What Transformative Times does

Transformative Times is a Lisbon-headquartered futures-research platform and subsidiary of the Portuguese innovation firm With Company, operating with a core team of three named individuals (Henrique Nascimento, Tiago Nunes, Rui Quinta) and a wider advisor network across nine countries. It serves pioneering leaders and their organisations — including government bodies (UNDP, OECD, Governo de Portugal), NGOs (Aga Khan Foundation, UN Futures Lab Network) and enterprises (Microsoft, IKEA, Vodafone, EDP, Auchan, MSD, Leroy Merlin, Fidelidade, Sovena) — who participate in temporary, cross-sector "expeditions" designed to research new visions, economic models, and systemic responses to planetary challenges.

The core product surface consists of the Expeditions Program (temporary research cohorts on frontier themes spanning food systems, energy, future of work, cities and governance), the Academy of Opportunities (cohort-based learning where client teams embody and internalise expedition findings), and two named R&D initiatives — Feeding Healthy Futures (Food-as-Medicine) and The Looong Life (aging and end-of-life). Underpinning all of this is the proprietary Transformative Times Methodological Model, which combines systemic colligion principles, Drivers of Change research, Immersive Visioning, Drivers of Futures, and New Systems Identification. Distribution is run through direct email outreach and a Substack newsletter, with no software platform, app, or API product disclosed.

Commercially, Transformative Times applies an open-innovation-inspired shared-cost pricing model: total research cost is divided by expedition members, with multi-year contracts and the stated value proposition that each participating organisation pays only a fraction of a normal research project. Revenue, ARR, funding rounds and contract values are not disclosed; no external institutional or venture capital backing is identified. The company carries 8 employees, a Berlin regional office alongside its Lisbon headquarters, and no AI/ML, software, or data-product components.

Name

Transformative Times

Legal name

Transformative Times

Website

https://transformative-times.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Transformative Times is a Lisbon-based futures-research subsidiary of With Company that runs cross-sector "expeditions" — temporary shared-cost research cohorts on planetary themes — for pioneering organisations including UNDP, OECD, Microsoft, IKEA and EDP.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Futures Research and Strategic Foresight Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Change Management & Transformation Consulting (BPAHAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Change Management & Transformation Leadership (EDABAAAD)

Keywords

• Futures research services
• Open innovation platform
• Systemic transition consulting
• Expedition research programs
• Strategic foresight research

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Expedition Program Fees: Total cost of research is divided by the members of the expedition. Each organization pays only a fraction of what a normal research project would cost. Inspired by open innovation platforms where costs are shared among participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Transformative Times is a research platform that convenes non-competitive organizations into temporary alliances to run expedition-style research on frontier planetary topics. Member organizations participate in cohort-based programs built around systemic and transition thinking, returning with sector analyses, drivers-of-change research, immersive visioning, and new value propositions. Revenue is generated by dividing the total research cost across expedition members, so each organization pays a fraction of standalone research costs.

Product overview

Transformative Times operates as a research beacon offering two interconnected core products: Expeditions (temporary research programs) and the Academy of Opportunities (cohort-based learning). Both are powered by their proprietary Methodological Model combining systemic thinking and open innovation. Additionally, the company runs two active initiatives: Feeding Healthy Futures (R&D program for Food+Health innovation) and The Looong Life Initiative (aging-focused research). The expeditions are structured around three thematic studios: Time to Sustain (food systems, energy, production, agriculture), Time to Relate (future of work, learning, love), and Time to Live (trading models, cities, governance).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Expeditions Program Temporary research programs that bring together non-competitive organizations into cohorts to investigate frontier planetary topics, producing full sector analyses, drivers-of-change research, immersive visioning, drivers-of-futures research, and new value propositions for participating organizations.
• Academy of Opportunities Cohort-based learning program where client teams are immersed alongside researchers in the Transformative Times methodology, embodying the research, insights, and results and bringing those learnings back into their organizations.
• Transformative Times Methodological Model The proprietary research methodology underpinning the Expeditions Program and Academy of Opportunities, combining systemic colligion principles, transition thinking, drivers-of-change research, immersive visioning, drivers-of-futures research, and new-systems identification.
• Feeding Healthy Futures Initiative R&D initiative uniting radical thinkers from the Food, Medical, and Academia sectors to collaboratively develop visions, products, and services for the future of food at the Food+Health intersection, producing strategy packs and tactical transitions.
• The Looong Life Initiative Initiative focused on rethinking aging from better end-of-life care through to all-life improvement and well-being, conducted within the Transformative Times expedition framework.

