Marketing Derby
Marketing Derby is an award-winning investment promotion agency operating as a public-private partnership for Derby and Derbyshire. It combines a 350+ Bondholder network with free investor services — site searches, market intelligence, and aftercare — funded by membership fees and local authority grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersDerby, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Marketing Derby does
Marketing Derby is an award-winning investment promotion agency operating as an independent public-private partnership for Derby and Derbyshire, founded in 2006. The company is structured around the Bondholder scheme, a network of more than 350 influential local companies and organisations — ranging from global manufacturers (Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Alstom) to SMEs and public institutions (University of Derby, Derbion) — that pay membership fees and act as ambassadors for the area. Core services to prospective investors are provided free of charge and include site and property searches, bespoke investment support, planning process brokerage, market intelligence, introductions to local networks, and ongoing aftercare. Marketing Derby receives additional core funding from Derby City Council and the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), and coordinates with regional bodies including the Midlands Engine Partnership and D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
The agency's underlying technology is a hybrid relationship-and-engagement platform rather than a software product. Key proprietary assets include Derby City Lab (an award-winning physical and digital exhibition space in Derby Market Hall that showcases investment opportunities and regeneration plans), the London Embassy Club (which convenes capital-markets-facing events), the Bondholder network directory, a commercial property search tool, and a recurring content engine comprising thrice-weekly eshots, a monthly Friday Morning Takeaway column, a quarterly Innovate Magazine, and a calendar of flagship events (Derby Property Summit, Food & Drink Awards, Annual Business Event, UKREiiF delegation). Distribution combines events, digital content, press and PR, and direct relationship management delivered by a lean team of approximately 10 core staff including an Executive Chairman, COO, inward investment executives, marketing and PR leads, and a Bondholder scheme manager.
The revenue model is a hybrid of recurring Bondholder membership fees (subscription) and managed-services-style public sector grants, with no fees charged to investors for the agency's core services. Track record to date includes £4.48bn of investment attracted to Derby between 2011 and 2024 (with a £2.6bn pipeline), 5,000+ jobs attracted, £333m of GVA generated, and the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation (held until April 2025). Marquee transactions facilitated or supported include Toyota Manufacturing UK's £250m+ investment, Rolls-Royce's £1bn+ aerospace and nuclear campus spend, the SmartParc SEGRO Spondon flagship food manufacturing site, the £175m Nightingale Quarter, and the £100m Derby Energy Network heat network project.
Marketing Derby firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Marketing Derby
- Legal name
- Marketing Derby Limited
- Website
- https://marketingderby.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Marketing Derby is an award-winning investment promotion agency operating as a public-private partnership for Derby and Derbyshire. It combines a 350+ Bondholder network with free investor services — site searches, market intelligence, and aftercare — funded by membership fees and local authority grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Marketing Derby industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Promotion Services
- NAICS
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Other Services Related to Advertising (54189), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hybrid Conferences & Conventions (In-Person + Streamed) (MPAGAOAC)
Keywords
Where Marketing Derby is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Derby
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Marketing Derby business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Bondholder Membership Fees: Marketing Derby operates a Bondholder scheme where local businesses and organisations pay to join, gaining visibility and access while contributing to the organisation's operational funding. The scheme has 350+ Bondholders ranging from global names like Rolls-Royce and Toyota to SMEs.
- Public Sector Funding: Core funding from public sector partners including Derby City Council and East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) for delivering investment promotion services and economic development activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free investor services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Marketing Derby product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Marketing Derby provides free, confidential investment promotion services to businesses and investors considering expansion or relocation into the Derby area. Its core services include site and property searches, bespoke investor support, planning process brokerage, market intelligence, introductions to local professional networks, and ongoing aftercare. The agency operates the Bondholder membership scheme (350+ companies) and runs the award-winning Derby City Lab engagement space as the centrepiece of its public-private partnership model.
Product overview
Marketing Derby operates as a unified investment promotion agency offering a portfolio of interconnected services centered on attracting investment to Derby. The core offering combines the Bondholders membership program (linking 350+ businesses), the Invest in Derby service (providing site searches, bespoke support, and market intelligence), and Derby City Lab (an award-winning physical exhibition). Supporting offerings include the Derby Insider Tour, Food & Drink Awards, Property Search tool, and Innovate Magazine publication. All services work together within a public-private partnership model to promote Derby as the UK's Capital for Innovation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Bondholders: A membership scheme bringing together influential companies and organisations that showcase Derby's business community and support investment promotion.
- Derby City Lab
- Rising Star Award
Products and services
- Bondholders
- Derby City Lab
- Invest in Derby
- Derby Insider Tour
- Food & Drink Awards
- The Rising Star Award
- Property Search
Quantifiable outcome
- £1.23bn capital investment secured for Derby
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Marketing Derby
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Marketing Derby technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Marketing Derby partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regional.
- Team Derby Partnershipcore£10m government-backed partnership bringing together major employers (Rolls-Royce, Alstom, Toyota), University of Derby, local authorities, and government bodies to drive economic growth in Derby focused on rail, aerospace, nuclear, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy sectors.
- 1Energy / Derby Energy Networkmajor£100m private capital investment plus £23m government funding for city-wide low-carbon heat network. Partnership with Derby City and major anchor institutions (Royal Derby Hospital, University of Derby, Rolls-Royce) to deliver sustainable infrastructure.
- Derby City CouncilcoreKey public sector partner providing core funding and strategic support for investment promotion activities. Collaboration enables coordinated approach to attracting investment and delivering economic development objectives for Derby.
