Starship Group

What Starship Group does

Starship Group is a UK-based offsite construction company founded in 2020, operating a Category 2 panelised modular build system called the Starship System™. The company designs and manufactures precision-engineered wall and floor panels in factory conditions, erected on site to a watertight shell in as little as 1.5 days and assembled into completed homes in days rather than months. The technology stack is anchored by the proprietary Johnny 5 platform linking design, manufacture and site operations, complemented by Manubrick® (a 30-year-guarantee industrialised brick facade), RoboBrick® (UK's first automated brick slip robotic system in partnership with Vandersanden), VELUX Dormer roof window integration, and Zero Bills energy-positive home accreditation through Octopus Energy. Every home delivered achieves EPC A+ rating, with residents reporting annual energy costs of £5–£150 versus conventional bills.

The company operates a multi-vertical B2B model serving registered providers and housing associations (Onward Homes, Magenta Living, Torus), local authorities and government bodies (Hull City Council, Homes England-backed schemes), leisure and hospitality operators (Chester Zoo, London & Regional/Forest Holidays, Willingcott), and large property developers and JV partners (Urban Splash x Igloo on Festival Gardens, up to 800 homes). Revenue is generated through negotiated development fees, construction contracts, joint-venture revenue share, and licensing of build technology, with the CHIC procurement framework providing a key channel into local authority work. Starship runs from its Wirral Waters Campus™ in the Liverpool City Region Freeport (with a £1.2m Freeport grant) and has expanded internationally through Starship Canada in Mississauga, Ontario, with Ireland announced as a forthcoming market. The company has a portfolio of 17 projects spanning 300+ homes delivered or in pipeline, with a forecast of 200+ new jobs created from the current pipeline.

Distribution is partnership-driven, combining direct sales to housing associations and councils, framework procurement (CHIC), event engagement (MIPIM 2026, UKREiiF 2026), and strategic referral partners such as Downtown in Business and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Marketing emphasises the company's 'award-winning' status, EPC A+ performance, Zero Bills accreditation, 60% lower construction-phase carbon versus traditional methods, and the social value proposition of approximately one job created per home built through local hiring and apprenticeships.

Name

Starship Group

Legal name

Starship Group Ltd

Website

https://starshipgroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Starship Group is a UK-based offsite modular construction company founded in 2020 that designs and manufactures panelised, low-carbon homes and lodges for housing associations, local authorities, leisure operators, and property developers. Its Starship System™, Johnny 5 platform, and Zero Bills accreditation deliver EPC A+ homes in days rather than months across the UK, Canada, and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellesmere Port

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Residential Development: Starship Group acts as developer and contractor delivering residential homes to housing associations, local authorities, and registered providers. Revenue is generated through development fees, construction contracts, and long-term tenure arrangements (rent-to-buy, affordable rent, shared ownership). Projects include social housing, affordable housing, and market-rate residential.
2. Leisure & Hospitality Development: Design and build of holiday lodges and resort accommodation for leisure operators and property groups. Revenue earned through design, manufacturing, and construction fees for bespoke leisure developments (e.g., Chester Zoo lodges, The Mole Resort, Woolacombe Super Lodges).
3. Public Infrastructure (Education, Health & Defence): Delivery of rapid, low-disruption construction solutions for government and public sector clients including schools, wards, operating theatres, and military housing. Revenue through direct public sector contracts.
4. Partnership & Licensing Model: Starship partners with major companies (Octopus Energy for Zero Bills, VELUX for roof windows, Vandersanden for brick facades) and provides its build technology to joint venture partners and as master developer (e.g., Egerton Village, Festival Gardens). Revenue derives from licensing build technology, JV revenue share, and co-development arrangements.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Starship Group is an offsite construction company that designs and manufactures precision-engineered, factory-assembled panelised homes using a Category 2 DfMA approach, then assembles them on site to deliver low-carbon residential, leisure and public infrastructure buildings. Its core offering is the Starship System, an end-to-end building system combining proprietary Johnny 5 technology with Zero Bills energy-positive home standards, delivered as developer, contractor and MMC technology provider to housing associations, local authorities and large developers across the UK and Canada.

Product overview

Starship Group is an award-winning offsite construction company operating primarily in the UK residential housing sector. The company's core product is the Starship System, a Category 2 panelised building solution using precision-engineered, factory-assembled panels. The Starship System is supported by Johnny 5 Technology, a proprietary platform linking design, manufacture and site operations. Starship's key consumer-facing offering is Zero Bills Homes, energy-positive homes with Octopus Energy accreditation providing residents with zero energy bills for 10 years. The company also operates Starship Campus manufacturing facilities with training academies and innovation centres, and offers facade solutions including Manubrick (30-year guarantee brick facade) and RoboBrick (automated brick slip system). The company delivers across three sectors: Residential (next-generation homes), Leisure (holiday homes and lodges), and Education/Health/Defence infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starship System™: The company's modular building system featuring Category 2 panelised construction, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), and proprietary Johnny 5 technology platform.
• Zero Bills
• Starship Campus™
• Manubrick®
• RoboBrick®

