What Vivify does

Vivify is a Manchester-based digital marketplace that helps UK schools generate revenue by hiring out underutilised facilities — sports halls, pitches, swimming pools, classrooms, and event spaces — to community hirers such as sports clubs, fitness instructors, dance schools, and local community groups. The platform operates a three-tier service model: Vivify Connect (a freemium self-serve SaaS with marketplace access), Bookings Managed (where Vivify handles demand generation and bookings administration while schools retain approval control), and Fully Managed (end-to-end operations including on-site staffing, safeguarding, DBS checks, insurance, and finance). Underlying technology is a proprietary UK-hosted booking engine integrated with Stripe for payments, supplemented by HubSpot CRM, Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, and Force24 marketing automation.

Vivify's business model is transaction-based, earning a percentage of revenue generated from school lettings under its managed services tiers and a small booking commission under Connect. The platform holds ISO 9001, ISO 27001, PCI DSS Level 1, SOC 1, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials Plus, and G-Cloud certifications, and is integrated into Open Active as an open-data-compliant provider. Reported scale is 200+ partner schools, 718 school facilities unlocked, and 15,000+ active hirers, with schools able to earn up to £300k+ annually from facility lettings. The company has expanded UK-wide across 100+ cities and built a partner ecosystem spanning UK Active, Total Swimming Academies, Swim@, England Netball, Badminton, Premier Education, and Stage Coach.

Vivify has raised approximately $1.3M in disclosed funding from Arete Capital Partners (April 2022), following an undisclosed round in July 2021, both directed at UK-wide network expansion. Leadership includes Co-founder/CEO Russell Teale (18 years leisure sector), Co-founder/Marketing Director Alaine Swis, Non-Exec Chairman Richard Millman (former CEO of Leisure Connection/1Life and Total Fitness), and Director of Operations Martin Hainsworth, with Regional Operations Managers covering North and South regions.

Name

Vivify

Legal name

Vivify Venues

Website

https://vivifyvenues.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

School Facility Management

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Information Systems (SIS) Administration & Data Management (Non-EdTech Ops) (EDAEALAC)

Keywords

• School facility lettings
• Venue booking platform
• Community sports hire
• School facility management
• Facility hire marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Transaction Fees: Vivify earns revenue through a percentage-based commission on bookings made through their platform. For the Connect service, schools pay a small percentage of bookings. For managed services, the company agrees on a percentage split of hirer income based on service level requirements.
2. Managed Services Revenue Share: For Fully Managed and Bookings Managed services, Vivify takes a percentage of the revenue generated from school lettings, with the remainder going to the school. The company succeeds when schools succeed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vivify operates a digital marketplace and managed services platform that helps UK schools monetise underutilised facilities (sports halls, football pitches, swimming pools, classrooms, dance studios and event spaces) by connecting them with community hirers for sports, fitness, education and events. Schools can choose between three service tiers: Vivify Connect (self-serve SaaS with marketplace access), Bookings Managed (Vivify handles demand generation and booking administration) and Fully Managed (end-to-end operations including safeguarding, DBS-checked staffing, marketing, supervision, compliance and finance). The platform processes bookings, automated invoicing, Stripe-powered payments and real-time reporting, with schools able to earn up to £300k+ per year from facility lettings.

Product overview

Vivify Venues is a digital platform with a three-tier service architecture designed for school facility lettings. The core Vivify Venues platform connects community hirers with school spaces including sports halls, pitches, classrooms, and event venues. Schools can choose between three service levels: Vivify Connect (self-serve software with marketplace access), Bookings Managed (Vivify handles demand and administration while schools retain approval control), or Fully Managed (Vivify handles everything end-to-end). The Vivify Training Academy supports service delivery through staff training for Community Hosts. The platform processed over 15,000 hirers across 200+ partner schools, with schools earning up to £300k+ annually through the service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vivify Connect: Self-serve software with online booking, automated invoicing and payments, and real-time dashboards for schools to manage lettings in-house.
• Vivify Bookings Managed
• Vivify Fully Managed
• The Movement Project

