The world's first

Death care transformation lab​

Ars Moriendi* is a private executive network for those shaping the future of death care.

* The Art of Dying. 

Death care is on the brink of transformation

For decades, the industry has balanced operational efficiency with satisfaction scores of 80-90%. Yet deep consumer insights reveal a critical gap—customers, particularly Gen X, feel their deeper needs remain unmet.

€77 billion in funeral expenditures will soon be decided by this generation, which demands more agency, personalisation, and meaning. They are shifting away from rigid traditions toward immersive, nature-driven farewells, grief support, and ceremonies that truly reflect the life lived.

This shift is an opportunity for those ready to lead. Yet, many funeral organisations remain stuck in incremental improvements. The future of death care won't be shaped by a more sustainable coffin—it requires deep transformation.

After three years of research−including neuroscientists, anthropologists, ethnographers, industry innovators, and hundreds of consumers−one thing is clear: it’s time for change.

​For profit, and for human well-being.

The griever's voice

Gen X comments on funerals in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, UK, and the US.

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
He had such a rich life which got reduced to a bad quality video, a mediocre eulogy and a few songs on a crappy sound system.​

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
During the service, I held back my tears. I didn't want to be the only one who was crying.  But honestly, I wanted to scream.

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
We couldn't all be at my brother's funeral. But the funeral home didn't know how to do a livestream or VOD solution. I had to arrange it myself.

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
With the ceremonial rollercoaster I was so busy talking that I never got a moment to myself. To properly say goodbye.

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
You get 2 hours to part with someone you've known your whole life. Everyone is there for the day, and then they all disappear.

/

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

What is Ars Moriendi ?

Ars Moriendi is an invitation-only executive lab to reshape the future of death care.
We help our members unlock new profit opportunities and stay ahead of industry shifts.
We do this through cutting-edge research, transformational insights, and industry-disrupting venture opportunities.


What members receive

1. Priviliged access to research

  • ​Built on over three years of global research, including insights from hundreds of customers, trade experts, neuroscientists, anthropologists, and experience specialists.
  • Exclusive reports on the future of death care, customer expectations, and global trends.
  • Strategic insights from outside the industry, identifying what can be learned from other sectors.
  • Practical experience innovations that can be applied to services today.
  • A confidential executive strategy briefing with transformation experts, tailored to your business.
  • The opportunity to co-fund and co-develop in-depth customer and experience research, moving beyond traditional market surveys.

2. Executive roundtables & expert-led online session

  • Two closed-door executive roundtables per year, featuring industry pioneers, experience architects, and business transformation experts.
  • A series of 10 online campfire sessions, where leading minds in experience design, technology, and consumer behaviour share perspectives on shaping the next generation of funeral services.

3. Exclusive access to high-impact venture opportunities

  • Members receive first-mover access to venture development opportunities and co-funded industry projects.
  • These ventures provide opportunities for new profit, differentiation, and strategic positioning within the evolving industry landscape.
  • Opportunities span customer and experience research, new service models, and technology-driven innovations that redefine the industry.
  • Our work has been developed for real-world application. The insights, frameworks, and research behind Ars Moriendi are already shaping the upcoming 'crematorium of the future' in Antwerp, a next-generation project redefining what modern cremation facilities can be.

4. Peer-to-peer collaboration & direct access to expertise

  • A trusted space for leaders to discuss challenges, share knowledge, and explore new approaches.
  • Access to a member ecosystem for partnering, resourcing and business development
  • Priority access to sought-after experts from The Transformation Architects network for strategic advice and bespoke project support.
  • Priority access to world-class expert guidance to unlock new profit opportunities in death care and stay ahead of shifting market demands.

Who we are

Ars Moriendi is an initiative launched by Tom Wustenbergs, CEO of Pontes, one of Belgium's leading crematorium groups, and Alain Thys, veteran customer-centricity expert and founder of The Transformation Architects.

​By joining forces, they want unite visionary leaders who want to shape the next era of death care—not just in theory, but in real, measurable ways.

Membership model: limited to 60 companies world-wide

Ars Morondi is for those who see the need for change and are ready to act. Membership is limited at 60 organisations, each able to nominate two representatives to attend roundtables, events, and member-only engagements.
Membership access: by invitation only
  • Ars Moriendi offers a carefully curated network, ensuring each member contributes to and benefits from a circle of forward-thinking peers.
  • Membership is strictly limited, providing access to a select group shaping the future of death care.
  • Members receive exclusive first-mover access to venture development opportunities and co-funded industry projects.
  • Ars Moriendi members gain recognition as part of the world’s first death care transformation lab.

Who should apply to Ars Moriendi?
Ars Moriendi  is for organisations that are ready to shape the next era of death care, including:
​
  • ​End-of-life service providers seeking competitive advantage through transformation.
  • Insurers and financial services providers exploring new business models in end-of-life planning.
  • Investors and venture partners looking for high-potential innovations in funeral services and death tech.
  • Technology providers developing the next generation of digital and operational solutions for the industry.
  • Suppliers and service providers offering products, cremation technology, memorial solutions, and operational innovations to the death care sector.
  • Organisations in adjacent sectors, such as palliative care, grief support, end-of-life planning, regulatory bodies, healthcare institutions, and religious organisations, who have a vested interest in the evolution of death care and wish to contribute to a more holistic, human-centric future.

Apply for membership

Membership is strictly limited to 60 organisations worldwide.
Ars Moriendi is an invite-only network for those shaping the future of death care.
To confirm you will get maximum value from joining, we suggest a one-on-one conversation to align views and expectations.
Lead the next era of death care. Apply for membership today.
Ars Moriendi is not a conference or a consultancy
We are a transformation lab—an action-driven network of leaders shaping the future of death care.
​