Cortexa

What Cortexa does

Cortexa Limited is a UK-based e-learning specialist founded in 2002 that delivers bespoke Learning Management System (LMS) and online learning solutions built on the Totara Talent Experience Platform (TXP). The company serves enterprise customers, mid-market firms, trade associations, and not-for-profit organisations across the UK and Ireland, with particular specialism in multi-tenant Extended Enterprise LMS deployments that segment diverse learner populations (members, franchisees, retailers, employees) into branded sub-tenants with tiered course catalogues and audience-specific dashboards. Headquartered in Kettering, Northamptonshire, Cortexa operates with a small (11–50 employee) remote-working team led by Managing Director Mark Parrish.

Cortexa's core technology stack centres on reselling, customising, and hosting Totara Learn (LMS), Totara Perform (performance management), and the Totara AI and BuildAI add-on modules exclusively on Amazon Web Services. The company develops proprietary extensions such as the CTX Remote plugin (a cross-Totara LMS enrolment bridge used by the EDA–Edmundson Electrical integration) and produces in-house SCORM-compliant bespoke eLearning content using Articulate Storyline with H5P interactive elements. Notable flagship deployments include the Builders Merchants Federation (6,000+ users, 24k+ course completions across 1,010 member companies using a three-tier subscription model), B/S/H/ (25,000+ learners, 24 audience types), and the Scottish Prison Service (5,000 learners across 13 establishments).

The business model spans six revenue streams: Totara platform subscription and licensing reselling (recurring, seat-based), implementation/configuration/migration services (one-off, project-based), bespoke eLearning content development, managed support and Customer Success, Extended Enterprise multi-tenant subscription tiers, and off-the-shelf course catalogue licensing. Pricing is quote-based with annual or multi-year contracts, no public price list, fees in Great Britain Pounds, and 30-day payment terms. Cortexa is privately held with no disclosed external funding or parent company, ISO 27001 certified, and holds Totara Platinum Partner status (achieved 2022) alongside consecutive Totara Awards recognition from 2021 through 2024.

Name

Cortexa

Legal name

Cortexa Limited

Website

https://cortexa.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cortexa is a UK-based Totara Platinum Partner founded in 2002 that designs, hosts, and customises bespoke Learning Management Systems and Extended Enterprise multi-tenant e-learning platforms for trade associations, manufacturers, government, and not-for-profit organisations across the UK and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Learning Management Systems

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Core LMS Platforms (Academic & Corporate) (EDAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Open-Source & Self-Hosted LMS (EDAFAAAL), LMS Integrations, Interoperability & Identity (LTI/SCORM/xAPI, SSO, APIs) (EDAFAAAI), Learning Experience Platforms (LXP) & Learning Portals (EDAFAAAB), Vertical/Industry-Specific LMS (e.g., Healthcare, Safety, Aviation, Government) (EDAFAAAM), Compliance, Certification & Continuing Education LMS (EDAFAAAD)

Keywords

• Learning management systems
• Bespoke eLearning content
• Extended enterprise LMS
• LMS migration services
• Totara Platinum Partner

