Butterfly Works and Design Innovation Group announce merger

Utrecht, 23 March 2023: Strategic design consultancy Design Innovation Group (DIG) and social design studio Butterfly Works announced they will be joining forces today, reinforcing their driving roles in the global social design sector.  The combined entity will maintain the Butterfly Works brand under the umbrella of DIG. This news was announced during DIG’s 10th anniversary event.

“DIG has a clear dream and ambition to make more impact. Therefore it is important to be a robust organisation. We were already looking at new markets we could enter – in the future – besides the Netherlands,” said Founder and CEO DIG Marieke Rietbergen.  “These dreams turned out to match those of Butterfly Works and that is why our exploration to merge has become a reality.”

A unique opportunity to scale co-creation & design thinking
By joining forces, DIG will serve a larger market with a wider range of services, both in the Netherlands and worldwide.

Both agencies use design thinking and co-creation to solve social challenges. Butterfly Works operates internationally and facilitates design processes for development cooperation with a global network of designers and co-creation experts. DIG has extensive experience with design processes for system innovation and behavioral change at companies and governments in the Netherlands.

“This offers many opportunities to strengthen the work of Butterfly Works,” said Hanja Holm, Managing Director of Butterfly Works “This collaboration allows us to continue doing what we do best, with the same team and for the same and new clients under Marieke’s inspiring leadership.”

About Design Innovation Group
Design Innovation Group (DIG) is a design strategy firm that uses design thinking and doing to address societal challenges. Using innovative methods, DIG (re)designs visions, strategy, policies, services and systems. DIG brings imagination to make possible futures tangible, supports conversations to have meaningful dialogue, and designs behavioural interventions to ensure alignment with the future. Thus, together with their clients, DIG works on future perspectives and solutions for a world in transition.

About Butterfly Works
Butterfly Works is a social design agency pioneering the co-creation of inclusive solutions to social issues worldwide. The agency has more than 20 years of experience in over 35 countries,  with 150+ projects and 200+ partners. They specialise in co-creating education and communication solutions through inclusive and context-specific design methods.

Photo taken by Janneke Hoeben