Products and services

• Vivify Venues Core digital marketplace platform that connects community hirers with UK school facilities including sports halls, football pitches, classrooms, swimming pools and event spaces for lettings, with online booking, payments and venue management.
• Vivify Connect Self-serve SaaS tier of the Vivify Venues platform for schools to manage facility lettings in-house, including marketplace access for hirers, live availability calendar, automated invoicing and payments, and real-time dashboards.
• Bookings Managed Managed demand generation and bookings administration service where Vivify drives hirer demand and handles all enquiries, approvals and invoicing while schools retain approval control, with a dedicated bookings team and fast hirer response times.
• Fully Managed End-to-end managed lettings service where Vivify handles marketing, on-site staffing, DBS-checked supervision, safeguarding, insurance, compliance and finance, allowing schools to focus on education while generating additional revenue from facility lettings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Schools can earn up to £300k+ per year from hiring out facilities
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Total Swimming AcademiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVivify joined forces with Total Swimming Academies to launch The Movement Project, led by Four-Time Olympic Medallist Becky Adlington OBE. The initiative addresses the UK's inactivity crisis by opening school facilities for community swimming programmes.
• UK ActivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK Active exists to improve the health of the nation by getting more people active. Vivify contributes to UK Active's mission as part of their drive to inspire healthier communities.
• Swim@'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwim@'s mission is 'Revolutionising Swimming, Changing Lives'. Vivify partners with Swim@ to deliver a community learn-to-swim programme led by Becky Adlington OBE to tackle the nation's inactivity crisis.
• ZenergiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZenergi is an energy and environmental consultancy and preferred supplier to schools. Their social purpose aims to solve challenges facing the planet and communities, aligning with Vivify's mission.
• ASCLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerASCL is the leading professional association and trade union for school leaders. Their vision of high quality education aligns with Vivify's mission of helping schools do more.
• GreaterSportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreaterSport is a Greater Manchester charity with purpose to Change Lives Together through movement, physical activity and sport. Collaborates on getting people moving and raising awareness about opening school facilities.
• Schools North EastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSet up by schools for schools, Schools North East (SNE) is the first and only school-led regional network in the UK. Vivify works alongside SNE providing support and advice on school lettings.
• Water BabiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational swimming programme for babies and toddlers. Hirer partner that books school swimming facilities for community swimming lessons.
• England NetballminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational governing body for netball. Hirer partner booking school courts and facilities for netball activities and training.
• Premier EducationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChildren's activity provider running holiday camps and after-school activities. Regular hirer of school sports facilities.
• Stage CoachminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPerforming arts school franchise running dance and drama classes. Hirer partner booking school dance studios and halls.
• BadmintonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational governing body for badminton. Hirer partner booking school sports halls for badminton activities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bookwhen: UK-based online booking system for classes, events, and activities used by community groups, sports clubs, and small businesses. Comparable to Vivify's self-serve booking layer for hirers, though not specialised in school facilities.
• Skedda: Global online booking and space management software for shared spaces including sports facilities, community venues, and workplaces. Compares to Vivify Connect on the booking and payment tooling layer.
• OpenPlay: Recreation and activity booking platform connecting consumers with sports, fitness, and community programmes. Comparable to Vivify on the hirer-side demand generation and booking infrastructure layer.

Others

• PeerSpace: Online marketplace for booking hourly venue space for events, productions, and meetings. Adjacent peer sharing the two-sided venue marketplace model, though focused on commercial/event spaces rather than school facilities.

Broad incumbents

• Active Network: Large US-headquartered provider of activity registration, facility management, and payment software for sports, recreation, and community programmes. Broad incumbent whose functionality overlaps with Vivify's managed services and booking platform.
• Everyone Active: UK-wide leisure operator managing council-owned leisure centres, sports facilities, and community programmes on behalf of local authorities. Incumbent alternative to Vivify's fully managed offering, operating at much larger scale but without the marketplace focus.

Direct peers

• School Space: UK-based online marketplace connecting community hirers with school facilities for sports, events, and activities. Closest direct competitor to Vivify in the school facility lettings space, serving the same customer base with similar end-to-end booking and managed services.
• ClassForKids: UK online booking and class management platform for children's activity providers, often using school venues. Overlaps with Vivify on the hirer side, helping activity clubs manage bookings, payments, and registrations in shared community spaces.
• Gladstone Software: UK leisure management software provider for sports halls, swimming pools, golf, and community facilities. Direct peer in the operational software stack for school and community facility lettings.
• Hallmaster: UK-based SaaS platform for managing and booking community halls, school facilities, and other shared spaces. Direct competitor offering online booking, invoicing, and payment tools comparable to Vivify's Connect tier.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vivifyvenues

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 Vivify