What Cloud Industry Forum does

Cloud Industry Forum, also operating as Tech Industry Forum, is a London-headquartered, privately held membership-based industry organization focused on the UK technology ecosystem. Its core activity is convening end users with cloud, software, platform, infrastructure, and service providers through a portfolio of proprietary research publications and recurring events, including the weekly Tech Wave Forum livestream on LinkedIn, the monthly Digital Transformation in Action webinar on BrightTALK, the fortnightly TLA (Tech Leadership Advantage) interview series, the Cloud Anonymous event format, and annual research reports such as 'Breaking New Ground with Cloud' (2023) and 'The Evolving Landscape of UK Managed Services' (2025).

The forum does not sell a technology product; its underlying 'platform' is a content-and-events stack built around LinkedIn and YouTube distribution, supported by research partnerships with Disruptive Live, a flagship sponsorship with Lenovo (whose UK & Ireland Country Manager Ian Jeffs serves as CIF Chairman), and a co-marketing presence at Cloud Expo Europe. Named members include approximately 20 enterprise technology brands spanning HPE, Broadcom, Dropbox, Ingram Micro, SoftwareOne, Wolters Kluwer, Claranet, Barracuda, Vuzion, Ensono, and others.

Revenue is generated through a recurring membership-fee model, supplemented by event and research sponsorships such as Lenovo's flagship research sponsorship; pricing is not publicly disclosed and applications are handled directly. Leadership is a small team led by CEO David Terrar, with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or headcount data, consistent with the profile of an independent, member-funded UK industry body.

Name

Cloud Industry Forum

Legal name

Cloud Industry Forum

Website

https://cloudindustryforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cloud Industry Forum (also branded Tech Industry Forum) is a London-based, privately held UK membership organization that convenes enterprise technology vendors and end users through proprietary research reports, webinars, and live events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association and Tech Community Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Cloud industry association
• Tech ecosystem community
• Industry research reports
• Thought leadership events
• Membership organisation

Headquarters

HQ city

Marlow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The organization operates a membership model where companies join the Tech Industry Forum ecosystem to benefit from networking opportunities and thought leadership participation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cloud Industry Forum is a UK-based membership association that convenes end users with leading cloud, software, platform, infrastructure, and managed service providers. Its core offerings are proprietary research publications (such as the Evolving Landscape of UK Managed Services), recurring live and recorded content programmes (Tech Wave Forum, TLA, Digital Transformation in Action), and member events (Cloud Anonymous) that facilitate networking, industry collaboration, and thought leadership.

Product overview

Cloud Industry Forum (also known as Tech Industry Forum) is a membership-based industry organization that brings together the UK tech ecosystem. Rather than a unified software product, it operates as a platform of interconnected programs and services: it delivers proprietary research publications (Tech Industry Reports, Breaking New Ground with Cloud), produces content series (Tech Wave Forum weekly livestreams, TLA fortnightly interviews, Digital Transformation in Action monthly webinars), and organizes events (Cloud Anonymous, Tech Wave Forum). These offerings work together to provide networking opportunities and thought leadership for end users and cloud, software, platform, infrastructure, and service providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tech Wave Forum (TWF) A weekly live-streamed news and interview show broadcast on LinkedIn, providing cloud computing news and interviews with industry thought leaders for the UK tech community.
• Digital Transformation in Action A monthly webinar series hosted by CEO David Terrar exploring the complexities and outcomes of digitalisation and their implications for UK businesses.
• TLA - Tech Leadership Advantage A fortnightly live-streamed interview show focused on using technology and leadership to gain competitive advantage, featuring industry thought leaders.
• Tech Industry Research Reports Proprietary industry market trend analysis and service insights compiled into Tech Industry Reports, including the Evolving Landscape of UK Managed Services report co-created with Disruptive Live and sponsored by Lenovo.
• Breaking New Ground with Cloud Research Report A 2023 research report focused on cloud adoption and cloud computing topics, available through the forum's Knowledge Hub.
• Cloud Anonymous Event An in-person and online event focused on debunking myths and discussing the realities of cloud adoption, exploring when the term 'cloud' became so clouded.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Disruptive LivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint content creation partner for research reports including 'The Evolving Landscape of UK Managed Services' report. Collaborates on industry analysis and thought leadership content.
• LenovoflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 'Evolving Landscape of UK Managed Services' research report. Lenovo UK & Ireland contributes industry insight through Ian Jeffs, who serves as Chairman of Cloud Industry Forum. Flagship sponsor of CIF research initiatives.
• Cloud Expo EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCloud Industry Forum plays a prominent role at Cloud Expo Europe (6-7 March 2024, ExCeL London). The partnership includes member registration opportunities and CIF event presence at the expo.
• FAST (Federation Against Software Theft)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on FAST Legal Advisory Group Digital Regulation Meeting. Represents industry body partnership focused on software regulation and compliance topics.
• Tradingplatforms.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner referenced for market data on public cloud revenues (26% YoY growth forecast). Used as data source for discussion topics and event content.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• techUK: UK technology trade association convening member companies across cloud, software, and digital infrastructure. Comparable as a membership-based UK industry body whose value proposition is convening, policy advocacy, and thought leadership for the same enterprise vendor community.
• CompTIA: Global trade association for the IT industry with UK membership programs, certifications, and industry research. Comparable in delivering membership-driven community, research reports, and events to technology vendors and end users.
• FAST (Federation Against Software Theft): UK industry body CIF collaborates with on software regulation and compliance topics. Comparable as a UK-based technology membership organization running events, advisory groups, and policy/community work for vendors and end users.

Regional players

• Cloud Expo Europe: Operator of the large ExCeL London cloud industry expo where CIF holds a prominent presence. Comparable as a UK-centric cloud ecosystem convening platform with events, sponsorships, and an enterprise vendor/buyer audience.
• EuroCloud: European cloud industry association running pan-European working groups and events. Comparable as a cloud-focused membership organization serving vendors and end users, but with broader European rather than UK-only geographic scope.
• Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF): Linux Foundation sub-project that convenes the cloud-native vendor and end-user ecosystem through events (KubeCon) and open-source governance. Comparable as a cloud-focused membership/community organization, but globally rather than UK-focused.

Broad incumbents

• BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT): Long-established UK professional membership body for IT practitioners offering events, publications, and community. Comparable in running a UK membership model that monetizes community, content, and credentials for the technology ecosystem.
• ISACA: Global professional association for IT governance, security, and risk with UK chapter activity. Comparable in monetizing memberships, research publications, certifications, and events for enterprise technology audiences.
• Gartner (Industry Research & Events): Dominant global IT research and advisory firm whose reports and conferences overlap CIF's research and event value proposition. Comparable as a higher-priced incumbent offering vendor/buyer intelligence that competes for the same enterprise marketing budget.

Emerging players

• Disruptive Live: Live-video content production partner co-creating CIF's UK MSP research report. Comparable as a video/content production ecosystem partner for technology vendors and associations, intersecting CIF's content engine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cloudindustryforum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1241867/admin
• Xx.com/uk_cif

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cloud Industry Forum