C-sharp
C-Sharp is a Dutch design thinking and service design consultancy that delivers in-company training, prototyping workshops, and 6-12 month implementation support to large and medium-sized organizations in the Netherlands seeking to embed user-centered innovation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersHaarlem, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What C-sharp does
C-Sharp is a privately held Dutch design thinking and service design consultancy founded in 2014 and operated by Joris Funcke from Overveen/Haarlem in North Holland. The firm is structured as the founder's personal practice, drawing on a network of specialists engaged on a per-project basis, and does not maintain a full-time employee base of any meaningful scale (approximately 8 individuals overall, with the founder as the principal deliverer). Its portfolio consists entirely of in-company professional services: introductory design thinking workshops, project-oriented training with on-the-job coaching, prototyping and visualization training, and longer implementation trajectories typically spanning six to twelve months. These are delivered at client locations or external venues, with individual training prospects referred to DesignThinkersAcademy.com in Amsterdam.
C-Sharp's core methodology combines design thinking and service design tools — including stakeholder mapping, customer journey mapping, qualitative research, and prototyping — to help large and medium-sized Dutch organizations embed user-centered innovation into their operating culture. The firm pursues a horizontal segmentation across organizational size tiers and personas (innovation teams, transformation leaders), and its go-to-market is overwhelmingly founder-led: direct outreach through Joris Funcke's personal LinkedIn profile, the company website contact form, and informal referrals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are quoted on application. The firm operates without external investment, patents, certifications, or disclosed customer references.
The business model is a classic boutique professional services arrangement: billable founder hours plus ad hoc specialist support, with revenue derived from training fees and consulting mandates. The academic affiliation of the founder — part-time lecturer and design-lead at Avans Hogeschool's Business Innovation program in Den Bosch, and a prior SCAD lectureship — provides an inbound credibility channel but is not a commercial revenue line. No geographic expansion beyond the Netherlands, no productized digital offering, and no AI/ML capability are documented in the source material.
C-sharp firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- C-sharp
- Legal name
- C-Sharp
- Website
- https://c-sharp.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- C-Sharp is a Dutch design thinking and service design consultancy that delivers in-company training, prototyping workshops, and 6-12 month implementation support to large and medium-sized organizations in the Netherlands seeking to embed user-centered innovation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
C-sharp industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Design Thinking Consulting
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creativity & Innovation Mindset (EDABAMAH)
Keywords
Where C-sharp is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Haarlem
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
C-sharp business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Training Services: C-Sharp provides in-company training programs including introductory sessions (half-day), project-oriented training with coaching-on-the-job, and prototyping & visualization workshops. Training is delivered at client locations or external inspiring venues.
- Consulting & Implementation Support: Project-based consulting engagements and implementation trajectory support for organizations adopting design thinking in their daily operations. Engagements range from 6 to 12 months for full implementation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
C-sharp product offering
Product offeringCore offering
C-Sharp is a Dutch design thinking and service design consultancy that delivers in-company training programs and project-based consulting to help large and medium-sized organizations embed design thinking into their culture and operations. Its offerings span an introductory design thinking workshop, project-oriented training with coaching-on-the-job, long-term implementation support (6-12 months), and prototyping & visualization training, all delivered at the client's location or an external venue.
Product overview
C-Sharp is a design thinking and service design consultancy offering a portfolio of in-company training and consulting services. The core offerings include Design Thinking Introductie (introductory workshops), Projectgerichte Training (project-based training for specific organizational challenges), Implementatie Begeleiding (long-term implementation support to embed design thinking into organizational culture over 6-12 months), and Prototyping en Visualisatie Training (creativity and visualization skills). All services are delivered exclusively in-company, with referrals to DesignThinkersAcademy.com for individual trajectories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design Thinking Introductie An introductory design thinking workshop for organizations, typically lasting a half-day, where teams work on a challenge (provided or self-defined) using design thinking tools such as stakeholder mapping, customer journey mapping, and research methods. Delivered exclusively in-company.
- Projectgerichte Training Project-oriented training program tailored to a specific organizational challenge such as an innovation assignment or growth objective. Includes full project guidance, training, coaching-on-the-job, introduction of design thinking tools, and required materials. Sessions take place at the client's location or an inspiring external venue; duration depends on the question and complexity.
