London South Bank University
London South Bank University is a UK higher education institution and parent of the LSBU Group, delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, apprenticeship, and professional development programmes alongside commercial research partnerships to students, employers, and international learners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1892
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What London South Bank University does
London South Bank University (LSBU), founded in 1892 and headquartered at 103 Borough Road in Southwark, London, is a higher education institution structured as a company limited by guarantee and registered as an exempt charity under the Charities Act, with the Office for Students as its principal regulator. It operates as the parent of the LSBU Group, integrating South Bank Colleges, London South Bank Technical College (Nine Elms), South Bank University Academy, and South Bank University Sixth Form into a contiguous education-to-employment pathway spanning further education through postgraduate study. Its core products are undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, apprenticeships, and continuing professional development courses, delivered across three academic colleges: Health and Life Sciences, Technology and Environment, and Society and Professions. The university generated £36M in funded projects over the past five years through more than 3,000 commercial partnerships with entities including Siemens, Network Rail, Hitachi, Verizon, NHS Sussex, Arup, and Southwark Council.
Revenue is generated primarily through tuition fees and government apprenticeship funding, supplemented by commercial partnerships, research grants, professional development courses, and venue and facility hire (lecture theatres, filming locations, specialist labs and ZONES learning spaces). The go-to-market is hybrid: direct-to-consumer student recruitment via the website, open days, a Virtual Experience Platform, social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, TikTok), and the Unibuddy student ambassador programme; alongside enterprise field sales through a dedicated business development team cultivating SME and major-corporate relationships. International recruitment is supported by a dedicated team and agent network with regional emphasis on South Asia.
Underlying technology assets include the Infinite Shed net-zero makerspace and research facility (launched May 2026), Elephant Studios media facility, ZONES learning environment, a Moodle-based Virtual Learning Environment, a Recite Me accessibility toolbar, a Research and Innovation Portal, and proprietary research outputs such as the ML-assisted High-Entropy Alloy design framework (co-developed with IIT Guwahati, Manchester, and Leeds) and the Life Cycle Assessment methodology for circular server design producing a quantified ~29% environmental impact reduction over a 16-year service period. The institution holds GDPR registration, ISO 27001-aligned data protection controls, and is pursuing the University Mental Health Charter award.
London South Bank University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- London South Bank University
- Legal name
- London South Bank University
- Website
- https://lsbu.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1892
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- London South Bank University is a UK higher education institution and parent of the LSBU Group, delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, apprenticeship, and professional development programmes alongside commercial research partnerships to students, employers, and international learners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
London South Bank University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)
Keywords
Where London South Bank University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
London South Bank University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition fees: Revenue from undergraduate and postgraduate tuition fees, international student fees, and apprenticeship program funding from the UK government.
- Commercial partnerships and research: Revenue from business collaborations, research grants, and funded projects. LSBU has generated £36M in funded projects over the last 5 years through commercial partnerships with over 3,000 businesses.
- Venue and facility hire: Revenue from renting lecture theatres, meeting rooms, training spaces, exhibition spaces, outdoor areas, and specialist facilities to external organisations for events, conferences, and filming.
- Professional development courses: Revenue from continuing professional development (CPD) courses and short courses offered to businesses and individuals seeking skills development.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Student financial support package |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
London South Bank University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
London South Bank University delivers higher education through undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, apprenticeships, and professional development short courses across three colleges. It also offers commercial services including research collaborations, business partnerships, venue hire, and entrepreneurship support. The integrated LSBU Group encompasses further education colleges, a technical college, an academy, and a sixth form spanning the full educational pathway.
Product overview
London South Bank University offers a comprehensive educational portfolio as part of the LSBU Group, which includes the university itself plus South Bank Colleges, London South Bank Technical College, South Bank University Academy, and South Bank University Sixth Form. The university provides undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes alongside apprenticeships and professional development courses. Research and innovation capabilities include the Research & Innovation Portal, Elephant Studios media facility, and the newly opened Infinite Shed makerspace for net-zero research. Business-facing services encompass over 3,000 commercial partnerships, entrepreneurship support (150+ graduate startups), venue hire, and LSBU Technologies for Collaboration. Student support includes CareerSmart career programme and LSBU Virtual Experience Platform. The institution operates across three colleges: College of Health and Life Sciences, College of Technology and Environment, and College of Society and Professions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- London South Bank University Undergraduate Programmes Undergraduate degree programmes designed with industry partners, incorporating placements and work experience for career preparation across multiple disciplines including computing, nursing, engineering, and business.
- London South Bank University Postgraduate Programmes Postgraduate degree programmes including taught master's, research degrees, and professional qualifications designed to develop innovative and critical experts.
- Apprenticeships Apprenticeship programmes across a wide range of sectors offered in partnership with employers for skills development and employment, with government co-funding.
- Professional Development and Short Courses (CPD) Continuing professional development courses and short courses for professionals and individuals seeking skills development, offered to businesses and individuals.
- Business Services and Commercial Partnerships Commercial partnerships and business services connecting LSBU with SMEs, major corporates, public sector bodies, and voluntary organisations for knowledge sharing, research collaboration, and workforce solutions.
- Venue and Facility Hire Hiring of lecture theatres, meeting rooms, training spaces, exhibition spaces, outdoor areas, specialist facilities, filming locations, and office space to external organisations for events, conferences, and filming.
- Entrepreneurship Support Support, training, funding, and community resources for entrepreneurs and graduate startups at LSBU, including 150+ graduate startups created through the programme.
- South Bank Colleges Further education institution offering specialist courses to support students into employment and further education, focused on real-world practical learning.
