TransparentChoice
TransparentChoice is a Cambridge, UK-based SaaS company that helps enterprises, governments, and nonprofits prioritize project portfolios and make collaborative strategic decisions using an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) decision-science platform on Microsoft Azure.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What TransparentChoice does
TransparentChoice Limited is a Cambridge, UK-based private software company founded in 2013 that builds decision-support and portfolio prioritization software for enterprise, government, and nonprofit organizations. Its platform is organized around six integrated modules — Project Prioritization, Strategic Planning, Demand Management, Capacity Planning, Portfolio Management, and Decision Support — built on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a decision-science methodology originally developed for complex engineering and aerospace programs. The software runs on Microsoft Azure infrastructure with TLS 1.2+ and AES-256 encryption, GDPR and UK DPA compliance, and options for shared, isolated, or on-premises deployment.
The company monetizes primarily through annual SaaS subscriptions priced per portfolio (not per user) with optional professional services from PMO and strategy practitioners, and a tiered engagement model ranging from 1-3 month Proofs of Concept through Enterprise Deployments across multiple portfolios. Go-to-market is sales-led, anchored by a free 30-minute Portfolio Fix Briefing with a senior advisor, supplemented by content-led community engagement through webinars, a 50+ post blog, case studies, and an active LinkedIn presence reaching 3,000+ portfolio leaders. Customers named on the company's materials span hotels (Wyndham), banking (BayCoast Bank), utilities (TVA, Energinet), lifesaving (RNLI), food and beverage (Harbor Foods), medical devices (Nanosonics), pulp and paper (Suzano), education (Simon Fraser University), planning (American Planning Association), municipal government (Belo Horizonte), life sciences, and confidential aerospace satellite programs.
TransparentChoice is founder-led (CEO Stuart Easton) and has operated primarily on internal funding plus an early 2014 round involving Cambridge Angels and Martlet Capital. The company competes less against general PPM platforms (which focus on delivery rather than strategic prioritization) and more against homegrown spreadsheet-based prioritization processes, with an implicit differentiation in applying a proven academic decision-science methodology to portfolio selection.
TransparentChoice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TransparentChoice
- Legal name
- TransparentChoice Limited
- Website
- https://transparentchoice.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- TransparentChoice is a Cambridge, UK-based SaaS company that helps enterprises, governments, and nonprofits prioritize project portfolios and make collaborative strategic decisions using an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) decision-science platform on Microsoft Azure.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TransparentChoice industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Project Portfolio Management Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise Application License Advisory, Vendor Management & Optimization (BPAEAGAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Software/SaaS Subscriptions (Consumer & Prosumer) (CRAFAIAB)
Keywords
Where TransparentChoice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
TransparentChoice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Annual Software Subscription: Core SaaS subscription for access to the TransparentChoice platform. Pricing is tailored to portfolio size, complexity, hosting requirements, security needs, support level, and contract length. Not charged per user - fixed pricing model. Standard annual subscription with multi-year discounts available.
- Professional Services: Expert support from PMO and strategy practitioners to embed the prioritization model. Includes building models, setting up software, and training users. Partners are available for broader PMO service proposition support.
- Proof of Concept Engagements: Short, focused engagements (1-3 months) to validate the approach and demonstrate value quickly. Best suited for smaller portfolios or specific use cases. Consulting packages delivered via partners for shorter-term engagements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Proof of Concept - Short engagement for validating approach |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Planning - Support for annual planning cycles |
| Subscription | Annual | Single Portfolio Rollout - Ongoing management of one portfolio |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise Deployment - Multiple portfolios, teams, or business units |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
TransparentChoice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TransparentChoice sells a SaaS portfolio prioritization and decision-support platform built on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), delivering six integrated modules (Project Prioritization, Strategic Planning, Demand Management, Capacity Planning, Portfolio Management, and Decision Support) to enterprise, government, education, and nonprofit organizations. Revenue comes from annual software subscriptions tailored to portfolio size and complexity, plus optional Expert Support services and partner-led consulting engagements such as Proof of Concept and Annual Planning cycles.
