Futureheads
Futureheads is a London-based specialist digital and tech recruitment consultancy founded in 2009, serving UK startups, scale-ups and enterprises with permanent, contract, retained and embedded (SyncD) hiring solutions across nine disciplines including Product Design, Engineering, Data & AI, and Cybersecurity.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Futureheads does
Futureheads is a London-based specialist digital and tech recruitment consultancy founded in 2009 by Rachel Murray and a female-majority founding team. The firm operates a boutique, sector-specialist model built around nine disciplines: Product Design, Engineering, Product, Creative, UX & Service Design, Data & AI, Project & Delivery, Marketing & Sales, and Cybersecurity. Its core client base spans UK startups and scale-ups through to large enterprises, with named customers including BCG X, Facebook, IBM, Farfetch, Rightmove, Sainsbury's, The Economist, R/GA, New Day and Tide, alongside smaller players such as Lawhive and Pactio.
The business is built around four engagement models: permanent placement on a contingency (no-fee-until-placement) basis with a low fee-rebate record; contract/freelance recruitment with payroll and compliance handling; retained search for confidential or executive-level mandates with upfront fees and exclusivity; and embedded recruitment through wholly-owned subsidiary SyncD, which offers Embedded Talent Partnership, DEI Consulting, Managed Service Programmes (MSP) and Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) on a subscription basis. Underlying tooling is human intelligence-led rather than proprietary technology; the network asset is a CRM of more than 40,000 contacts cultivated since 2009.
Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales supported by content (News & Views blog, newsletter), LinkedIn, sponsored UX networking events and partnerships with bodies such as APSCo and the Better Business Act Coalition. Futureheads is B Corp certified, a Living Wage Employer, and operates from WeWork offices in Shoreditch with a registered office in Letchworth Garden City. In 2023 the firm expanded into the Nordics, and in 2024 it transitioned leadership to Co-Managing Directors Chris Chapman and Rohan Maheswaran following Rachel Murray's departure from the CEO role.
Futureheads firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Futureheads
- Legal name
- Futureheads Recruitment Ltd
- Website
- https://wearefutureheads.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Futureheads is a London-based specialist digital and tech recruitment consultancy founded in 2009, serving UK startups, scale-ups and enterprises with permanent, contract, retained and embedded (SyncD) hiring solutions across nine disciplines including Product Design, Engineering, Data & AI, and Cybersecurity.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Futureheads industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital and Tech Recruitment Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contractor Benefits & Perks Administration (BPACAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Futureheads is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Futureheads business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Permanent Recruitment: Contingency-based permanent placement fees. The company charges placement fees upon successful hire completion with a no-fee-until-placement approach and exceptionally low fee rebate record.
- Contract/Freelance Recruitment: Contract staffing services with handling of compliance and payroll requirements. They can deliver tailored shortlists within 24 hours for contract roles.
- Retained Search: Bespoke partnership-driven solution with upfront payment structure. Includes exclusivity guarantee, in-depth requirements definition, market mapping, competitor analysis, and support through onboarding.
- Embedded Recruitment (SyncD): Subscription-based embedded talent partnership model. Provides flexible scaling solutions including Embedded Talent Partnership, DEI Consulting, Managed Service Programme, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing. Clients can save up to 50% of contingency recruitment costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Permanent Recruitment - Transaction-based contingency model |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Retained Search - Upfront payment with exclusive partnership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Embedded Recruitment (SyncD) - Subscription model |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Futureheads product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Futureheads is a specialist digital and tech recruitment agency placing permanent, contract, and freelance professionals across Product Design, Engineering, Product, Creative, UX & Service Design, Data & AI, Project & Delivery, Marketing & Sales, and Cybersecurity roles. It also offers retained executive search and an embedded talent partnership model through its SyncD brand, supporting startups, scale-ups, established enterprises, and public sector organizations in the UK and Nordics.
Product overview
Futureheads is a digital and tech recruitment agency offering a portfolio of four core recruitment service products: Contract Recruitment, Permanent Recruitment, Retained Recruitment, and Embedded Recruitment (SyncD). These core services are complemented by specialized sector expertise across 9 domains including Product Design, Engineering, Product Management, Creative, UX & Service Design, Data & AI, Project & Delivery, Marketing & Sales, and Cybersecurity. The company operates primarily in the UK market and serves startups, scale-ups, and established companies seeking digital and technology talent. Futureheads is a majority female-owned business founded in 2009 and certified as a B Corporation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Permanent Recruitment Contingency-based permanent placement service sourcing active and passive candidates for startups, scale-ups, and established companies across Creative/Design, UX, Data, Engineering, Product, Project Management, and Digital Marketing roles, using a 40,000+ contact CRM and events program.
Quantifiable outcome
- Deliver diverse shortlists in five days or less
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Futureheads
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Futureheads technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Futureheads partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, notable and minor.