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Totara platform subscription & licensing reselling: Cortexa resells Totara LMS (Learn / TXP) and Totara Perform subscriptions to enterprise, mid-market, and federation customers. Revenue is recurring via annual or multi-year Subscription Fees tied to seat counts and modules.
2. Implementation, configuration & migration services: One-off and project-based professional services revenue from LMS setup, customisation, data migration, integration with HR/ERP/CRM systems, and branding work. Charged per project (often quoted separately from subscription).
3. Bespoke eLearning content development: Revenue from designing and building custom SCORM eLearning modules, video assets, and branded course catalogues tailored to customer needs.
4. Managed support & Customer Success services: Ongoing managed support, hosting (AWS), upgrades, and consultancy beyond go-live; positioned as 'uncapped', person-to-person support that retains customers for 10+ years.
5. Extended Enterprise multi-tenant subscription tiers: For federation/association customers (e.g., BMF), Cortexa operates tiered member subscriptions (3-tier model) where member companies pay per-tier access to multi-tenant extended enterprise LMS.
6. Course catalogue & content licensing (off-the-shelf): Licensing of off-the-shelf course bundles covering compliance, sales, management, personal development, security and health & safety topics, delivered through the LMS.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cortexa is a UK-based Totara Platinum Partner that implements, customises, hosts, and supports Totara-based Learning Management System (LMS) and Talent Experience Platform solutions for enterprise, trade association, manufacturer, government, and not-for-profit customers. The company delivers multi-tenant Extended Enterprise LMS architectures, bespoke SCORM-compliant eLearning content, system integrations (including a proprietary CTX Remote plugin for cross-Totara enrolment), LMS migration services, and ongoing Customer Success support, with all platforms hosted on Amazon Web Services.

Product overview

Cortexa is a single-vendor specialist rather than a multi-product software house: its portfolio is a tightly coupled implementation, customisation, and managed-service practice built on the Totara Talent Experience Platform. At the core is Totara LMS, the foundation that Cortexa tailors, hosts on AWS, and migrates customers onto. Around this core, Cortexa delivers Totara Perform (performance management), Totara AI and Totara BuildAI (AI-enabled learning), Totara eCommerce (paid enrolment and billing), the Extended Enterprise multi-tenant architecture, Compliance LMS configuration, Accessibility (WCAG) configuration, and System Integration services that link the platform to HR, ERP, CRM and other enterprise systems (including the proprietary CTX Remote cross-LMS plugin). Layered on top are eLearning Content authoring services, LMS Migration from legacy platforms, and ongoing Support and Training. Cortexa's specialism is in trade associations, building-materials merchants, manufacturers, and not-for-profit organisations, where Extended Enterprise multi-tenancy is the defining architectural pattern.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Totara LMS Core implementation and customisation service for the Totara Learn learning management system, tailored to each customer's industry, culture, and learning goals. Cortexa is a Totara Platinum Partner delivering bespoke Totara platforms with branded UX, workflows, integrations, and AWS-hosted infrastructure for organisations of all sizes.
• eLearning Content Bespoke and curated eLearning content development service delivered to global brands and SMEs across manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and retail. Includes Cortexa-developed own-brand courseware and SCORM-packaged re-authored compliance content authored in-house using Articulate Storyline with H5P interactive elements.
• Extended Enterprise LMS Multi-tenant Totara LMS architecture that delivers simultaneous branded experiences for an organisation and its external partners, retailers, distributors, franchisees, and customers. A defining Cortexa specialism demonstrated by deployments for BMF, B/S/H/, and EDA serving thousands of external learners.
• Totara System Integration Service for integrating the Totara LMS with HR, ERP, CRM, and other enterprise systems. Includes the proprietary CTX Remote plugin for cross-Totara LMS synchronisation and bespoke integration bridges linking legacy spreadsheet-based competency tracking to the new Totara platform.
• Compliance LMS LMS configuration and content focused on regulatory and organisational compliance training, including configurable role hierarchies, audience-based privileges, and audit-ready reporting for governance, health and safety, and statutory training programmes.
• Totara Perform (Performance Management) Performance management capability implemented on top of the Totara platform, covering goal management, adaptive appraisals, 360-degree feedback, competency-based development, coaching and check-ins, and reporting and analytics.
• LMS Migration Services Migration services that move customers from legacy LMS platforms (including prior Totara deployments and other LMS providers) to Cortexa-hosted AWS infrastructure, using a sandbox-validated move-then-improve methodology with HR, ERP, and CRM integration.
• LMS Support and Training Ongoing Customer Success support, phased administrator training, regular platform upgrades, hosting management, and consultancy delivered by Cortexa's team after go-live, positioned as uncapped person-to-person support.