- London South Bank Technical College Technical college with a revolutionary new campus in Nine Elms featuring tech-forward, industry-focused learning spaces that are sector leading.
- South Bank University Academy Secondary school focused on social justice, kindness, empathy, and community values, helping students become change makers.
- South Bank University Sixth Form Sixth form with strong employer links, cutting-edge facilities, and specialist technical curriculum in engineering, health, business, and finance.
- Infinite Shed Makerspace, research and demonstration facility focused on tackling net-zero challenges for homes, buildings, and infrastructure preparation.
- LSBU Technologies for Collaboration Research-informed innovations and technologies from London South Bank University available for business collaboration and commercialisation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Graduates are the highest paid on average amongst all London Modern universities (LEO 2025)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use London South Bank University
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
London South Bank University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature3 records
London South Bank University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Medical Research Council (MRC)coreLSBU named as partner in £9.7 million national investment by MRC to strengthen clinical research careers across the UK, demonstrating research excellence in health and life sciences.
- Institute of RefrigerationminorLSBU leads the UK-based TICR project supported by the Institute of Refrigeration, which published technology briefs on heat recovery to assist industry professionals in applying heat recovery technologies for decarbonisation and energy savings.
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustcoreDeepened partnership through new Memorandum of Understanding focused on education, skills development, and health and care workforce support. This strengthens a long-standing collaboration between LSBU's nursing and health programs and one of London's leading NHS trusts.
- IIT GuwahaticoreResearch collaboration to develop machine learning-assisted framework for designing sustainable metal alloys without Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). LSBU researchers worked with IIT Guwahati to create a database of 3,608 alloy compositions and identify CRM-free alloys validated for industrial applications in aerospace, gas turbines, nuclear power, automotive, and industrial machinery.
- University of ManchestercoreCo-development partner in machine learning-assisted alloy design research alongside IIT Guwahati and University of Leeds, contributing to the creation of CRM-free High-Entropy Alloys for industrial applications.
- University of LeedscoreCo-development partner in machine learning-assisted alloy design research alongside IIT Guwahati and University of Manchester, contributing to the creation of CRM-free High-Entropy Alloys for industrial applications.
- Southwark CouncilminorLocal government partnership for community engagement, education initiatives, and civic collaboration.
- NHS SussexminorHealthcare workforce training partnership providing education and professional development for NHS staff.
- Forensic Training PartnershipminorTraining partnership for forensic education and professional development courses.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
London South Bank University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- London Metropolitan University: Direct London Modern peer with overlapping teaching-focused portfolio, similar international student mix, and comparable position in the post-1992 segment. Closely comparable on tuition-dependent revenue model and central London operating profile.
- University of Greenwich: London/South-East post-1992 university offering applied professional education across health, engineering, and business. Most comparable peer to LSBU on apprenticeship scale, business partnership activity, and graduate employability positioning.
- Middlesex University: London Modern university with a comparable applied, career-focused portfolio and significant international student recruitment footprint. Operates a similar business-to-B2B commercial partnership and CPD model.
- University of East London: Another London Modern (post-1992) university serving comparable undergraduate, postgraduate and apprenticeship segments in the same London market. Directly comparable in business model, target student demographics, and focus on employability-led professional education.
- Kingston University: London-based post-1992 university with comparable professional and applied course mix, similar enterprise partnership activity, and overlapping competition for the same London domestic student pool.
- University of Westminster: Central London post-1992 university with overlapping media, business, and built-environment portfolios (including Elephant Studios-comparable media facilities). Strongly comparable on international student mix and central London operating economics.
Regional players
- University of Hertfordshire: Comparable UK post-1992 university in the South East serving a similar commuter and international student base. Provides a useful non-London benchmark for the same teaching-led, apprenticeship-active business model.
- Northumbria University: Large UK post-1992 university with similar applied, business-facing portfolio (engineering, health, design) and significant enterprise partnership revenue. Relevant non-London regional benchmark for the same teaching-led modern model.
Broad incumbents
- Manchester Metropolitan University: Larger UK post-1992 university with similar applied, business-linked portfolio but at materially greater scale. A useful broader incumbent benchmark for enterprise partnerships, apprenticeship scale, and post-92 research positioning.
- Coventry University: Larger UK post-1992 university recognized for international student growth, enterprise partnerships, and high graduate employability. Comparable on international-recruitment intensity and commercial revenue strategy, though at greater scale and brand reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
London South Bank University social profiles
Digital presenceLondon South Bank University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
London South Bank University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
London South Bank University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
London South Bank University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
London South Bank University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
London South Bank University 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 London South Bank University
What does London South Bank University do?
London South Bank University delivers higher education through undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, apprenticeships, and professional development short courses across three colleges. It also offers commercial services including research collaborations, business partnerships, venue hire, and entrepreneurship support. The integrated LSBU Group encompasses further education colleges, a technical college, an academy, and a sixth form spanning the full educational pathway.
Is London South Bank University a public or private company?
London South Bank University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was London South Bank University founded?
London South Bank University was founded in 1892. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is London South Bank University based?
London South Bank University is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does London South Bank University make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition fees are the primary driver. The others are commercial partnerships and research, venue and facility hire and professional development courses.
Who are London South Bank University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are London Metropolitan University, University of Greenwich, Middlesex University, University of East London, Kingston University and University of Westminster. Regional players are University of Hertfordshire and Northumbria University. Broad incumbents are Manchester Metropolitan University and Coventry University.
Does London South Bank University have an API?
No public API is recorded for London South Bank University.
What industry is London South Bank University in?
London South Bank University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAI, Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems, with a secondary code of EDAHAAAF, Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.