Urban Future
Urban Future (UFGC GmbH, Graz, Austria) organizes an annual rotating-city European conference on sustainable urban development, convening city leaders, urbanists, and innovators; it monetizes through ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, and has no proprietary technology platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersGraz, Austria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Urban Future does
Urban Future (operating as UFGC GmbH, headquartered in Graz, Austria) organizes Europe's Better-Cities Event, an annual multi-day conference dedicated to sustainable urban development. Founded in 2013 and active in its current rotating-city format since at least 2019, the company convenes city leaders, urbanists, architects, innovators, and change-makers around three thematic pillars: Ready Cities, People-Powered Cities, and Urban Branding. The event rotates host cities across Europe — past hosts include Oslo, Helsingborg, Stuttgart, Rotterdam, Łódź, and Ljubljana — with upcoming host Istanbul (April 13-16, 2027). UF26 Ljubljana (March 24-27, 2026) attracted 2,000 attendees from 290 cities across 48 countries, with 180 speakers, 60 sessions, and 30 field trips. A 60-person Young Leaders program and the CityChangers.org community platform extend engagement beyond the annual gathering.
The business model is event-driven, with two identified revenue streams: ticket and registration fees from participants and corporate/institutional sponsorships and partnerships. Host-city partnerships are a core distribution mechanism, with municipalities historically co-creating the programme and providing in-kind venue and promotional support. For UF27, Urban Future is shifting to a new co-hosting model, partnering with civic organizations (Humane Urbanism and Türkiye Design Council) rather than a municipality. The company is privately held, has not raised external funding, and has no identified parent company, subsidiaries, or M&A activity. Its marketed customer segments are city leaders, urbanists, and innovators, with no disclosed pricing model or revenue figures.
The company has no proprietary technology platform; its digital infrastructure consists of a content website, a community platform (CityChangers.org), a media hub (MyNewsDesk), and standard social media channels. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range. Strategic momentum is supported by geographic expansion into Türkiye, programme maturation (Young Leaders scaling, new thematic pillars), and a high-profile partner pivot, but the absence of disclosed financials, ownership structure, and recurring revenue beyond ticket and sponsorship income constrains visibility into unit economics and growth quality.
Urban Future firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Urban Future
- Legal name
- UFGC GmbH
- Website
- https://www.urban-future.at
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Urban Future (UFGC GmbH, Graz, Austria) organizes an annual rotating-city European conference on sustainable urban development, convening city leaders, urbanists, and innovators; it monetizes through ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, and has no proprietary technology platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Urban Future industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Development Conferences / Event Services
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Government & Public Sector Conferences (MPAGAGAH)
Keywords
Where Urban Future is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Graz
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Urban Future business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Event Tickets and Registration: Revenue generated from attendees paying to participate in the annual Urban Future conference events. The event attracts 2,000+ participants from cities across Europe and beyond.
- Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate and institutional sponsorships from organizations interested in urban transformation and sustainable cities. Partnerships with host cities and co-hosting organizations.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Urban Future product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Urban Future (legally UFGC GmbH) organizes annual multi-day in-person conferences called "The Better-Cities Event," held in rotating European host cities, bringing together city leaders, urbanists, innovators, and change-makers to discuss sustainable, liveable urban development. The event features 180 speakers, 60 sessions, 30 Field Trips, and supplemental programs such as the Young Leaders Programme and a Flavour Programme preview booklet, with sponsorship and ticket-based revenue.
Product overview
Urban Future is a conference/event brand that organizes annual in-person events focused on sustainable urban development. The core product is 'The Better-Cities Event' — a multi-day conference featuring speakers, sessions, and field trips. Supporting offerings include the Flavour Programme (event preview booklet), Field Trips (city excursions), the Young Leaders Programme (young professional network), and a Media Hub for press resources. The company operates on a rotating host-city model, with past events in Ljubljana, Łódź, Rotterdam, Stuttgart, Helsingborg, and Oslo, and upcoming events in Istanbul (2027).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Urban Future (The Better-Cities Event) Annual multi-day in-person conference held in a rotating European host city, featuring 180 speakers, 60 sessions, and 30 Field Trips. Brings together city leaders, urbanists, innovators, partners, and change-makers to discuss sustainable, liveable, and lovable cities. Ticket-based for individual attendees; co-created with the host city and partner organisations.
- Field Trips Guided city tours and experiential excursions embedded within the main Urban Future conference that allow attendees to explore urban transformation projects, architecture, and sustainable initiatives in the host city (e.g., 30 Field Trips at UF26 Ljubljana, with options such as a bicycle mayor-led bike tour or a Plečnik architecture tour).
- Young Leaders Programme Annual talent development programme that selects 60 young professionals from cities across Europe and beyond (53 cities and 24 countries in the 2026 cohort) to participate in the main Urban Future event, exchange ideas, and forge alliances with senior city leaders and urbanists.
