitte): Large digital, design and transformation arm of Deloitte; competes with Magnetic on enterprise innovation, AI integration and experience design, but as part of a global Big-4 advisory portfolio rather than a specialist design offer.
• McKinsey Design (McKinsey & Company): Design practice within McKinsey; competes with Magnetic on innovation strategy, transformation and capability building, but offers it as part of a much broader strategy and consulting portfolio.

Regional players

• TPXimpact: UK-headquartered digital, design and transformation consultancy; closely comparable on size and regional footprint, with overlapping public-sector (Innovate UK / government-adjacent) and enterprise transformation engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wearemagnetic

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Magnetic