FutureGov was set-up in 2008 with the vision to transform local government. It uses social and digital media to improve services and engagement with service users. Using their expertise in design, technology and change management, they work closely with service users to understand their needs and build solutions that solve their biggest challenges.

Impact Objectives: Increase physical and mental well-being of children and young people. Increase number of older people enjoying a high quality of life. 

Its flagship product, Patchwork, was developed in response to the Baby P scandal when its founders saw how technology could connect the different teams working with a child and/or family and transform the way they communicated. They worked with social workers and child protection teams to develop a new web tool to address this need. They are now working with several local authorities and local councils across the UK and Australia.

FutureGov’s other digital products include:

● Casserole Club – a community meal sharing service that links people who love to cook with an older neighbour who would appreciate a home cooked meal
● Lantern – an online self-assessment tool for exploring social care needs
● Innovation Services – offers public sector organisations the chance to prototype and develop a suite of new tools and services for their service users

Co-founder Dominic Campbell says their mission has always been to improve public services: “As councils across the country face the challenge of increasing demands for their services alongside declining budgets many are realising the potential technology offers to significantly improve public services, helping more people in need. Having worked with teams on the front line we know the important role that products, such as Patchwork and Casserole, can play in radically improving key services in the community. This investment lets us take things up a notch, cementing our business model and giving us the headroom to have an even bigger impact.”

FutureGov’s potential to grow and have a significant impact on the development of key public services attracted Nesta Impact Investments.

Joe Ludlow from Nesta Impact Investments says: “FutureGov has already shown it can develop effective tools, like Patchwork and Casserole, that really make a difference. Public services are facing challenging times and the need for innovation has never been greater. Our investment will help FutureGov to grow the impact of their existing products and to develop more tools and work with more local councils across the UK.”