BE OPEN Foundation
BE OPEN Foundation is a Swiss-headquartered non-profit think tank founded in 2012 by Elena Baturina that runs conferences, exhibitions, master classes, and a 10,000 euro awards scheme to support young creative talent across 35+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLugano, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What BE OPEN Foundation does
BE OPEN Foundation is a Swiss-headquartered, globally operating non-profit think tank founded in 2012 by Russian entrepreneur Elena Baturina with a $100 million intellectual-development capital commitment. The foundation runs international conferences, design competitions, exhibitions, master classes, and cultural events at premier design weeks — Milan FuoriSalone, Basel, London Design Festival, and Design Miami — alongside a $100,000-level grant scheme (BE OPEN Awards) for young creative talent. Its core product surface comprises BE OPEN Projects (curated exhibitions and forums), BE OPEN Community (network of creatives and institutions), BE OPEN Academy (educational platform at beopenacademy.com), and the BE OPEN Blog (editorial content on design, architecture, and technology), plus digital features such as Explore Art Online and an Art Gallery.
The foundation's underlying technology stack is content-and-community oriented rather than engineering-heavy: a WordPress-based web property, seven-platform social presence (Instagram, X, YouTube, Facebook, Telegram, Pinterest, TikTok), and a separate blog at blog.beopenfuture.com. The flagship 2026 product, Making+Meaning, is a four-week summer design studio developed with SCI-Arc in Los Angeles that integrates AI tools for architectural experimentation and portfolio development — this is the only disclosed AI-touchpoint and is positioned as a productivity tool rather than a proprietary capability.
BE OPEN's go-to-market is event-driven: free-to-attend conferences at prestigious venues, live-streamed globally, supported by an endemic-partnership network of 50+ universities and cultural institutions (MIT, Royal College of Art, Imperial College London, Arts University Bournemouth, Cumulus, African Leadership University, University of Johannesburg, among others) across more than 35 countries. The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial: no products or services are sold, no pricing tiers exist, and operating capital is drawn primarily from the Baturina endowment, with supplementary corporate partnerships (e.g., Red Bull's GamePop GP-1 project). End beneficiaries — emerging designers, creative students, and young professionals — are not paying customers but grant recipients and program participants.
BE OPEN Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BE OPEN Foundation
- Legal name
- BE OPEN Foundation
- Website
- https://beopenfuture.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BE OPEN Foundation is a Swiss-headquartered non-profit think tank founded in 2012 by Elena Baturina that runs conferences, exhibitions, master classes, and a 10,000 euro awards scheme to support young creative talent across 35+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BE OPEN Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Education and Cultural Programs
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Educational Services (611), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH), Open Multimedia OER (video, audio, podcasts, animations) (EDAGAJAF)
Keywords
Where BE OPEN Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lugano
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
BE OPEN Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Capital / Philanthropic Funding: BE OPEN Foundation was established with a $100 million investment from Russian entrepreneur Elena Baturina for intellectual development. The foundation uses this capital to fund grants, awards, events, and educational programs including the BE OPEN AWARDS scheme offering 10,000 euro grants to young creative talent.
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: The foundation partners with corporations for exhibitions, events, and programs. Examples include Red Bull (GamePop GP-1 project) and collaborations with design studios and educational institutions for sponsored projects and competitions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
BE OPEN Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BE OPEN Foundation is a nonprofit creative think tank that fosters creativity and innovation among young creative talent through international conferences, competitions, exhibitions, master classes, and cultural events held at premier global design weeks. It runs the BE OPEN Awards grant scheme offering 10,000 euro grants, the Making+Meaning summer design studio in partnership with SCI-Arc, and maintains a global network of 50+ partner universities and cultural institutions across 35+ countries.
Product overview
BE OPEN Foundation is a creative think tank and global initiative that fosters creativity and innovation through cultural, educational, and art events. The organization operates a multi-faceted portfolio including its core Programs (BE OPEN Projects, Community, and Academy), editorial Blog content, the Making+Meaning summer design studio in partnership with SCI-Arc, the BE OPEN Awards for emerging talent, and digital features like Explore Art Online and an Art Gallery. Founded by Russian entrepreneur Elena Baturina with a $100m investment commitment, the foundation serves as an international platform connecting creatives across design, architecture, and art disciplines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BE OPEN Awards
- Making+Meaning Summer Program
- BE OPEN Projects
- BE OPEN Academy
- BE OPEN Community
Quantifiable outcome
- 10,000 euro grants awarded to young creative talent through BE OPEN AWARDS
Companies that use BE OPEN Foundation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BE OPEN Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
BE OPEN Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and regional.
- SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture)flagshipBE OPEN partners with SCI-Arc to present Making+Meaning, a four-week summer design studio program held June 29 – July 24, 2026 in Los Angeles. The program focuses on architectural experimentation, AI integration in design, and portfolio building.
- Imperial College LondoncoreAcademic partner supporting BE OPEN's educational initiatives and creative talent development programs.
- Royal College of ArtcorePrestigious UK art and design institution partnering with BE OPEN for creative education and talent development initiatives.
- MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)coreLeading technical institution in BE OPEN's global network of academic partners supporting creative innovation.
- University of JohannesburgregionalAfrican university partner in BE OPEN's global academic network.
- African Leadership UniversityregionalPan-African educational institution partnering with BE OPEN for creative talent development in Africa.
- University of IlorinregionalNigerian university partner in BE OPEN's global academic network.
- Arts University BournemouthregionalUK design school partner supporting BE OPEN's creative education initiatives.
- CumuluscoreInternational association of art, design, and media universities partnering with BE OPEN for global creative education.
- London Design FestivalflagshipBE OPEN participates in London Design Festival as part of its global event calendar, hosting exhibitions and forums.
- Design MiamiflagshipBE OPEN organized Forum at Design Miami focused on sensory design, featuring speakers who work with senses to create solutions and experiences.
- Fuorisalone (Milan)flagshipBE OPEN debuted at the 2012 Milan FuoriSalone, the creative hub for the international design world, hosting events on April 17-19, 2012 at Università degli Studi di Milano.
- Student EnergyregionalGlobal youth-focused organization partnering with BE OPEN for creative and sustainability initiatives.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
BE OPEN Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BE OPEN Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceBE OPEN Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BE OPEN Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
BE OPEN Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BE OPEN Foundation 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 BE OPEN Foundation
What does BE OPEN Foundation do?
BE OPEN Foundation is a nonprofit creative think tank that fosters creativity and innovation among young creative talent through international conferences, competitions, exhibitions, master classes, and cultural events held at premier global design weeks. It runs the BE OPEN Awards grant scheme offering 10,000 euro grants, the Making+Meaning summer design studio in partnership with SCI-Arc, and maintains a global network of 50+ partner universities and cultural institutions across 35+ countries.
Is BE OPEN Foundation a public or private company?
BE OPEN Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BE OPEN Foundation founded?
BE OPEN Foundation was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BE OPEN Foundation based?
BE OPEN Foundation is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does BE OPEN Foundation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Foundation Capital / Philanthropic Funding is the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships.
Does BE OPEN Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for BE OPEN Foundation.
What industry is BE OPEN Foundation in?
BE OPEN Foundation's product category is Creative Education and Cultural Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAJ, Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8200.