- East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA)coreRegional combined authority partner supporting Marketing Derby's work and coordinating wider East Midlands investment promotion, including Trent Arc strategy targeting 30,000 homes, 40,000 jobs, and £2.4bn GVA.
- Bondholders (350+ companies)coreNetwork of influential local businesses and organisations (including Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Alstom, University of Derby, Derbion) who fund the organisation and act as ambassadors for Derby's investment proposition.
- Rolls-RoycecoreMajor anchor employer and Bondholder in Derby's aerospace and nuclear sectors with over £1bn investment in campus facilities. Key partner in Team Derby £10m government partnership.
- Toyota Manufacturing UKcoreMajor anchor employer and Bondholder with £250m+ investment. Key partner in Derby's advanced manufacturing sector and automotive industry cluster.
- AlstomcoreMajor rail manufacturing company and Bondholder based in Derby, contributing to the city's rail engineering cluster and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
- University of DerbycoreKey Bondholder and academic partner providing skills pipeline, research capabilities, and workforce development. Partner in Team Derby and East Midlands Investment Zone.
- DerbionmajorMajor retail destination (1.3 million sq ft, 21 million visitors annually) and Bondholder. Marketing Derby supports with data, intelligence, and collaborative campaigns to drive footfall and investment.
- Wavensmere HomesmajorMajor residential developer delivering Nightingale Quarter (£175m, 925 homes) and Friar Gate Goods Yard (£80m, 276 homes). Supported through planning process, market intelligence, and investor introductions.
- SmartParc SEGRO SpondonmajorFlagship 1.85 million sq ft food manufacturing site creating 5,000 direct jobs. Marketing Derby supported site selection, investor introductions, and continues to liaise with SmartParc on end-user occupier enquiries.
- D2N2 Local Enterprise PartnershipcoreLocal enterprise partnership partner for economic development and investment coordination, now succeeded by EMCCA in the combined authority structure.
- Midlands Engine PartnershipregionalRegional trade and investment partnership activity supporting Marketing Derby's national and international promotion of Derby and the wider Midlands region.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Marketing Derby competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Lambert Smith Hampton: UK commercial property consultancy offering site search, investment advisory and market intelligence — adjacent to Marketing Derby's property-search and investor-introduction services, though delivered on a commercial fee basis rather than as a public-good agency.
- Midlands Engine Partnership: Regional trade and investment partnership covering the West and East Midlands, including the Derby geography Marketing Derby operates in; comparable in its place-marketing remit but operating at a wider regional level rather than single city.
Direct peers
- Marketing Leeds: Public-private marketing organisation for Leeds delivering place promotion, investor engagement and a bonded business network — directly comparable governance and GTM to Marketing Derby.
- London & Partners: London's official business growth and destination agency, running inward investment promotion, trade missions and major investor events — same operating model (place-marketing + investor services) at much larger scale.
- Glasgow City Marketing Bureau: Glasgow's place-marketing and inward-investment agency operating as a public-private partnership that runs investor events, trade missions and city promotion — the Scottish structural equivalent of Marketing Derby.
- Invest Liverpool: Liverpool's inward investment promotion service providing site search, market intelligence and aftercare to investors — directly overlaps with Marketing Derby's free advisory proposition.
- Marketing Manchester: Manchester's equivalent public-private partnership marketing and inward investment agency, delivering place-marketing, investor attraction and a bonded business network — the closest direct analogue to Marketing Derby's model in another UK city.
- Invest Bristol & Bath: Inward investment promotion body for the Bristol and Bath region, offering free site-search, market intelligence and aftercare services to investors — directly comparable in scope and service mix to Marketing Derby's Invest in Derby offering.
Broad incumbents
- CBRE UK: Global commercial real estate services firm that provides property search, site selection and market intelligence to occupier/investor clients — directly overlaps with Marketing Derby's property-search and investor advisory services but as part of a much wider portfolio.
- JLL UK: International real estate and investment advisory firm with UK offices that delivers site selection, location strategy and aftercare services to corporate occupiers — overlaps with Marketing Derby's free investor support but at significantly larger scale and commercial fee model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Marketing Derby social profiles
Digital presenceMarketing Derby compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Marketing Derby financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Marketing Derby leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Marketing Derby funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Marketing Derby 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 Marketing Derby
What does Marketing Derby do?
Marketing Derby provides free, confidential investment promotion services to businesses and investors considering expansion or relocation into the Derby area. Its core services include site and property searches, bespoke investor support, planning process brokerage, market intelligence, introductions to local professional networks, and ongoing aftercare. The agency operates the Bondholder membership scheme (350+ companies) and runs the award-winning Derby City Lab engagement space as the centrepiece of its public-private partnership model.
Is Marketing Derby a public or private company?
Marketing Derby is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Marketing Derby founded?
Marketing Derby was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Marketing Derby based?
Marketing Derby is headquartered in Derby, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Marketing Derby make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Bondholder Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are public Sector Funding.
Who are Marketing Derby's main competitors?
Others on record are Lambert Smith Hampton and Midlands Engine Partnership. Direct peers are Marketing Leeds, London & Partners, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Invest Liverpool, Marketing Manchester and Invest Bristol & Bath. Broad incumbents are CBRE UK and JLL UK.
Does Marketing Derby have an API?
No public API is recorded for Marketing Derby.
What industry is Marketing Derby in?
Marketing Derby's product category is Investment Promotion Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAOAC, Hybrid Conferences & Conventions (In-Person + Streamed). Its NAICS code is 5418 and its SIC code is 7310.