Quantifiable outcome

• B/S/H/ Academy scaled to 25,000+ learners across 24 audience types with 44,000+ course enrolments.
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• Totara LearningflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCortexa's flagship strategic and technology partnership. Cortexa became a Totara Partner in 2017/2018, achieved Gold Partner status, then Platinum Partner status nine months later (announced 2022) - in Cortexa's 20th year of business. Cortexa resells and implements the entire Totara Talent Experience Platform (TXP) including Totara Learn, Totara Perform and Totara AI features. Joint activities include co-hosted webinars (e.g., B/S/H/ Academy, 'Learning with IMPACT'), partner awards, and joint press releases. Lars Hyland (EMEA MD) and Richard Wyles (CEO) of Totara have publicly endorsed the partnership.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationAWS is Cortexa's exclusive cloud hosting infrastructure partner. Per Cortexa's own description: 'We only use cloud-based Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host your site. This brings the peace of mind that your data is secure, your site will be reliable and responsive.' AWS underpins Cortexa's hosting, data migration, and reliability guarantees.
• Construction Inclusion Coalition (CIC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCortexa joined the Construction Inclusion Coalition (CIC) as a Coalition Member in 2024. CIC was formed in 2023 to address diversity and inclusion challenges in the UK construction sector. As a Coalition Member, Cortexa commits to the 'Built on Better Pledge' - a set of seven action areas - and collaborates with other members on co-created solutions for equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Fosway GroupminorOthersFosway Group is the European learning technology analyst whose 9-Grid for Learning Systems is cited by Cortexa as validation of the underlying Totara platform ('a Core Leader in the 2025 Fosway 9-Grid for Learning Systems'). Cortexa leverages Fosway's analyst credibility in its go-to-market materials.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sponge UK: Sponge is a UK-based bespoke e-learning and digital learning agency that designs and builds custom learning content and platforms for enterprise and government, directly comparable to Cortexa's bespoke content and LMS implementation practice.
• Learning Pool: Learning Pool is a UK-headquartered LMS and learning technologies provider that resells and implements Totara alongside its own platforms, directly overlapping Cortexa's UK Totara implementation and managed-services business.
• Think Learning: Think Learning is a UK-based Totara Platinum Partner delivering bespoke Totara LMS implementations and content for enterprise and membership organisations, directly comparable to Cortexa's delivery model and customer base.
• Kineo: Kineo is a global e-learning and LMS solutions provider offering bespoke content, Totara implementations and LMS consulting; it overlaps directly with Cortexa's content authoring and Totara implementation services.
• Leonard Learning (formerly Bray Leino Learning): Leonard Learning is a UK learning provider combining bespoke e-learning content, LMS implementation and managed services, comparable to Cortexa's full-stack Totara and content offering.

Broad incumbents

• Totara Learning: Totara is the underlying open-architecture LMS / Talent Experience Platform vendor on which Cortexa builds its solutions; it is a channel partner rather than a competitor, but its roadmap and partner economics are central to Cortexa's trajectory.
• Docebo: Docebo is a global, AI-centric enterprise LMS platform that competes for the same enterprise and mid-market L&D budgets that Cortexa targets, particularly for organisations evaluating Totara vs. commercial SaaS LMS.
• Cornerstone OnDemand: Cornerstone is a large enterprise talent and learning platform that competes with Totara/Cortexa in large, regulated and multi-audience deployments, particularly with HR-suite buyers in the UK and EMEA.
• Workday Learning: Workday Learning is the learning module of the Workday HCM suite; it competes for the same enterprise LMS budgets as Cortexa/Totara, especially where HR-system integration is a buying criterion.

Emerging players

• Sana (Sana Labs): Sana is an AI-first learning and knowledge platform that competes with Totara/Cortexa in enterprise L&D, particularly for organisations prioritising AI-augmented content authoring and learning experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cortexauk
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cortexa-216591565032878
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cortexa-uk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Cortexa