- SyncDcoreSyncD is Futureheads' embedded recruitment brand offering tailored talent solutions including Embedded Talent Partnership, DEI Consulting, Managed Service Programme, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing. This represents a core part of their service offering for clients hiring at scale.
- B Lab (B Corp)coreFutureheads achieved B Corp certification, demonstrating commitment to meeting high standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. They are part of a community of like-minded companies building an inclusive and sustainable economy.
- Better Business Act CoalitionstrategicFutureheads has signed up to the Better Business Act coalition, supporting efforts to build a cleaner, greener, fairer future. Part of over 1,900 companies advocating for required purpose in company law.
- OpencastnotableSyncD case study: Partnered with Opencast to rapidly scale a leading digital consultancy, meeting tight delivery timeframes and changing demand within competitive User Centered Design, Software Delivery, Tech Architecture and Data markets.
- Genomics EnglandnotableSyncD case study: Built a digital healthcare innovation department from scratch while defining recruitment practices to enable growth within a competitive and niche candidate market.
- Work.LifeminorHosted Rise & Thrive event in partnership with Work.Life during B Corp Month, featuring Pecha Kucha-style presentations from speakers redefining success.
- Beder CharitystrategicFutureheads and SyncD partner with Beder, a charity taking a unique approach to softly raising awareness around mental health and suicide prevention. Undertook 5566km Beder Challenge to raise funds and awareness.
- WeWorkminorFutureheads operates from WeWork office space at 1 Mark Square, London EC2A 4EG.
- Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo)strategicFutureheads is a member of APSCo (APSCo number 102390), the trade body for professional staffing companies in the UK.
- Living Wage FoundationstrategicFutureheads is accredited as a Living Wage Employer, committing to paying real living wages to all employees.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Futureheads competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Orbis: Orbis is a UK digital and technology recruitment agency covering product, design, engineering and data roles. It competes directly with Futureheads across the same specialist verticals and similar client segments.
- Computer Futures: Computer Futures is a long-standing specialist technology recruiter with UK and international presence. It competes with Futureheads on contract and permanent IT and digital engineering roles for enterprise clients.
- ADLIB Recruitment: ADLIB is a UK specialist recruitment agency focused on technology, digital, data and engineering roles. It competes head-to-head with Futureheads for similar permanent and contract mandates in the UK mid-market and enterprise segment.
- Salt: Salt is a UK-based digital recruitment agency specialising in technology, digital, marketing and creative hires. It directly competes with Futureheads across overlapping sector coverage and a similar enterprise client base.
- InTechnology Recruitment: InTechnology Recruitment is a UK-based tech recruiter covering IT, digital, cyber and engineering. It is a direct competitor for the same enterprise tech talent mandates that Futureheads services.
- Maxwell Bond: Maxwell Bond is a UK digital recruitment specialist covering product, design, engineering, data and marketing roles. It directly overlaps Futureheads' nine-sector specialist offering for similar client profiles.
Broad incumbents
- Michael Page Technology: Michael Page Technology is the tech-focused arm of PageGroup, a global recruitment incumbent. It serves overlapping enterprise and mid-market clients for digital, technology and project delivery roles.
- Hays: Hays is a global recruitment incumbent with significant UK technology and digital practices. It competes with Futureheads for enterprise mandates while also offering scale advantages in RPO and MSP delivery.
- Robert Half: Robert Half is a global staffing firm with technology and digital recruitment capabilities. It is a broad incumbent competitor for the enterprise and mid-market digital mandates Futureheads pursues.
- Reed Technology: Reed Technology is the technology-focused division of Reed, one of the UK's largest generalist recruitment groups. It provides overlapping capability across Futureheads' digital and tech specialisations as part of a much broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Futureheads social profiles
Digital presenceFutureheads financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Futureheads leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Futureheads subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Futureheads funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Futureheads 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 Futureheads
What does Futureheads do?
Futureheads is a specialist digital and tech recruitment agency placing permanent, contract, and freelance professionals across Product Design, Engineering, Product, Creative, UX & Service Design, Data & AI, Project & Delivery, Marketing & Sales, and Cybersecurity roles. It also offers retained executive search and an embedded talent partnership model through its SyncD brand, supporting startups, scale-ups, established enterprises, and public sector organizations in the UK and Nordics.
Is Futureheads a public or private company?
Futureheads is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Futureheads founded?
Futureheads was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Futureheads based?
Futureheads is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Futureheads make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Permanent Recruitment is the primary driver. The others are contract/Freelance Recruitment, retained Search and embedded Recruitment (SyncD).
Who are Futureheads's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Orbis, Computer Futures, ADLIB Recruitment, Salt, InTechnology Recruitment and Maxwell Bond. Broad incumbents are Michael Page Technology, Hays, Robert Half and Reed Technology.
Does Futureheads have an API?
No public API is recorded for Futureheads.
What industry is Futureheads in?
Futureheads's product category is Digital and Tech Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAGAJ, Contractor Benefits & Perks Administration.