Quantifiable outcome

• Full sector analysis based on systemic colligion principles delivered per expedition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• With CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith Company is the parent organization and sister company that gave Transformative Times the expertise necessary to take innovation to the next level. Transformative Times is described as With Company's research beacon. With Company has over ten years of experience in charging organizations with innovation.
• UNDPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Development Programme has worked with Transformative Times. Organizations that have worked with the platform include government bodies, NGOs, and enterprises.
• OECDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has worked with Transformative Times as part of the extended network of organizations.
• Aga Khan FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization that has worked with Transformative Times on futures research initiatives.
• Governo de PortugalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment of Portugal has collaborated with Transformative Times as part of their extended organizational network.
• EDPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company that has worked with Transformative Times on research initiatives.
• FidelidademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance company that has collaborated with Transformative Times.
• BCSDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness Council for Sustainable Development that has worked with Transformative Times.
• AuchanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetail company that has collaborated with Transformative Times on futures research.
• UN Futures Lab NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations initiative focused on futures thinking that has worked with Transformative Times.
• IOMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Organization for Migration that has collaborated with Transformative Times.
• MicrosoftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company that has worked with Transformative Times.
• VodafoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelecommunications company that has collaborated with Transformative Times.
• IKEAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome furnishings company that has worked with Transformative Times.
• SovenaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany that has collaborated with Transformative Times on research initiatives.
• MSDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare and pharmaceutical company that has worked with Transformative Times.
• Leroy MerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome improvement retailer that has collaborated with Transformative Times.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• frog (Capgemini Engineering): A design and innovation consultancy inside Capgemini that runs foresight, design, and transformation programs for major enterprises. Comparable in blending strategy, design, and futures research into cohort-based engagements for pioneering leaders.
• Future Today Institute: A strategic foresight and trend forecasting firm that produces annual technology and industry forecasts for enterprise and government leaders. Comparable in producing narrative-driven foresight research for pioneering leaders, and similar in translating research into applied strategic guidance.
• IDEO: A global design and innovation consultancy that works with enterprises on futures, systems, and human-centered design. Comparable in combining systemic thinking with cohort-style client engagements, though IDEO is far larger and broader in product/service design execution.
• Institute for the Future (IFTF): A long-established, non-profit futures research organization running multi-stakeholder foresight programs and 10-year forecasts. Highly comparable in mission (helping organizations navigate long-horizon change) and in the use of cohort-style research engagements, though IFTF is significantly larger and US-based.
• ReD Associates: A strategy and innovation consultancy using social science and ethnographic research to help enterprises understand emerging behavior and design new value propositions. Comparable in the use of social-science-based research and immersive, qualitative methodologies.

Emerging players

• Volans: A London-based foresight and innovation consultancy focused on sustainability, regenerative business models, and systemic change. Comparable in being a boutique firm working on regenerative and transition themes for pioneering enterprises, though it is roughly an order of magnitude larger and more established.
• Livework: A service design and innovation consultancy with offices across Europe that runs multi-stakeholder programs and design-led transformation. Comparable in the European footprint and use of cohort-style, cross-sector innovation engagements with pioneering organizations.

Others

• Forum for the Future: An international non-profit working on sustainability and systemic change, frequently running multi-stakeholder programs and futures initiatives. Comparable in operating on planetary, cross-sector challenges with multi-stakeholder alliances, though structured as a non-profit rather than a commercial research firm.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte (Human Capital / Sustainability & Climate): A Big Four advisory firm whose Human Capital, Sustainability, and Strategy practices engage many of the same enterprise and multilateral clients on transformation, ESG, and futures topics. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for transformation consulting budgets.
• McKinsey & Company (QuantumBlack / Strategy & Corporate Finance): A global management consultancy whose Strategy, QuantumBlack AI, and Organization practices serve many of the same enterprise clients (Microsoft, IKEA, Vodafone, OECD) and increasingly publish futures-oriented research. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering systemic change and transformation advisory at global scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/transformative-times

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Transformative Times