Future City Foundation

What Future City Foundation does

Future City Foundation (Stichting Future City) is a Netherlands-based nonprofit foundation established in 2015 and headquartered in Amersfoort. It operates as a neutral coordination platform rather than a commercial product vendor, convening Dutch municipalities, technology companies, and knowledge institutions around digital transition in cities and towns. The foundation works through a premium partnership model — currently eight disclosed partners, comprising three municipalities (Amersfoort, Sittard-Geleen, Zwolle) and five technology or telecom firms (Argaleo, WeCity, WeLabs, VodafoneZiggo, ELBA\REC) — that collectively shape its agenda and contribute to its operating capacity.

Its core outputs are knowledge publications (a catalog of books including 'Een slimme stad begint bij jezelf' and 'Van slimme stad naar ecosysteem'), an event program (werkcafés, inspiratiecafés, jubilee conferences), a branded six-step methodology for resolving complex urban challenges, and multi-year collaborative programs such as the five-year City Deal 'Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat'. It also participates as communication partner in the European UPwater groundwater project. There is no proprietary software platform, no disclosed AI/ML technology, and no API or SDK offering; the foundation's technology surface is a public website plus digital downloads of its publications.

The business model is nonprofit and partner-funded. Revenue is not disclosed and the foundation does not sell products or services in a conventional sense; instead, it operates on premium partner contributions and project-based support, with a small core team (board chaired by Frans Jorna, plus staff handling project management, strategy & relations, communications, and projects). Geographically the foundation is Netherlands-focused, with a single recent European extension via UPwater, and it celebrated its 10-year anniversary in October 2025 alongside Agenda Stad, signing a new cooperation agreement covering two new City Deals.

Name

Future City Foundation

Legal name

Stichting Future City

Website

https://future-city.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Future City Foundation is a Dutch nonprofit foundation that convenes municipalities, technology companies, and knowledge institutions to advance digital transition in Dutch cities through premium partnerships, events, knowledge publications, and collaborative programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart City Network and Knowledge Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

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), Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

Keywords

• Smart city innovation
• Urban digital transition
• Public-private partnerships
• Knowledge publications
• Collaborative events

Headquarters

HQ city

Amersfoort

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Future City Foundation is a Dutch non-profit network organization that convenes municipalities, technology companies, and knowledge institutions to drive the digital transition of cities. It delivers its mission through smart city knowledge publications (a library of seven books), an events program (Werkcafés, Inspiratiecafés, conferences), collaborative projects such as the City Deal 'Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat', and a six-step methodology for articulating and resolving urban challenges.

