Etch

What Etch does

Etch (legal entity: Etch UK Limited) is a privately held UK digital customer experience consultancy founded in 2012, headquartered in Southampton with a London office and a workforce in the 101–250 range. The firm helps established, typically FTSE-scale organisations modernise legacy technology environments and improve customer experience through a portfolio of services anchored by its proprietary EtchElevate™ methodology. Core service lines include Experience Design, Growth Marketing, Technology and Data (spanning CMS migration, composable architectures, and applied AI/ML), and Fusion Teams — a collaborative delivery model that embeds Etch consultants within client teams. The technology stack is Microsoft-centric (Azure, .NET, Power Platform, Microsoft 365), complemented by Umbraco and Optimizely CMS implementations, and the firm holds Microsoft Gold Partner and Umbraco Gold Partner designations.

Etch operates two distinct sub-brands: Etch Play, a gaming and entertainment division with clients such as Hello Games and PLAION, and Big Radical, a worldwide collective of self-employed digital talent that extends the firm's delivery capacity beyond its headcount. The customer base is diversified across hospitality (THE PIG, Lime Wood, Smoked and Uncut), financial services and wealth management (Quilter, Equiniti, Hargreaves Lansdown, LCP, Neptune), aviation (British Airways), luxury automotive (Maserati), gaming (Hello Games, PLAION), and non-profit (Mind, Save the Children, WWF). Quantified client outcomes include a 4,500% ROI for THE PIG on paid media, a 67% reduction in decision-making time for British Airways, and over £300,000 in cost savings for Equiniti through website consolidation.

Commercially, Etch generates revenue through bespoke, quote-based consulting engagements ranging from a low-friction 20-day 'Starter for Twenty' exploratory programme (offered with a satisfaction guarantee) to multi-year transformation programmes, supplemented by ongoing platform support and retainer-based growth marketing work. The firm leads a sales-led go-to-market motion through direct enterprise engagement, augmented by a partner referral programme (5% commission), the Big Radical talent ecosystem (5,000+ partners), and digital self-serve entry points such as the free CX Maturity Diagnostic. Etch is a Certified B Corporation since October 2024, donates 10% of net profits to its Wildman Fund supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals, and is owned and led by co-founder Shelly Frame (CEO), with Thomas Frame as Chairman.

Name

Etch

Legal name

Etch UK Limited

Website

https://etchuk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Etch is a UK digital customer experience consultancy that helps established enterprises modernise legacy technology, redesign customer experiences, and run growth marketing using its EtchElevate™ methodology and Microsoft/Umbraco technology stack. It serves FTSE-scale clients across hospitality, financial services, aviation, luxury, gaming, and non-profit sectors from offices in Southampton and London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Customer Experience Consulting

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Web Content Management (WCM) & Experience Platforms (Content Services) (HDAEAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Database/Application Data Layer Modernization (DB migration, ORM, caching) (BPAEAFAL), Employee Experience (EX) & Digital Experience Monitoring Support (BPAEAJAO)

Keywords

• Digital customer experience
• Customer experience transformation
• Experience design consulting
• Growth marketing services
• Technology consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Basingstoke

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Consulting and CX Transformation Services: Etch generates revenue through professional consulting engagements delivering digital CX transformation, technology modernisation, experience design, growth marketing, and fusion team services to established businesses. Engagements range from 20-day exploratory programmes to multi-year transformation programmes. Revenue is project-based and retainer-based for ongoing partnerships.
2. Technology Development and Implementation: Revenue from designing and building digital platforms, websites, mobile apps, and data solutions using their technology stack (Umbraco, Microsoft stack, Optimizely). Includes ongoing platform maintenance and support.
3. Growth Marketing Services: Performance marketing, SEO, paid search/social, email marketing, CRO, and analytics services charged as part of ongoing client retainers or project fees.
4. Wildman Fund - Charitable Initiative: Etch donates 10% of net profits to the Wildman Fund charitable initiative supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is a cost/outflow rather than a revenue stream but reflects the company's B Corp commitment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Etch is a digital customer experience consultancy that helps established businesses modernise legacy technology environments and regain market leadership through its proprietary EtchElevate™ methodology. The firm delivers end-to-end transformation services spanning Experience Design, Growth Marketing, Technology and Data (including composable CMS, personalisation, CRM, e-commerce, and ML/AI), and Fusion Teams collaborative delivery. Engagements range from 20-day exploratory Starter for Twenty programmes with a satisfaction guarantee to multi-year transformation retainers for enterprise clients across hospitality, financial services, aviation, automotive, gaming, and non-profit sectors.