Product overview
TransparentChoice is a unified portfolio prioritization and decision-support platform organized around six integrated modules: Project Prioritization, Strategic Planning, Demand Management, Capacity Planning, Portfolio Management, and Decision Support. These modules share a common foundation built on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) decision-science methodology. The platform also includes a Decision Framework component for criteria-based modeling, a Portfolio Platform component for scenarios and trade-off analysis, and is delivered alongside Expert Support services. Engagement models include Proof of Concept, Annual Planning, Single Portfolio Rollout, and Enterprise Deployment. Pricing is available via tailored subscription with flexible hosting options including on-premises deployment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Project Prioritization Evidence-based project prioritization module that cuts low-value work and channels resources into initiatives that drive strategic impact, using AHP-based criteria scoring and collaborative evaluation for enterprise portfolio teams.
- Strategic Planning Translates strategy into an executable, fundable, aligned portfolio by transforming competing initiatives into a clear, defensible roadmap grounded in real constraints and shared priorities.
- Demand Management Controls the inflow of new work and evaluates requests consistently, filtering out low-value requests and protecting capacity for initiatives that matter.
- Capacity Planning Matches strategic ambition to real resource availability by exposing bottlenecks early and setting realistic, sustainable delivery plans for teams.
- Portfolio Management Provides real-time visibility into alignment, risk, and value across the entire portfolio, with scenario planning and an integrated workflow from intake through prioritization to delivery.
- Decision Support Brings clarity and alignment to complex, high-stakes decisions using AHP decision science, helping leaders make evidence-based, collaborative decisions that replace bias and politics with a transparent, defensible process.
- Portfolio Fix Briefing A 30-minute call with a senior advisor to diagnose portfolio challenges and map solutions to organizational goals, with no prep required.
- Expert Support Expert guidance from PMO and strategy practitioners to embed the prioritization model, including building models, setting up software, and training users, designed to enable rapid adoption without requiring an IT project.
Quantifiable outcome
- Doubled portfolio ROI (American Planning Association)
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use TransparentChoice
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
TransparentChoice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
TransparentChoice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- IBMminorIBM is referenced as a partner for strategic planning challenges, where organizations can engage consultancies to help rebuild strategy.
- DeepteamcoreDeepteam offers governance consulting support through the BIG model (Business Integrated Governance) for discovery programs and help building infrastructure to embed prioritization-led accountability. Founder David Dunning co-presents webinars with TransparentChoice.
- Laura Barnard / PMO StrategiescoreLaura Barnard provides coaching support for PMOs looking to implement strategic alignment. Offers expert coaching to equip PMO leaders for success. Joint webinar content and PMO value communication strategies.
- Roberto CamanhominorConsultant partner with 30+ years experience specializing in portfolio management. Co-presents case studies on AHP methodology and helps clients transition from flawed internal models to proven decision science approaches.
- Microsoft AzurecoreInfrastructure platform hosting TransparentChoice software. Provides global reliability, scalability, built-in compliance, and advanced security features. Default data residency in West US region with flexible options.
- Chris Carter / OrgShiftminorStrategy expert with KPMG experience who co-presents on collaborative strategy building in digital environments. Advocates for digital interaction approaches to strategic planning.
- CognismminorThird-party data provider used for lead generation outreach to potential customers. Ensures outreach is done following GDPR and good practice guidelines.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TransparentChoice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Planview: Planview is one of the most established enterprise project portfolio management (PPM) platforms, offering portfolio prioritization, capacity planning, and strategic alignment capabilities. It is the most direct large-scale competitor to TransparentChoice's prioritization and decision-support wedge, though it serves a much broader PPM footprint.
- Workfront (Adobe): Adobe Workfront is a work management and PPM platform used by enterprises to plan, prioritize, and execute projects. It overlaps directly with TransparentChoice on portfolio prioritization and strategic planning for marketing, product, and operations teams.