- Media Hub Centralized press release and news repository hosted on MyNewsDesk, providing journalists, media partners, and the public with announcements, press releases, and media resources for Urban Future events.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,000+ Urban Unicorns connected at single events
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Urban Future
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Urban Future technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Urban Future partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Humane UrbanismcoreGlobal non-profit organization that brings people and their cities together to prepare for and recover from extreme events through dialogue and collaboration. Co-hosting UF27 Istanbul with Urban Future, marking the first time Urban Future is co-hosting with civic partners rather than a municipality. Supports cities in building humane, resilient, and liveable urban environments.
- Türkiye Design Council (TDC)coreNon-governmental organization working since 2016 to strengthen design awareness in Türkiye and position design as a tool for social, cultural, and economic development. Co-hosting UF27 Istanbul with Urban Future. Creates opportunities for designers, institutions, students, professionals, and local communities to work together.
- Ljubljana City MunicipalityflagshipHost city for UF26 (March 24-27, 2026). Partnered with Mayor, Deputy Mayors, university professors, architects, urban planners, and government ministries to shape the event programme.
- Łódź CityflagshipHost city for UF25 (May 21-23, 2025). Became the heart of Europe's urban conversation at the event.
- RotterdamflagshipPast host city for UF24 event.
- StuttgartflagshipPast host city for UF23 event.
- HelsingborgflagshipPast host city for UF22 event.
- OsloflagshipPast host city for UF19 event.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Urban Future competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Smart City Expo World Congress: Flagship global conference on smart and sustainable cities, organized by Fira de Barcelona. Directly comparable to Urban Future as a large-scale, in-person city-leader event with global sponsor base and rotating city themes.
- UN-Habitat World Urban Forum: UN-convened global conference on sustainable urbanization, held biennially in major cities. Comparable audience of mayors, urbanists, and policymakers, with a similar knowledge-exchange, field-trip-style programme.
- C40 Cities Summit: C40's biennial summit convenes mayors of the world's largest cities on climate and urban policy. Highly comparable in audience (city leaders, urbanists) and sustainability-focused conference programming.
- Bloomberg CityLab: Bloomberg Philanthropies' annual city-leadership conference and editorial platform focused on urban innovation. Comparable as a curated city-leader event with strong editorial and sponsorship components.
- New Cities Foundation: Non-profit focused on urban innovation that runs city-leadership events and summits. Comparable audience and mission around building more inclusive, sustainable cities through convening and content.
Emerging players
- Resilient Cities Network: Network of cities focused on urban resilience, hosting summits and working sessions for member cities. Comparable as a city-leader community with event-driven engagement around resilience themes.
- World Design Summit: International design-focused conference series addressing urban, environmental, and social challenges. Comparable in bringing design-led thinking to city and urban-transformation conversations.
Regional players
- POLIS Network: European network of cities and regions for transport and urban innovation, hosting annual conferences. Comparable as a European city-focused convening organization with a similar policy and sustainability lens.
Broad incumbents
- OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth: OECD initiative convening mayors around inclusive urban policy and knowledge sharing. Comparable audience and policy-driven programming, though embedded in a much larger intergovernmental organization.
Others
- Smart Cities Dive: Industry media and events platform covering smart-city technology and policy. Comparable as an adjacent information and event provider serving urban professionals and city governments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Urban Future social profiles
Digital presenceUrban Future financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Urban Future leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Urban Future funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Urban Future 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 Urban Future
What does Urban Future do?
Urban Future (legally UFGC GmbH) organizes annual multi-day in-person conferences called "The Better-Cities Event," held in rotating European host cities, bringing together city leaders, urbanists, innovators, and change-makers to discuss sustainable, liveable urban development. The event features 180 speakers, 60 sessions, 30 Field Trips, and supplemental programs such as the Young Leaders Programme and a Flavour Programme preview booklet, with sponsorship and ticket-based revenue.
Is Urban Future a public or private company?
Urban Future is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Urban Future founded?
Urban Future was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Urban Future based?
Urban Future is headquartered in Graz, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Urban Future make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Event Tickets and Registration is the primary driver. The others are sponsorships and Partnerships.
Who are Urban Future's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Smart City Expo World Congress, UN-Habitat World Urban Forum, C40 Cities Summit, Bloomberg CityLab and New Cities Foundation. Emerging players are Resilient Cities Network and World Design Summit. POLIS Network is listed as a regional player. OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth is listed as a broad incumbent. Smart Cities Dive is listed as an others.
Does Urban Future have an API?
No public API is recorded for Urban Future.
What industry is Urban Future in?
Urban Future's product category is Urban Development Conferences / Event Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAGAH, Government & Public Sector Conferences. Its NAICS code is 711320 and its SIC code is 7900.