Product overview

Etch is a digital customer experience consultancy offering a portfolio of services anchored by its EtchElevate™ methodology—a customer-centric innovation framework that integrates design and technology to transform CX and accelerate growth. The core service suite includes Experience Design, Growth Marketing, Technology and Data (with ML/AI capabilities), and Fusion Teams (collaborative delivery). Supporting products include the CX Maturity Diagnostic (free assessment tool), Starter for Twenty (20-day exploratory engagement), and the Etch Play gaming division. The company also operates Big Radical—a radical operating system for freelancers—and maintains an Etch Community partner network of 5,000+ ecosystem partners. Together, these offerings enable established businesses to modernise legacy tech environments and regain market leadership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EtchElevate™: Proprietary CX transformation methodology integrating design and technology innovation to enhance customer interactions and establish industry leadership.
• Big Radical
• Etch Play
• The Wildman Fund

Products and services

• EtchElevate™ Proprietary CX transformation methodology that helps established businesses develop a customer-centric innovation vision aligning purpose and business objectives with actionable delivery. Includes CX maturity assessment, customer insight analysis, and tailored roadmap creation.
• Experience Design Multi-disciplinary design service specialising in crafting engaging and intuitive digital experiences. Includes user research, journey mapping, brand identity, information architecture, and rapid prototyping to drive significant business impact for established organisations.
• Growth Marketing Digital marketing service helping businesses forge meaningful connections with target audiences across the entire digital channel spectrum. Leverages analytics and experimentation techniques to optimise marketing funnels and customer experiences for sustainable growth, including performance marketing, SEO, paid search/social, email marketing, CRO, and analytics.
• Technology and Data Technology transformation service specialising in migrating legacy architectures to composable technologies. Delivers digital customer experiences including composable content management, data management, omni-channel delivery, personalisation, e-commerce, CRM, and advanced analytics with ML and AI capabilities using Microsoft Azure, .NET, Umbraco, Optimizely, and Power Platform.
• Fusion Teams Collaborative delivery model building combined Etch and client teams. Empowers internal teams with proven methodologies, processes, and tools, combining expert advisory services with tactical and operational resources using Agile principles and change management concepts. Draws on 5,000+ ecosystem partners via the Etch Community and Big Radical collective.
• CX Maturity Diagnostic Free diagnostic tool that assesses an organisation's maturity in Customer Experience as a competitive advantage, identifying areas where businesses can accelerate transformation to expedite growth, lower costs, and grow market share. Used as a top-of-funnel lead generation mechanism for Etch's consulting services.
• Starter for Twenty A 20-day exploratory engagement designed to uncover assumptions and test solutions, rapidly reducing uncertainty and building confidence in the value of further investment. Offered with a satisfaction guarantee ('if we don't bring value, you can fire us').
• Big Radical A radical operating system for the self-employed, powered by Etch Group. A worldwide collective of top digital talent enabling contractors and freelancers to deliver their best work through collective intelligence, providing business support services, benefits, and access to global brands. Also serves as a talent pool for Etch client engagements.
• Etch Community A collective of digital professionals, freelancers, agencies, and small businesses offering referral programmes, work opportunities, and learning events. Partners earn 5% commission on referred work that converts to paid engagement. Provides Etch with a network of 5,000+ ecosystem partners for client delivery.
• Etch Play Specialist gaming and entertainment division of Etch that helps games businesses deliver value to players beyond traditional game boundaries through extended experiences, community platforms, and web experiences. Serves clients including Hello Games (Galactic Atlas for No Man's Sky) and PLAION.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,500% return on investment for THE PIG hotel from paid media campaigns, generating over £280,000 in combined revenue; 2,766 table covers booked via promo code (27% uplift); 1,623 room nights booked (50% uplift)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Microsoft Gold Partner with Gold Cloud Platform Competency and certified Cloud Solution Provider. Etch leverages the full Microsoft stack (Azure, .NET, Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Teams) for client delivery. Their partnership provides access to Microsoft technology, support resources, and co-selling opportunities through the Microsoft partner ecosystem. Listed on Microsoft AppSource.