Product overview

Future City Foundation is a network organization (foundation/stichting) rather than a traditional software product company. Its offering consists of knowledge-sharing publications (books on smart city topics), event facilitation services (Werkcafés, Inspiration Cafés, City Deal events), collaborative challenge resolution methodology, and participation in European research projects. The publications serve as intellectual property documenting the organization's approach, while the events program provides the primary engagement platform. The six-step methodology for urban challenge resolution represents the organization's consulting framework. All offerings support the foundation's mission of connecting public and private stakeholders in smart city innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Future City Foundation Knowledge Publications (Smart City Book Library) A collection of seven smart city publications including 'Een slimme stad begint bij jezelf', 'Van slimme stad naar ecosysteem', 'Zo creëer je waarde in een slimme stad', 'Zo bestuur je een slimme stad', 'Een slimme stad zo doe je dat', 'Smart & leefbaar', and 'Boven het maaiveld is alles mooier'. These digital books are offered free of charge to municipalities, technology companies, and knowledge institutions, codifying the foundation's approach to smart city governance and value creation.
• Future City Foundation Events Program (Werkcafés, Inspiratiecafés, Conferences) An event program comprising Werkcafés (working cafés on topics such as Energy Management Systems and Resilience), Inspiratiecafés (inspiration cafés on urban innovation), and larger annual conferences and jubilee celebrations. Events are designed for Dutch municipalities, technology companies, and knowledge institutions to share innovations, facilitate dialogue, and identify collaboration opportunities.
• Collaborative Challenge Resolution Service (Six-Step Methodology) A structured six-step methodology for identifying and solving complex urban challenges, covering identification of societal challenges, uncovering underlying causes, bundling questions from municipalities, developing solution directions, testing and validating solutions, and scaling through the Future City network. The methodology underpins programs such as the DKHGSL vraagarticulatie process for governments.
• City Deal 'Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat' Collaborative Framework A five-year collaborative framework developed with Dutch cities, regions, ministries, and companies to demonstrate how digitalization and technology contribute to societal urban challenges including climate change, mobility, inclusion, and democracy. The City Deal produced tools for the digital city and built a network of partners whose results were embedded in the DMI ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• Five-year City Deal developed and implemented digital city tools while building a large network of stakeholders
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Gemeente AmersfoortcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2015Premium partner municipality providing test environment for smart city innovations. The municipality is represented by Baukje Keulen and councilors Johnas van Lammeren and Arjan Spaans. Contributed to the foundation's 10-year trajectory and participates in collaborative projects.
• ArgaleocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2015Premium partner technology company providing data-driven smart city solutions. Represented by Jeroen Steenbakkers who emphasizes scalability and implementability: 'From pilot to platform, that's where real impact lies.' Participated in Inspiration Café in Zwolle.
• ELBA\RECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium partner for urban planning and smart city consulting. Represented by Arjan Ankerman who advocates for integrating smart city thinking into urban planning processes from the start rather than as an afterthought.
• Gemeente Sittard-GeleencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium partner municipality contributing to the foundation's network of municipalities working on digital transition and smart city initiatives.
• VodafoneZiggocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium partner telecommunications company contributing connectivity and technology expertise to smart city solutions. Represented by Rene Visser who emphasizes 'Technology is a means, not an end in itself.'
• WeCitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium partner providing smart city technology platforms. Represented by Annemarie Boereboom who notes that public and private parties ultimately want the same thing: a livable city.
• WeLabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium partner focused on digital innovation in smart cities. Represented by Klaes Sikkema who emphasizes exchanging personal interest for collective interest in good collaboration.
• Gemeente ZwollecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium partner municipality and host of Inspiration Café 'stedelijke innovatie'. Represented by Henk Vonk who focuses on how digitalization can make health, greening, mobility and safety interconnected for smarter and healthier construction.
• Green Innovation HubsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner focused on sustainable and inclusive area development with emphasis on digital innovation. Hosted the foundation's 10-year anniversary celebration in Almere.
• DMI ecosysteemsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem partner providing the domains of mobility, public space and housing with new instruments from the digital world. The foundation's City Deal results are embedded in the DMI ecosystem.
• Agenda StadsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner celebrating its 10-year anniversary alongside Future City Foundation. Signed a new cooperation agreement focused on digitalization opportunities within two new City Deals.
• UPwater (European Project)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project where Future City serves as communication partner. UPwater investigates how widespread groundwater pollution in different countries can be addressed. See www.upwater.eu for more information.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Smart Cities Council: Global industry association of companies, governments, and researchers advancing smart city technology and policy — comparable as a multi-stakeholder network focused on urban digital transformation.
• C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group: Global network of major cities committed to climate action, with significant overlap in smart-city, urban sustainability, and digital transition themes addressed by Future City Foundation.
• Resilient Cities Network: Global network of cities working on urban resilience, including crisis resilience (a stated Future City focus area) — comparable as a city-focused multi-stakeholder platform with similar convening model.
• Eurocities: European network of major cities working on urban policy and innovation across the EU — a broader incumbent operating at European scale with overlapping themes of municipal digitalization and urban transition.

Others

• URBACT: European Union program for integrated urban development connecting European cities to share solutions — adjacent as a funder/ecosystem participant where Future City could route projects for EU support.
• Green Innovation Hub: Dutch innovation hub for sustainable and inclusive area development, hosting Future City's 10-year anniversary — adjacent ecosystem partner in Dutch urban sustainability innovation.
• DMI Ecosysteem: Dutch ecosystem for digital mobility, public space, and housing innovation; Future City Foundation's City Deal results are embedded in the DMI ecosystem — an adjacent infrastructure partner.

Direct peers

• Amsterdam Smart City: Dutch public-private smart city platform connecting municipalities, companies, and citizens in Amsterdam to develop urban innovations — directly comparable as a Netherlands-based smart city network/foundation serving municipalities and tech companies.
• Agenda Stad: Dutch national platform for city-agenda cooperation across governments, companies, and institutions; Future City Foundation's named cooperation partner with overlapping mission on urban innovation and digitalization.
• Dutch Smart City: National Dutch initiative that connects cities, businesses, and knowledge institutions to accelerate smart city innovation — a close peer operating as a network organization in the same Dutch urban innovation space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/future-city/?viewAsMember=true
• Xx.com/FutureCityEU

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Future City Foundation