Products and services

• Starship System Starship's core panelised building system using Category 2 panelised construction with precision-engineered, factory-assembled wall and floor panels. Delivers consistent quality and carbon reductions at scale, with homes reaching a watertight state in as little as 1.5 days. Sold to housing associations, local authorities, registered providers, developers and leisure operators across the UK and Canada.
• Zero Bills Homes Energy-positive homes designed to generate more energy than they consume through a combination of solar, storage, smart fabric and air source heat pumps. Accredited by Octopus Energy, the Zero Bills standard delivers zero energy bills for residents for 10 years (residents reported £5–£150 annual energy costs) and EPC A+ rating. Sold to housing associations, local authorities and developers across the UK.
• Manubrick Industrialised brick facade solution offering a 30-year guarantee — the first of its kind in the UK. Provides a factory-controlled facade process that avoids weather delays and reduces on-site risk, integrated into Starship's panelised construction. Sold as a standalone facade system and as part of Starship homes and developments.
• RoboBrick Fully integrated industrial facade automation system that automatically bonds brick slips to substrates. UK's first automated brick slip robotic system, dramatically reducing waste and cutting raw material and energy use by up to 60% versus traditional bricklaying. Sold as a standalone facade automation product and incorporated into Starship's production lines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every home delivered achieves EPC A+ rating (vs. industry average far lower)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, flagship and supporting.

• VandersandencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Market-first strategic partnership bringing Vandersanden's RoboBrick® facade automation together with Starship's next-generation modular development. RoboBrick® automatically bonds brick slips to substrates and can be incorporated into production lines, cutting raw material and energy use by up to 60%. Starship is the first UK business to launch Manubrick® — a 30-year guarantee industrialised brick facade. RoboBrick® UK launch planned for 2027. The partnership addresses facade capacity and consistency as Starship scales, while reshaping offsite construction with advanced facade automation.
• Downtown in BusinessstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2025Starship became a strategic partner of Downtown in Business, joining its national sponsor network as a high-growth, innovation-driven company. The partnership provides access to investors, city leaders, and senior decision makers through MIPIM 2026 and UKREiiF 2026. Downtown will support Starship's engagement across West Midlands, West Yorkshire, London, and the North West — key regions in Starship's expansion strategy.
• Urban Splash x Igloo JVflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Starship is named as a partner on Liverpool's flagship Festival Gardens regeneration project — one of the most significant brownfield sites in the UK. Urban Splash and Igloo Regeneration are the JV partners leading the master development; Starship provides build technology for up to 800 homes. Starship is also master developer and contractor on Egerton Village at Wirral Waters.
• Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025LJMU's School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment is collaborating with Starship on a project funded through the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). Two research engineers (Farhan Ahmed PhD and Deelaram Nangir MSc) are optimising the structural system and improving environmental performance of Starship developments. Research team includes Dr Georgios Nikitas, Dr Maria Ferentinou, Professor Ana Brás, Professor Mike Riley, and Lesley Lambert. Dr Michaela Gkantou leads: 'This is a great opportunity to apply our expert knowledge in structural engineering to further innovation with a leading company.'
• Hugh Baird CollegestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Partnership to integrate cutting-edge building techniques into the College's construction and trades courses. Starship provides manufacturing facility tours, industry talks, integrated specialised training, and collaboration on a modular housing build. Supported by the Strategic Development Fund (SDF) with the goal of tackling the skills gap in the industry. Kevin Hardy (Head of Manufacturing at Starship) leads: 'It is fantastic to see students acquiring new skills pertinent to offsite manufacturing that are also transferable to traditional build.'
• VELUXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoof window and daylighting partner elevating the design of every Starship home. Starship is the first partner in Europe to integrate VELUX's new innovation directly into homes. VELUX Dormer roof windows are installed within one day and increase head height and usable floor space, reducing damp and mould risk through effective purge ventilation. Partnership addresses indoor environment quality, damp, mould and poor air quality in social housing. VELUX provides daylighting solutions integrated into Starship's panelised system.
• Octopus EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy partner behind Starship's Zero Bills accredited homes — one of only a handful of accredited Zero Bills delivery partners in the UK. Octopus Energy guarantees zero energy bills for residents for 10 years (hot water, heating, and lighting). Starship is one of only a handful of pioneering housebuilders across the UK to deliver the Octopus Energy Zero Bill standard. The partnership enables delivery of Zero Bills villages across the UK.
• CHIC (Community Investment Health Consortium)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFramework and procurement partner working with customers to procure Modern Methods of Construction partners. Starship was selected via CHIC's MMC framework to deliver 42 homes for Hull City Council across three sites. CHIC enables local authorities and housing providers to access Starship's MMC capabilities through a pre-approved procurement route.
• Liverpool City Region Combined AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional innovation partner taking Liverpool's investment story to the world. Co-founder of Future Homes Liverpool City Region to accelerate affordable housing delivery. Starship CEO Dave Dargan serves on the UK advisory board. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram actively promotes Starship's model and has visited the Starship factory. Liverpool City Region Brownfield Land Fund allocated £195,000 to the Mungo Park Way development. The region is a Freeport zone where Starship's Wirral Waters Campus is located.
• Homes EnglandsupportingOthersGovernment housing agency providing funding and strategic partnership support to Starship-led developments. Homes England backed the Greenleas development with Onward Homes and the Mungo Park Way development.
• Nobody Left BehindsupportingOthersCharity partnership working with Starship to help people into the construction sector who might otherwise be left behind. Part of Starship's 'Opportunities For All' commitment and social value strategy.
• Onward HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading North West housing association (35,000+ homes) and Starship's most prolific repeat customer. Partnership spans multiple projects: Greenleas (13 carbon zero homes), Atherton Grove (13 zero carbon homes, Greater Manchester), Halsnead Zero Bills Village (88 homes), and others. Onward Homes CEO Bronwen Rapley: 'As well as offering significantly lower energy bills, these modern homes are helping local people put down roots in their community.'
• Magenta LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing association and repeat Starship customer across multiple projects: Brook Street (8 zero carbon homes, Birkenhead, £1.9m), Maple Grove (6 carbon zero homes, Bromborough), Sandbank Point (13 townhouses, West Kirby). Magenta Living COO Libby Eastley: 'Your aftercare is excellent and a real unique selling point that you should shout about more.'
• Chester ZooflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Europe's most famous conservation charities. Starship delivered The Reserve at Chester Zoo — 52 conservation-led lodges built to Carbon Zero standard with biodiversity features and green roofs. Chester Zoo CEO Jamie Christon: 'There's nothing else quite like The Reserve at Chester Zoo in the UK. It's so much more than just a getaway.' The project exemplifies Starship's ability to build non-disruptively on live, sensitive sites.
• London & Regional Property GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for The Mole Resort in North Devon — 51 energy-positive lodges. London & Regional Property Group is a major property investment and development group. The project was named among The Times' top UK holiday destinations and was recognised at the National Energy Efficiency Awards.
• Forest HolidayssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarship built holiday lodges at Glentress Forest in Scotland — a challenging remote terrain project for Forest Holidays, a provider of forest cabin holidays in the UK.
• TorussupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading affordable housing provider and Starship customer for Oakdale Road — Torus's first ever Net Zero Carbon new build development: 8 bungalows in Wallasey with £1.5m investment. Torus Director of Development Steve Alcock: 'This development will form the blueprint for how we continue to use MMC intelligently.'