• UmbracocoreTechnology or IntegrationUmbraco Gold Partner with over 10 years of experience. Etch builds, migrates, and supports Umbraco CMS implementations for clients across all sectors, including THE PIG, Equiniti, and many others. The partnership involves both building new Umbraco websites and working on existing installations.
• MusanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUgandan community development organisation working to break the cycle of poverty through sustainable social enterprises. Etch's Wildman Fund supports Musana through 10% of net profits (£125,000 in FY2024-25) and pro-bono expertise in brand strategy, audience development, and communications. Over 2,068 children supported through scholarships in 2025.
• NC KiberacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partnership between local Kenyan and UK volunteers funding projects in Kibera slum, Nairobi. Etch supports through Wildman Fund donations and pro-bono expertise. Laptops donated by Etch are in use at the community hub. NC Kibera Saints Academy football shirts carry the Etch logo.
• Jeevan AshacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development charity in Thane, India running 12 integrated projects across education, healthcare, adult literacy, and nutrition. Etch's Wildman Fund supports through donations and pro-bono website optimisation and Google Ads management using Google's non-profit programme.
• New Day UnitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development organisation in Manenberg, Cape Town, South Africa. One-off Wildman Fund donation recipient. New Day runs a job readiness course, computer literacy programme, sewing enterprise, and foodscaping garden in an area with 77% unemployment.
• The Dignity CampaignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne-off Wildman Fund donation recipient. Works to give teenagers a sense of purpose and dignity through safe spaces, mentorship programmes, Dream and Dare Day, Discipleship courses, and Champion Camp.
• Carbon AnalyticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Carbon Analytics to calculate Etch's carbon footprint, intensity ratios, and key contributing areas. Supported the development of Etch's carbon reduction strategy and sustainability reporting using the GHG Protocol.
• CendynTechnology or IntegrationCendyn CRM implemented for THE PIG to consolidate guest data from multiple sources into unified guest profiles, enabling personalisation and improved guest service for front-of-desk teams.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kin + Carta: London-listed digital transformation consultancy providing strategy, technology, and data services to enterprises. Overlapping offering with EtchElevate™ in CX-led digital transformation engagements.
• Graphite Digital: UK-based digital product and CX consultancy of similar size, focused on design-led digital transformation for enterprise clients. Highly comparable business model and target customer profile to Etch.
• Dept: Global digital experience agency combining technology, marketing, and creative services for enterprise brands. Closely comparable service portfolio spanning CX, growth marketing, and platform engineering.
• Clearleft: UK design and UX consultancy offering strategy, research, and product design services to enterprise clients. Comparable in culture, scale, and specialisation in user-centred digital experience work.
• NetConstruct: Umbraco Gold Partner UK digital agency specialising in Umbraco CMS builds and digital experience platforms. Direct technology peer given shared Umbraco specialism and UK mid-market focus.

Broad incumbents

• ThoughtWorks: Global digital transformation consultancy combining strategy, design, and engineering for large enterprises. Significantly larger scale but directly comparable in agile CX transformation delivery model.
• EPAM Systems: Global digital engineering and enterprise platform services provider. Overlaps with Etch's Technology and Data practice, particularly Microsoft-stack delivery for enterprise clients.
• Accenture Interactive / Song: Global management consultancy and digital services arm. Competes for the same FTSE enterprise CX transformation budgets, though at much larger scale and broader scope.

Regional players

• Digital Detox: UK digital transformation agency focused on delivering enterprise-grade solutions with Umbraco and Microsoft technologies. Comparable niche specialism and UK mid-market positioning.

Others

• Microsoft (partner ecosystem): Etch is a Microsoft Gold Partner leveraging Azure, .NET, and Power Platform. Microsoft is the underlying platform vendor enabling Etch's delivery, with co-sell leverage through AppSource.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EtchUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/helloetch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/etch-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/helloetch

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Etch