First Intuition

Professional Accountancy Education and Trainingfirstintuition.co.uk

First Intuition is a UK-based professional education provider delivering accountancy qualifications (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW) and leadership programmes through 25+ study centres and online platforms, serving approximately 12,000 learners and 2,500 employers annually including 1,500 apprenticeship partners.

Company typePrivate
Founded2007
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Headcount101–250
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

What First Intuition does

First Intuition is a UK-based professional education provider founded in 2007 that delivers accountancy qualifications (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW) and leadership/management programmes through a multi-channel model spanning 25+ physical study centres across England and the Channel Islands, an online self-paced platform (FI Online), and live virtual classrooms (FI Online Live). The company serves approximately 12,000 individual learners and 2,500 employers annually, including 1,500 dedicated apprenticeship employer partners whose programmes are funded through the UK apprenticeship levy. Core technology is a cloud-based learning management system (FI Learn) integrated with online course delivery, an exam booking system, and remote invigilation capabilities approved by major awarding bodies.

The business operates two primary revenue streams: course tuition and revision fees paid by individual learners (ranging from £330 for question-based days to £1,493 for advanced ACCA courses), and recurring apprenticeship programme delivery for employers. Additional revenue comes from computer-based exam booking fees, study materials, and bespoke commercial leadership programmes. Pricing is publicly disclosed for individual courses with installment options, while employer apprenticeship contracts and commercial programmes are quote-based.

First Intuition is privately held and received a significant growth investment from private equity firm Apiary Capital in May 2023 to fund regional expansion. The company operates through three wholly-owned UK legal entities (First Intuition Ltd, First Intuition South Ltd, First Intuition East and North Limited), is B Corp certified, holds AAT-approved Large Provider of the Year status for 2026, and has earned Ofsted Outstanding ratings for its Cambridge and Chelmsford centres.

First Intuition firmographics

Firmographics

Name: First Intuition
Legal name: First Intuition Ltd
Website: https://firstintuition.co.uk
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2007
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 101–250 employees
Short description: First Intuition is a UK-based professional education provider delivering accountancy qualifications (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW) and leadership programmes through 25+ study centres and online platforms, serving approximately 12,000 learners and 2,500 employers annually including 1,500 apprenticeship partners.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

First Intuition industry classification

Industry

Product category: Professional Accountancy Education and Training
NAICS: Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Apprenticeship Training (611513)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro primary industry: Accounting & Finance Certification Prep (CPA, CMA, CFA, FRM) (EDANAIAD)
akta.pro secondary industries: Remote & Live Online Proctoring Platforms (EDAFADAB), Certification & Exam Prep Course Marketplaces (EDAFAIAJ)

Keywords

Professional accountancy training
Apprenticeship programmes
Leadership management courses
Online accounting tuition
UK study centres

Where First Intuition is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: London
HQ country: United Kingdom
HQ region: Europe

Offices23 records

Markets served

First Intuition business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

Course Tuition and Revision Fees: Revenue from providing classroom and online tuition courses for accounting qualifications (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW) and leadership/management programmes. Fees vary by qualification level and course type (tuition, revision, question-based days).
Apprenticeship Programme Delivery: Revenue from delivering apprenticeship programmes funded through the UK apprenticeship levy system, serving approximately 1,500 apprenticeship employer partners.
Exam Booking Fees: Revenue from facilitating computer-based exams (AAT, ACCA on-demand exams) at their approved exam centres across the UK.
Study Materials: Revenue from providing study materials, online question banks, and self-marked mocks for students.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
One time/ perpetual license	Pay-as-you-go	ACCA Advanced Level Courses (AAA, AFM, APM, ATX)
One time/ perpetual license	Pay-as-you-go	ACCA Applied Knowledge and Skills (AA, BT, LW, FA)
Subscription	Pay-as-you-go	FI Online Self-Paced Courses
Other	Multi-year contract	Commercial Leadership & Management Programmes

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

First Intuition product offering

Product offering

Core offering

First Intuition provides tuition, revision courses, and exam preparation for professional accountancy qualifications (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW), delivered through classroom-based study at 25+ UK centres, self-paced online learning (FI Online), and live virtual classrooms (FI Online Live). The company also delivers UK apprenticeship programmes (Levels 2-7) for employers and bespoke commercial leadership/management development courses for organisations, supported by remote invigilation, online question banks, and the FI Hub content platform.

