UrbanChain
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
UrbanChain firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UrbanChain
- Legal name
- UC Energy Ltd
- Website
- https://urbanchain.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UrbanChain industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Renewable Energy Trading Platform
- NAICS
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regulatory Reporting, Tax & Audit Trails (reconciliation, provenance) (FSAPAJAI)
Keywords
Where UrbanChain is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
UrbanChain business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Platform / Energy Trading Fees: Platform fees charged to renewable generators and energy consumers for access to the P2P exchange, matching services, and energy trading. Consumers save at least 25% on bills; generators receive at least 25% better margins compared to wholesale market. Revenue tied to energy volumes traded on the platform.
- P2P Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Long-term P2P PPAs (10-20 years) connecting renewable generators directly with corporate consumers. Asset managers achieve 20% higher returns on average through collective credit backing rather than single off-taker risk. Fees earned on structured energy contracts.
- Energy Supply (UC Energy Ltd): Following receipt of Ofgem electricity supply licence (June 2024), UrbanChain operates as a licensed energy supplier. Customers migrated from Rebel Energy to UC Energy Ltd. Revenue from direct energy supply to corporate and domestic consumers.
- Financial Services / Embedded Finance: Partnership with Aria for embedded invoice financing for B2B marketplaces and SaaS platforms. UrbanChain is cited as a client benefiting from invoice financing services, suggesting ancillary financial services revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Monthly | Metering charges by meter class (Class E/F/G) |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Metering charges Class C Low Voltage |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Metering charges Class C High Voltage |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | P2P Energy Trading - Consumer Savings |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | P2P Energy Trading - Generator Premium |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
UrbanChain product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UrbanChain operates an AI and blockchain-powered peer-to-peer (P2P) energy exchange platform that connects renewable energy generators directly with energy consumers, bypassing the wholesale market. The platform handles profiling, aggregating, matching, balancing, settling, and billing of generation and consumption on a half-hourly basis. As the holder of an Ofgem electricity supply licence, UrbanChain also operates as a licensed energy supplier (UC Energy Ltd), enabling direct energy supply to corporate and domestic consumers.
Product overview
UrbanChain operates as an Ofgem-licensed renewable energy technology company offering an AI-driven peer-to-peer (P2P) energy exchange platform called eChain, supported by blockchain technology. The platform connects renewable energy generators directly with consumers, bypassing the traditional wholesale market. Key products include: eChain (the core P2P energy exchange system handling profiling, aggregating, matching, balancing, settling, billing, and managing generation/consumption); v-powerChain (an AI and blockchain technology product used for matching and optimization); and UC Energy Ltd (the licensed supply entity trading as UrbanChain Ltd). The platform creates local energy markets where generators and consumers trade renewable energy directly, with AI-driven half-hourly matching of generation and consumption profiles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- eChain UrbanChain's peer-to-peer (P2P) energy exchange system powered by AI and blockchain. It handles profiling, aggregating, matching, balancing, settling, billing, and managing generation and consumption for renewable energy trading, directly connecting renewable generators with energy consumers and bypassing the wholesale market.
- v-powerChain An AI system and blockchain technology product used alongside eChain for matching and optimization. It cherry-picks from different renewable generators within the P2P exchange and matches them with consumption patterns of end users, creating solid energy shapes based on corporate consumption profiles for virtual power plant functionality.
- UC Energy Ltd UrbanChain's Ofgem-licensed electricity supply entity trading as UrbanChain Ltd. Following the acquisition of its electricity supply licence from Ofgem in June 2024, customers were migrated from Rebel Energy to UC Energy Ltd, enabling direct energy supply to domestic and corporate consumers.
Quantifiable outcome
- At least 25% energy bill savings for consumers
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use UrbanChain
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
UrbanChain technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
UrbanChain partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- SoWattmajorSoWatt and UrbanChain formalised commercial partnership scaling AI-optimised private energy market model with landmark 15-year AMPYR Distributed Energy solar PPA. First transaction under this partnership unlocks scalable, traceable, long-term renewable supply for UK corporates.
- AMPYR Distributed Energymajor15-year solar PPA agreement signed with AMPYR Distributed Energy via SoWatt partnership. First transaction formalising the commercial partnership and marking a milestone for long-term renewable offtake structures in UrbanChain's private energy market.
- Eden Sustainable PowermajorFirst generation PPA within UrbanChain's private energy market with Eden Sustainable Power, making a new 8MW solar asset in Devon bankable. Enables new renewable project financing through the private market.
- Centrica EnergymajorIntegrated Centrica Energy's UK wind generation into UrbanChain's renewable energy marketplace, adding 26.5 GWh/year from a wind asset in Cambridgeshire. Partnership matches renewable supply with local demand in real time, supporting energy-intensive sectors.
- Low Carbon HubmajorTwo-year partnership connecting community-owned renewable energy directly with local consumers in Oxfordshire. Collaboration integrates renewable projects into UrbanChain's operating system, promoting local trade and resilience in UK's transition to low-carbon energy.
- BelievcoreUrbanChain supplies traceable, locally matched renewable energy to Believ's EV charging network in the UK. Uses half-hourly matching to local renewable sources. Partnership extended for three years (June 2026). Represents a fundamentally different energy sourcing model for EV networks compared to standard grid purchasing.
