Future State

We operate at the intersection of policy and commerce to help government and business leaders improve the performance of cities and harness their potential as engines of sustainable prosperity. 

Cities are on the frontline of the massive economic, social and environmental issues the world is facing. They are also subject to profound changes from technological disruption, new citizen and consumer preferences, shifting demographics, and the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape. The need for deeper insights, unconventional thinking, and new combinations of skills is clear.  

Future State brings together the mindsets, expertise and insights government, industry and community leaders need to understand the emerging new paradigm for cities and society.  

We work side-by-side with our clients and their stakeholders to diagnose multidimensional challenges, identify trends that will shape the future of cities, and unlock bold strategic moves that will generate positive and lasting change. We do this by integrating disciplines, data, and methods to create new insights and strategic tools that offer game-changing potential for cities, communities, and our clients. 

What we do 

We are passionate about the role cities can play in addressing the big existential and societal challenges of our times.  That’s why we are directing our efforts towards challenges that are future-focused and have far-reaching implications for cities, businesses, society, and the planet.  We specialise in deep, insightful analysis and strategic advice to help city leaders drive outcomes across three key areas.

1. Boosting regional innovation and enterprise. We work with governments, institutions and businesses to transform innovation and industry ecosystems, attract talent, capital and ideas, increase competitiveness and make the most of the forces driving our increasingly complex urban economies.
2. Delivering wellbeing for people and communities. We partner with governments, communities and the social sector to redefine measures of social progress, improve community health, proactively tackle inequalities and create more inclusive, resilient and socially prosperous cities and places.  
3. Enhancing public value from transformative investments. We advise public and private asset developers, investors and owners on the city-shaping impacts of major projects and programs. Helping them clarify purpose and formulate value creation strategies that maximise economic, social and environmental returns on investment.

Our impact  

We are working across Australia and internationally to help a diverse group of government, business and institutional clients answer the tough questions others can’t. Here are some highlights of the impact we’ve had so far: 

• We assisted a government in the Middle East devise a strategy to realise its youth development and economic transformation objectives by seeding and cultivating regional innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems. 
• We continue to advise State and Local Governments on strategies to maximise public value and create an inter-generational legacy from the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. 

• We helped the Queensland Government define the State’s talent landscape and chart a path toward higher productivity regions built on high-potential sectoral specialisations. 
• We collaborated and co-created new workplace and urban living models for a Silicon Valley tech giant in the heart of San Francisco. 
• We supported the Crown Estate in developing a purpose-led strategy for Her Majesty’s real estate portfolio so that it adds significant long-term value to the lives of all Londoners. 
• We advised a major fund on the establishment of a new financial green market for Australia’s emerging clean and green tech industries that, once trading, will be only the second of its kind in the world. 
• We provided policy advice and assessed the economic impact of a new metropolitan strategy to improve liveability for one of Australia’s fastest growing small capitals.