Emerging players
- Monday.com: Monday.com is a broad work management platform that has expanded into portfolio and resource management. It competes for the same prioritization-and-alignment use cases, especially with non-traditional buyers and digital-native teams that TransparentChoice's AHP methodology may not fit.
- Brightwork: Brightwork is a Microsoft Project/P365-based PPM solution provider that competes for the same PMO and strategic portfolio management buyers. Its focus on Microsoft-stack integration overlaps with TransparentChoice's Azure-native architecture and enterprise customer base.
- Smartsheet: Smartsheet is a widely adopted collaborative work management platform with portfolio-level capabilities. It competes for the same mid-market and enterprise buyers looking for portfolio prioritization and resource planning, typically at a more accessible price point than traditional PPM suites.
- KeyedIn (Mavenlink/Projector PSA-adjacent): KeyedIn (now part of MWH Global/Hexagon-adjacent PPM offerings) is a niche PPM vendor providing project portfolio management for mid-market and enterprise customers. It competes in the same prioritization and resource allocation space, often against TransparentChoice in Microsoft-ecosystem deals.
- Wrike: Wrike (now part of Citrix) provides project and portfolio management with prioritization and capacity planning features. It targets similar enterprise strategy, PMO, and transformation buyer personas that TransparentChoice serves.
- OnePlan: OnePlan offers AI-driven portfolio planning and resource management and is actually integrated with TransparentChoice via a connector. It targets a similar Microsoft-centric enterprise buyer for strategic portfolio management, making it both a partner and a credible competing platform.
Broad incumbents
- ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management: ServiceNow's SPM module delivers portfolio prioritization, demand management, and capacity planning inside its broader enterprise workflow platform. It is a broad incumbent competing for the same strategic portfolio prioritization buyer that TransparentChoice targets, especially in large enterprises already on ServiceNow.
- Microsoft Project / Planner: Microsoft's portfolio and project management tools (Project Online, Planner, and PPM capabilities within the Microsoft 365/Azure DevOps ecosystem) represent the bundled incumbent alternative. Many enterprises already pay for these and may consolidate prioritization workflows onto them rather than buying a best-of-breed tool.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
TransparentChoice social profiles
Digital presenceTransparentChoice compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
TransparentChoice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TransparentChoice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
TransparentChoice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TransparentChoice 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 TransparentChoice
What does TransparentChoice do?
TransparentChoice sells a SaaS portfolio prioritization and decision-support platform built on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), delivering six integrated modules (Project Prioritization, Strategic Planning, Demand Management, Capacity Planning, Portfolio Management, and Decision Support) to enterprise, government, education, and nonprofit organizations. Revenue comes from annual software subscriptions tailored to portfolio size and complexity, plus optional Expert Support services and partner-led consulting engagements such as Proof of Concept and Annual Planning cycles.
Is TransparentChoice a public or private company?
TransparentChoice is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was TransparentChoice founded?
TransparentChoice was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is TransparentChoice based?
TransparentChoice is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does TransparentChoice make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Annual Software Subscription is the primary driver. The others are professional Services and proof of Concept Engagements.
Who are TransparentChoice's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Planview and Workfront (Adobe). Emerging players are Monday.com, Brightwork, Smartsheet, KeyedIn (Mavenlink/Projector PSA-adjacent), Wrike and OnePlan. Broad incumbents are ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management and Microsoft Project / Planner.
Does TransparentChoice have an API?
Yes. Custom API-based integrations available via connector module. The platform offers common connectors like Excel and Power BI free of charge, and considers additional API-based integrations where needed. Custom integrations with internal platforms and proprietary APIs can be built with minimal IT effort.
What industry is TransparentChoice in?
TransparentChoice's product category is Project Portfolio Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAGAO, Enterprise Application License Advisory, Vendor Management & Optimization, with a secondary code of CRAFAIAB, Software/SaaS Subscriptions (Consumer & Prosumer). Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.