- Implementatie Begeleiding Organizational change consulting to embed design thinking principles into daily operations and culture. Typically spans six to twelve months and combines short introductions on design thinking aspects, guidance on employee-led innovation projects, and coaching-on-the-job. Duration depends on organizational culture and complexity.
- Prototyping en Visualisatie Training A training program on prototyping and visualization techniques, typically lasting one half-day, in which teams actively experiment with different prototyping forms and discuss which methods are most suitable for their organization. Used to present ideas, test concepts, and communicate innovations.
Companies that use C-sharp
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
C-sharp technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
C-sharp partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DesignThinkersAcademy.comminorC-Sharp refers individual clients seeking personal training trajectories to DesignThinkersAcademy.com in Amsterdam. This is a referral relationship for cases outside C-Sharp's in-company service model.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights2 records
C-sharp competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Livework: Service design consultancy with European roots offering service design training, journey mapping, and implementation support. Directly comparable to C-Sharp's service design focus and B2B in-company delivery model.
- Board of Innovation: European innovation consultancy specializing in design thinking workshops, corporate innovation programs, and innovation strategy. Closely comparable to C-Sharp in offering mix (in-company training, implementation support, innovation project guidance) and target mid-to-large enterprise clients.
- DesignThinkers Academy: Amsterdam-based design thinking training academy offering open enrollment and in-company programs. Already an active referral partner of C-Sharp; directly comparable in training methodology and Dutch/European market focus, though it leans toward individual rather than purely in-company delivery.
Broad incumbents
- Frog Design: Global design and innovation consultancy offering design thinking, service design, and product design engagements. Comparable to C-Sharp in methodology and service-design focus, but with a much larger global footprint and broader service portfolio.
- IDEO: Global pioneer of design thinking consulting and innovation services. IDEO is comparable as the most recognized authority in the methodology C-Sharp teaches, though it operates at vastly greater scale and breadth across industries and geographies.
- BCG Designworks: BCG's design and innovation arm offering design thinking, prototyping, and customer-experience services. Comparable to C-Sharp in applying design thinking to enterprise innovation, but embedded within a global strategy powerhouse.
- ?What If! (Accenture): Innovation consultancy (now part of Accenture) specializing in innovation sprints, capability building, and design-led transformation. Comparable in delivering design thinking training and embedding innovation capability inside large organizations.
Regional players
- Fantasticday: Dutch-based service design and design thinking consultancy offering training and project-based consulting in the Netherlands. Direct peer in geographic focus, target mid-market clients, and in-company training delivery.
- Stuffstrøm Innovation: Netherlands-based innovation and design thinking training firm. Comparable to C-Sharp as a regional player delivering in-company design thinking workshops and innovation programs to Dutch organizations.
Emerging players
- Mind the Product: Product management training community and event series with adjacent content on design thinking and innovation. Partially comparable to C-Sharp's training-and-capability-building model, though focused on product management rather than service design.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
C-sharp social profiles
Digital presenceC-sharp financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
C-sharp leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
C-sharp funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
C-sharp 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 C-sharp
What does C-sharp do?
C-Sharp is a Dutch design thinking and service design consultancy that delivers in-company training programs and project-based consulting to help large and medium-sized organizations embed design thinking into their culture and operations. Its offerings span an introductory design thinking workshop, project-oriented training with coaching-on-the-job, long-term implementation support (6-12 months), and prototyping & visualization training, all delivered at the client's location or an external venue.
Is C-sharp a public or private company?
C-sharp is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was C-sharp founded?
C-sharp was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is C-sharp based?
C-sharp is headquartered in Haarlem, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does C-sharp make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Training Services are the primary driver. The others are consulting & Implementation Support.
Who are C-sharp's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Livework, Board of Innovation and DesignThinkers Academy. Broad incumbents are Frog Design, IDEO, BCG Designworks and ?What If! (Accenture). Regional players are Fantasticday and Stuffstrøm Innovation. Mind the Product is listed as an emerging player.
Does C-sharp have an API?
No public API is recorded for C-sharp.
What industry is C-sharp in?
C-sharp's product category is Design Thinking Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAMAH, Creativity & Innovation Mindset. Its SIC code is 8742.