Product overview

First Intuition is a professional education provider offering a unified platform of accountancy and leadership qualifications. The core products span AAT, ACCA, CIMA, and ICAEW professional qualifications, complemented by apprenticeship programmes and commercial leadership & management courses. Delivery modes include FI Online (self-paced), FI Online Live (instructor-led virtual), and Classroom (in-person at study centres). Supporting resources include the FI Hub content platform and exam booking services. The company operates a network of 25+ physical study centres across the UK alongside online delivery options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

FI Online: Online learning platform for accountancy students
FI Online Live
FI Hub
FI Learn

Products and services

AAT Courses Accountancy and Bookkeeping qualifications at multiple levels (L2, L3, L4) covering accounting principles, business awareness, and internal accounting systems and controls, delivered to individuals pursuing AAT certification.
ACCA Courses Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) professional qualification covering papers from fundamentals (BT, MA, FA, LW) through to advanced level (AAA, AFM, APM, ATX, SBL, SBR), delivered to aspiring chartered certified accountants.
CIMA Courses Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) professional qualification including certificate, operational, management and strategic levels with case study examinations, delivered to aspiring management accountants.
ICAEW Courses Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) professional qualification (ACA/CA) with corporate reporting and audit and assurance specialisms, delivered to aspiring chartered accountants.
Apprenticeship Programmes Apprenticeship programmes including Level 2 Accounts Assistant, Level 3 Assistant Accountant, Level 4 Accounting Technician, and Level 7 Professional Accountant, delivered to UK employers under the apprenticeship levy system.
Commercial Leadership and Management Programmes Leadership and management programmes including Level 3 Team Leader and Level 5 Department Manager qualifications, plus bespoke CPD sessions such as Finance for Non-Finance Professionals and Excel Skills, delivered to organisations seeking workforce development.
FI Online Self-paced online learning platform providing flexible access to course materials, video content, and comprehensive question banks, allowing learners complete control over their studies with flexible start dates.
FI Online Live Live virtual classroom sessions connecting students with expert tutors in real-time from any location with internet access, offering weekday, weekend and evening options for remote learners.
Classroom Study In-person tuition at 25+ study centres across the UK, providing interactive learning with expert tutors and peer collaboration at locations including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, and others.
AAT Distance Learning Remote learning option for AAT qualifications, available with remote invigilation for examinations, allowing students to complete AAT studies and sit exams from home with online supervision.
Exam Plus Pathway Alternative pathways offered to help employers continue to develop their workforce in response to changes in Level 7 apprenticeship funding, providing exam-focused training solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

12,000+ students trained annually
+4 more outcomes

Companies that use First Intuition

Customer profile

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

First Intuition technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

First Intuition partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

First Intuition competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Skillsoft: Global enterprise learning and certification prep platform covering finance, leadership and professional development; competes with First Intuition's commercial leadership and CPD offerings at the enterprise L&D level.
MindEdge: US-based provider of professional and continuing education with online exam prep across finance and accounting topics; serves as a broader-incumbent benchmark for online professional education delivery models.

Direct peers

LSBF (London School of Business & Finance): UK professional education provider covering ACCA, CIMA, AAT and related qualifications through classroom and online study; competes head-to-head with First Intuition in the London and online learner segments.
Reed Business School: UK accountancy apprenticeship and professional training provider; competes with First Intuition's apprenticeship programme delivery and AAT/ACCA tuition for employer-funded learners.
Avado (Eduversal Group): UK professional and apprenticeship training provider with virtual classroom and online AAT/ACCA programmes; competes with First Intuition in the online live and apprenticeship employer markets.
Kaplan Financial (UK): Major UK accountancy and financial training provider offering tuition for ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW and AAT plus apprenticeship programmes; closely overlaps with First Intuition's qualifications portfolio and employer apprenticeship delivery.
BPP Education Group: One of the largest UK-based accountancy, finance, law and business training providers; directly competes with First Intuition across ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW tuition as well as apprenticeships, with a similar mix of classroom and online delivery.
ICS Learn: UK-focused distance-learning provider offering AAT, ACCA, CIMA and bookkeeping qualifications via online and live sessions; competes directly with FI Online and FI Online Live in the self-paced and virtual classroom category.

Regional players

Lifetime Training: UK-based apprenticeship and vocational training provider offering accountancy and business apprenticeships; competes with First Intuition for employer-funded apprenticeship placements and levy spend.
Babcock Training (apprenticeships): Large UK apprenticeship provider across multiple sectors including accountancy and business; competes for the same employer apprenticeship levy funding pool that First Intuition accesses with its 1,500 employer partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

First Intuition compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance2 records

First Intuition financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

First Intuition leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

First Intuition subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries2 records

First Intuition funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

First Intuition M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about First Intuition

What does First Intuition do?

Is First Intuition a public or private company?

First Intuition is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.

When was First Intuition founded?

First Intuition was founded in 2007. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is First Intuition based?

First Intuition is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.

How does First Intuition make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Course Tuition and Revision Fees are the primary driver. The others are apprenticeship Programme Delivery, exam Booking Fees and study Materials.

Who are First Intuition's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Skillsoft and MindEdge. Direct peers are LSBF (London School of Business & Finance), Reed Business School, Avado (Eduversal Group), Kaplan Financial (UK), BPP Education Group and ICS Learn. Regional players are Lifetime Training and Babcock Training (apprenticeships).

Does First Intuition have an API?

No public API is recorded for First Intuition.

What industry is First Intuition in?

First Intuition's product category is Professional Accountancy Education and Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAIAD, Accounting & Finance Certification Prep (CPA, CMA, CFA, FRM), with a secondary code of EDAFADAB, Remote & Live Online Proctoring Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.