Ventura Projects

What Ventura Projects does

Ventura Projects was a curated design exhibition platform created and operated by Organisation in Design B.V., a privately held Dutch company founded by Margriet Vollenberg in 2010. The platform operated a portfolio of nine branded exhibition formats—Ventura Lambrate, Ventura Centrale, Ventura Future, Ventura New York, Ventura Dubai, Ventura London, Ventura Berlin, Ventura Interieur, and Colony x Ventura Projects—held in conjunction with major international design events including Milan Design Week, NYCxDESIGN, London Design Festival, INDEX Dubai, and Biennale Interieur Kortrijk. Ventura served three primary segments: emerging designers seeking international exposure, established design brands and labels seeking venue access for product launches, and design academies presenting student work. The company represented hundreds of designers, with flagship editions reaching 80,000–115,000 visitors and up to 171 exhibitors.

The business model combined exhibition space rental to designers and brands, participant fees for curation services, and limited ticket revenue (e.g., €5 admission to Ventura Future 2019; Ventura Centrale was free). Ventura Projects operated with a lean 1–10 person team and did not build a technology product; its core asset was curation expertise, venue access in iconic industrial spaces (Milan Central Station vaults, FuturDome, BASE Milano), and cultural institutional support from Dutch government bodies (Consulate General of the Netherlands, Creative Industries Fund NL, Dutch Culture USA, Dutch Design Foundation). Dezeen served as main media partner from 2017–2019, providing earned media and editorial coverage. The Ace Application Program was a basic online platform for designers to apply to participate.

The company ceased operations in May 2020 after 10 successful Milan editions and one final cancelled edition, citing the irreversible COVID-19 impact on its live event-based revenue model. The parent entity Organisation in Design launched the Certosa Initiative in 2022 in partnership with Beyond Space, transforming a 10,000 m2 ex-industrial complex in Milan's Certosa District for Milan Design Week 2022 as a successor concept. No technology, AI, or recurring-revenue pivot was executed before shutdown.

Name

Ventura Projects

Legal name

Organisation in Design B.V.

Website

https://venturaprojects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ventura Projects was a curated design exhibition platform that operated nine branded event formats at major international design weeks from 2010 to 2020, serving emerging designers, established brands, and design academies before ceasing operations due to COVID-19.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Event Curation and Exhibition Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Crafts & Maker Fairs (MPAGAFAJ), Corporate & Brand Event Styling (Product Launches, Activations) (HSACAOAN)

Keywords

• Curated design exhibitions
• Design event curation
• Exhibition space rental
• Design week events
• Contemporary design platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Space Rental: Rental of curated exhibition spaces to designers, brands, and studios at major design events. The company provided turnkey exhibition areas in iconic venues like Milan Central Station vaults.
2. Participant Fees: Fees charged to participating designers, studios, and brands for exhibition space and curation services at Ventura events.
3. Ticket Sales: Ventura Future charged €5 entrance fee providing access to Ventura Future and BASE exhibitions and evening events during Milan Design Week. Ventura Centrale offered free admission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ventura Projects produced curated design exhibitions at major international design events, providing turnkey exhibition spaces in iconic industrial venues (such as Milan Central Station vaults and BASE Milano) to designers, brands, academies, and studios. The company operated an application-based curation model that balanced renowned designers with emerging talents and conceptual experiments with professional product presentations, generating revenue from participant fees and exhibition space rental. The company ceased operations in May 2020 after 10 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Product overview

Ventura Projects, created by Organisation in Design, is a portfolio of curated design exhibitions held in major design hotspots worldwide including Milan, New York, London, Berlin, Kortrijk, and Dubai. The core offering consists of multiple branded exhibition formats: Ventura Centrale (Milan Central Station warehouses), Ventura Future (cutting-edge design at BASE Milano), Ventura Lambrate (flagship Milan event 2010-2018), Ventura New York (Dutch design in NYC), Ventura Dubai (Middle East), Ventura Interieur (Belgium Biennale), Ventura London, and Ventura Berlin. Special projects include the Certosa Initiative in Milan. A supporting platform, Ace, handles designer applications. The company ceased all Ventura Projects activities in 2020 due to COVID-19 impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ventura Centrale: Design event in the vaulted warehouses of Milan Central Station featuring installations by renowned international companies, design labels and studios.
• Ventura Future
• Ventura New York
• Ventura Dubai
• Ventura Lambrate
• Ventura Interieur
• Ventura London
• Ventura Berlin