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Legal & General Modular Homes: UK factory-built modular housing backed by Legal & General, building homes at scale using offsite manufacturing. Direct competitor to Starship in the same MMC Category 2 panelised space, particularly in residential development for housing associations and BTR investors.
• TopHat: UK panelised modular housing manufacturer using light-gauge steel DfMA approach and software-led design-to-manufacture. Direct peer to Starship on core technology stack (Category 2 panelised, software-linked production), target customer base (housing associations, developers) and unit economics.
• ilke Homes: UK modular housing manufacturer producing light-gauge steel panelised homes for housing associations and developers. Closest historic direct peer to Starship (same MMC category and customer base); went into administration in 2024 and serves as a cautionary reference point for the sector.
• Wernick Group: Long-established UK modular buildings manufacturer producing steel-framed volumetric and panelised buildings for residential, education, health and leisure. Directly comparable to Starship on panelised DfMA construction and on cross-sector (residential, education, health) GTM.
• Rollalong: UK offsite manufacturer of modular permanent and temporary buildings using steel-frame construction, serving defence, education, healthcare and residential. Comparable to Starship on the steel-frame panelised approach and multi-sector public-sector GTM.
• McAvoy Group: Northern Ireland-based offsite construction specialist producing modular steel-frame buildings for education, healthcare, hotels and housing. Comparable to Starship on panelised offsite construction, EPC-targeted performance and direct B2B sales to housing and public-sector clients.

Emerging players

• Modulous: UK-based modular housing platform that digitises design-to-delivery and partners with distributed manufacturers to build homes. Overlaps with Starship on the software/Jonny 5-style layer connecting design, manufacture and site, but uses a partner network rather than vertically integrated factories.

Others

• Urban Splash: UK property developer and existing Starship joint-venture partner at Festival Gardens. Comparable as a brownfield regeneration developer where Starship plays the MMC delivery role; not a direct peer but illustrates the developer-counterparty landscape Starship is positioning to join.

Broad incumbents

• Portakabin: Large UK and European modular buildings manufacturer primarily known for portable and interim buildings but with growing permanent modular housing and education/health capacity. Comparable to Starship on modular construction technology and B2B public-sector GTM, though at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Sekisui House (UK modular): Japanese homebuilder with established UK modular housing operations. Comparable to Starship as a category 2 MMC residential housebuilder competing for UK housing association and developer contracts, though with deeper financial backing and a much longer track record in factory-built homes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/starshipgroupuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/StarshipGroupUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starshipgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starship Group