- Family ActionminorUrbanChain supports Family Action's FOOD Clubs initiative helping families across the UK with food access. Community/social impact partnership.
- Rebel EnergycorePartnership combining Rebel Energy and UrbanChain to bring P2P green energy market to British homes. Together powering 3,000+ domestic households with 100% local British renewable energy. Customers being migrated from Rebel Energy to UC Energy Ltd following UrbanChain's own supply licence.
- SolivusminorShared commercial solar partnership between Solivus and UrbanChain for renewable energy provision to commercial customers.
- ITN BusinessminorUrbanChain featured on ITN Business programme 'The Renewable Energy Revolution', providing broadcast media exposure for the company and its mission.
- Blue Earth SummitminorUrbanChain became a partner of the Blue Earth Summit to promote sustainable energy solutions and increase brand visibility at a major sustainability-focused event.
- Local Energy Markets AllianceminorUrbanChain committed to the Local Energy Markets Alliance to advance decentralised energy in the UK. Industry coalition focused on local energy market development.
- EquansmajorPartnership to deliver virtual power plant in Dudley, pioneering local energy solutions. Equans (formerly part of ENGIE) is a leader in energy transition solutions.
- West Suffolk CouncilmajorPioneering P2P energy exchange between WSC's renewable generators and hotel customers. Landmark scheme at Mildenhall Industrial Estate matched WSC's excess renewable energy volumes with hotel demand, creating a new online local energy market.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights8 records
UrbanChain competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Electron (ElectronConnect): UK-based blockchain infrastructure company for energy market flexibility, traceability and P2P trading. Operates in the same niche of blockchain-enabled energy market infrastructure as UrbanChain's technology stack.
- Power Ledger: Australia-based blockchain-powered P2P energy trading platform that enables distributed energy trading. Uses similar AI/blockchain technology stack for renewable energy provenance and matching, directly comparable to UrbanChain's eChain platform.
- Piclo: UK-based peer-to-peer renewable energy matching platform connecting generators with consumers. Operates a similar two-sided marketplace model for renewable energy trading and is a direct UK competitor to UrbanChain's P2P exchange.
- Limejump: UK virtual power plant and flexibility platform aggregating distributed energy resources. Now owned by EDF, but directly comparable to UrbanChain's v-powerChain virtual power plant product offering.
- GridBeyond: AI-driven demand response and distributed energy management platform. Comparable in providing AI-powered matching and optimization across distributed energy assets, similar to UrbanChain's AI half-hourly matching engine.
Broad incumbents
- SmartestEnergy: UK renewable energy supplier specializing in corporate PPAs and generator offtake. Operates in adjacent corporate renewable supply space; UrbanChain's Head of Legal previously worked at SmartestEnergy, indicating talent pool overlap.
- Centrica: Major UK energy incumbent and parent of British Gas. Currently both a partner (Centrica Energy wind agreement adding 26.5 GWh/year) and a competitor in the broader UK energy supply and corporate renewable procurement market.
- Octopus Energy: UK renewable energy supplier and tech-enabled retailer serving millions of customers. Overlaps with UrbanChain's UC Energy Ltd licensed supply business and serves as a broad incumbent competitor in the corporate renewable supply market.
Emerging players
- WePower: Blockchain-based renewable energy procurement platform enabling tokenized green energy trading. Compares through its use of blockchain for renewable energy PPAs and direct generator-to-buyer matching, conceptually similar to UrbanChain's P2P PPA model.
- Energy Web Foundation: Global nonprofit building open-source blockchain infrastructure for the energy sector. Comparable through its use of blockchain for energy grid applications, regulatory compliance, and renewable energy certificate tracking, similar to UrbanChain's blockchain energy tracing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UrbanChain social profiles
Digital presenceUrbanChain compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
UrbanChain financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UrbanChain leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
UrbanChain subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
UrbanChain funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UrbanChain 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 UrbanChain
What does UrbanChain do?
UrbanChain operates an AI and blockchain-powered peer-to-peer (P2P) energy exchange platform that connects renewable energy generators directly with energy consumers, bypassing the wholesale market. The platform handles profiling, aggregating, matching, balancing, settling, and billing of generation and consumption on a half-hourly basis. As the holder of an Ofgem electricity supply licence, UrbanChain also operates as a licensed energy supplier (UC Energy Ltd), enabling direct energy supply to corporate and domestic consumers.
Is UrbanChain a public or private company?
UrbanChain is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was UrbanChain founded?
UrbanChain was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is UrbanChain based?
UrbanChain is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does UrbanChain make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Platform / Energy Trading Fees are the primary driver. The others are P2P Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), energy Supply (UC Energy Ltd) and financial Services / Embedded Finance.
Who are UrbanChain's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Electron (ElectronConnect), Power Ledger, Piclo, Limejump and GridBeyond. Broad incumbents are SmartestEnergy, Centrica and Octopus Energy. Emerging players are WePower and Energy Web Foundation.
Does UrbanChain have an API?
No public API is recorded for UrbanChain.
What industry is UrbanChain in?
UrbanChain's product category is Renewable Energy Trading Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAJAI, Regulatory Reporting, Tax & Audit Trails (reconciliation, provenance). Its NAICS code is 2211.