Products and services

• Ventura Centrale Curated exhibition held in the vaulted warehouses of Milan Central Station, featuring installations by renowned international companies, design labels, and studios. Operating since 2017, expanded from 8 warehouses in 2017 to 16 vaults in 2019. Targeted at established brands and design labels seeking iconic industrial venues for brand storytelling during Milan Design Week.
• Ventura Future Exhibition highlighting original, cutting-edge and impactful design by emerging talents and established brands. Since 2019, collaborating with BASE Milano at the Ex-Ansaldo cultural complex. Features themes of bio-design, craftsmanship, technology, and food. Targeted at emerging designers and forward-looking brands during Milan Design Week.
• Ventura Lambrate Flagship event held during Salone del Mobile/Fuorisalone in Milan from 2010-2018. The Lambrate district transformed into a thriving design district showcasing international contemporary design across multiple locations including factory halls and galleries. Targeted at designers, studios, and brands seeking presence in the Milan design week circuit.
• Ventura New York (the Dutch edition) Exhibition showcasing Dutch contemporary design in New York City during NYCxDesign Week. Collaborates with the Consulate General of the Netherlands to help Dutch designers access the American market. Featured at WantedDesign Manhattan (2016, 2017) and ICFF (2019). Targeted at Dutch designers and brands seeking US market entry.
• Ventura New York x Colony Collaboration with Colony designers' co-op presenting Dutch Design in NYC. Exhibition featured 7 Dutch designers and ran from September-December 2019 at 324 Canal Street, curated jointly by Margriet Vollenberg and Jean Lin. Targeted at Dutch designers seeking American market visibility.
• Ventura Dubai Exhibition platform at INDEX Design Series in Dubai, bringing innovative design concepts to the Middle East market. Featured 31 design brands from across the globe in 2019, with focus on creativity, craftsmanship, and sustainability. Targeted at international design brands seeking Middle East market presence.
• Ventura Interieur Independent curated exhibition platform within Biennale Interieur in Kortrijk, Belgium. Showcases contemporary design and broader cultural sectors related to design, bringing exhibitors closer to the commercial sphere. Targeted at designers and brands seeking access to the Belgian design market.
• Ventura London Exhibition area during London Design Festival in partnership with designjunction, focused on young talent. Held at the Sorting Office venue with dynamic mix of established labels and experimental work. Targeted at designers and brands seeking visibility in the UK design market.
• Ventura Berlin First Ventura Project outside Milan, integrated into Qubique professional tradeshow for furniture and interior design. Held in the lobby of the former Tempelhof Airport, showcasing innovative contemporary design. Targeted at designers and brands seeking visibility in the German design market.

Quantifiable outcome

• 115,000+ visitors in peak edition (Ventura Lambrate 2017)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Certosa InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2022Certosa Initiative was created by Organisation in Design and Beyond Space to transform a former industrial complex in Milan's Certosa District for Milan Design Week 2022.
• ColonycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2019Colony is a designers' co-op in New York. Collaboration for 'Dutch Design in NYC' exhibition featuring 7 Dutch designers at 324 Canal Street, curated jointly by Margriet Vollenberg and Jean Lin (Colony founder).
• WantedDesign ManhattancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 September 2019Design festival venue in NYC. Hosted Ventura New York 2016 and 2017 exhibitions during NYCxDESIGN.
• ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 May 2019ICFF is one of the largest American design fairs with over 850 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors. Ventura New York participated as part of ICFF during NYCxDESIGN.
• Netherlands Enterprise AgencyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 May 2019Government agency supporting Dutch businesses internationally. Supported Ventura New York 2019.
• Dutch Design FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 May 2019Foundation promoting Dutch design internationally. Supported Ventura New York 2019.
• Creative HollandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 May 2019Organization promoting Dutch creative industries. Supported Ventura New York 2019.
• Brabant CminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 May 2019Regional development agency supporting Brabant creatives. Supported Ventura New York 2019.
• BASE MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2019BASE Milano is a cultural project aimed at promoting innovation, life-long learning and cross-pollination in the creative industries. Ventura Future 2019 occupied 3,500 square metres divided over two floors at BASE Milano's Ex-Ansaldo location in Milan.
• FuturDomeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2018Housing museum for emerging talents. Hosted Ventura Future 2018 in the former meeting place of the Futurist movement.
• dmg eventscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 March 2018dmg events produces market-leading exhibitions including INDEX Design Series. Ventura Dubai was curated within the INDEX exhibition, bringing international design to the Middle East market.
• DezeencoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2017Dezeen was the Main Media Partner for Ventura Centrale and Ventura Future from 2017-2019. Provided editorial coverage and media promotion for Ventura events.
• Grandi Stazione RetailcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2017Enabled access to the vaults beneath Milan Central Station for Ventura Centrale exhibitions. Collaboration under patronage of Milan Municipality.
• Consulate General of the Netherlands in New YorkcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 May 2016Supported Ventura New York editions as part of Dutch Culture USA program, providing access to American market for Dutch designers.
• Creative Industries Fund NLcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 May 2016Dutch government fund supporting creative industries. Funded Ventura New York editions to promote Dutch design internationally.
• Dutch Culture USAcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 May 2016Program supporting Dutch cultural presence in the US. Partnered with Ventura New York to showcase Dutch design at American design events.
• Biennale InterieurcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 October 2014Biennale Interieur is a renowned design biennial in Kortrijk, Belgium. Ventura Interieur was established as an independent curated exhibition platform within the event.
• designjunctioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 September 2014designjunction organizes professional design events in London. Ventura London was integrated into designjunction's venue at the Sorting Office during London Design Festival.
• QubiqueminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 October 2011Qubique is a professional tradeshow for furniture and interior design in Berlin. Ventura Berlin was integrated into Qubique at the former Tempelhof Airport.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/venturaprojects
• Xx.com/VenturaProjects
• Facebookfacebook.com/VenturaProjects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Ventura Projects