Smartdesc - Charity IT Specialist

What Smartdesc - Charity IT Specialist does

Smartdesc is a UK-based IT Managed Service Provider operating as a trading brand (t/a Smartdesc) of Academia Ltd, founded in 2011 by Chris Cranie and Adam Monks and since 2024 part of Academia the Technology Group (combined £150m turnover, 200+ staff across three countries). The company delivers managed IT, cybersecurity, IT leadership, and digital-skills services exclusively to UK charities, non-profits, education institutions, and public sector organisations, with 75+ named customers including Mind, Shelter, YMCA, WWF, WaterAid, and Terrence Higgins Trust.

Its core technology stack is built around the Microsoft ecosystem (Microsoft 365, Azure, Teams, Intune, Autopilot, SharePoint, OneDrive, Azure AD, Copilot for 365), supplemented by Jamf for Apple device management, Adobe, and Lenovo for hardware/software procurement. Proprietary components include the IT Health Scorecard Framework (12 top-level KPIs for executive reporting, developed over 10+ years), the Smart Sourcing co-managed resourcing model, and the bundled Smartdesc Secure cyber-security suite. The company holds Tier 1 Microsoft Direct CSP status (Top 150 worldwide Microsoft Solutions Partners), is one of only two ACEVO-approved trusted suppliers, is a licensed Cyber Essentials / Cyber Essentials Plus Certification Body, is ISO 27001 certified, CREST-accredited for penetration testing, and approved on UK G-Cloud and Crown Commercial Service frameworks.

Revenue is generated through five streams: fixed per-seat managed IT services, IT Leadership-as-a-Service subscriptions (Virtual IT Director/Manager), project-based professional services (migrations, audits, risk assessments), hardware/software procurement and licensing resale, and training services. Pricing is publicly disclosed across tiers (e.g., Smartdesc Secure bundle from £20 per seat per month, Cyber Essentials Basic from £750, vulnerability assessment from £1,500, penetration testing from ~£5,000, eLearning from £3 per user per month). Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales supported by free consultations, content marketing via the annual Charity Technology Leaders Report, and regulated procurement channels (G-Cloud, Crown Commercial Service, ACEVO). Standalone turnover exceeds £10m, with 98% client and staff retention and a 4.8/5 average user feedback score since 2012.

Name

Smartdesc - Charity IT Specialist

Legal name

Academia The Technology Group t/a Smartdesc (Academia Ltd)

Website

https://smartdesc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smartdesc is a UK-based IT Managed Service Provider delivering managed IT, cybersecurity, IT leadership, and digital-skills services exclusively to charities, non-profits, education, and public sector organisations, built on the Microsoft ecosystem and serving 75+ clients including Mind, Shelter, WWF, and WaterAid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managed IT Services for Nonprofits

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Endpoint & Device Management (UEM/MDM) Services (BPAEABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Managed Security Services (MSSP) & 24/7 SOC Operations (BPAKAHAA)

Keywords

• Managed IT services
• Charity IT support
• Microsoft 365 management
• Cyber security services
• Nonprofit IT consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Managed IT Services: Ongoing management and maintenance of IT infrastructure including cloud, on-premise and hybrid environments with fixed cost per seat pricing.
2. IT Leadership as a Service: Fractional IT Director and IT Manager services providing strategic and technical management without full-time recruitment costs.
3. Professional Services: Project-based services including migrations, upgrades, IT audits, risk assessments, security testing, and data protection consulting.
4. Hardware and Software Sales: IT procurement including hardware leasing, asset lifecycle management, and software licensing with vendor partnerships.
5. Training Services: Digital skills and IT training, cyber security training, and data protection GDPR training for charity staff.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Smartdesc is an IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) that delivers managed IT services, IT leadership, cyber security, Microsoft 365 management, and IT procurement exclusively for UK charities, nonprofits, education, and public sector organisations. Its core offering combines fully outsourced IT management with strategy-level advisory (Virtual IT Directors), wrapped around the Microsoft 365/Azure ecosystem and proprietary frameworks such as the IT Health Scorecard.

Product overview

Smartdesc is an award-winning IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) that delivers managed IT services exclusively for charities, nonprofits, education, and public sector organisations. Part of Academia The Technology Group, Smartdesc provides a unified managed services portfolio built around the Microsoft ecosystem. The core offering combines IT Leadership as a Service (Virtual IT Directors), Managed IT Infrastructure, IT Support & Helpdesk, and Smartdesc Secure (Cyber Security Suite). These integrate with managed Microsoft 365, Azure infrastructure, Cyber Essentials certification, Data Protection services, Digital Skills training, Infrastructure Design & Optimisation, IT Procurement & Asset Lifecycle, Internet & Telephony (Teams Phone), and Co-managed IT. The company operates as a Tier 1 Microsoft Direct CSP and holds Elite Partner status for Jamf and Platinum Reseller status for Adobe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Managed IT Services Comprehensive managed IT service provider offering strategic technology partnerships for nonprofits, charities, education, and public sector organisations. Includes helpdesk, infrastructure management, security, and professional services with fixed cost per seat pricing.
• IT Leadership as a Service / Virtual IT Director Fractional IT leadership delivering strategic and technical management to organisations lacking in-house IT expertise. Virtual IT Directors act as impartial advisors, owning IT budgets, cyber security strategy, GDPR, and disaster recovery plans without full-time recruitment costs.
• IT Support & Helpdesk Friendly, professional IT support delivered in plain English for any device, with a 4.8/5 average user feedback score since 2012. Includes remote working support and is targeted at nonprofit organisations.
• Smartdesc Secure (Cyber Security Suite) Fully managed cyber security services at a single fixed monthly cost (from £20 per seat per month). Includes device/server protection and patching, security audit and risk register, staff awareness training, Cyber Essentials readiness, information governance policies, proactive threat management, data protection processes, and bi-annual penetration tests.
• Microsoft 365 Management Fully managed Microsoft 365 infrastructure including Azure AD, Intune, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Autopilot. Enables hybrid working for charities without servers, VPNs, or Remote Desktops.
• Managed IT Infrastructure Turn-key fixed-cost solution for day-to-day infrastructure management and maintenance. Covers cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments with KPI reporting on health, risks, and backups.
• Cyber Essentials Certification Government-backed cyber security certification. Smartdesc is a licensed Cyber Essentials Certification Body offering Basic (from £750) and Plus certification with gap analysis and RAG reporting.
• Penetration Testing Tailored blend of cyber security testing at appropriate level, frequency, and cost. Includes vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and Security Operations Centre (SOC) monitoring delivered by CREST-certified specialists.
• Cyber Security Training eLearning platform built on Microsoft Azure with Two Factor Authentication. Three core modules: Information Security, Data Protection, and Fraud Awareness. Prices from £3 per month per user with no setup fee, no minimum contract.
• Data Protection for Non-profits Compliance service with UK GDPR and data protection legislation for non-profits. Includes data protection audit, training, support, and Data Protection Impact Assessments delivered by in-house specialists.
• Microsoft Copilot for 365 Deployment Deployment and readiness service for Microsoft Copilot for 365. Smartdesc helps charities prepare, secure, and launch Copilot including environment optimisation, security compliance, and licensing review.
• IT Procurement and Asset Lifecycle Management Scopes, supplies and manages IT hardware and software leveraging maximum non-profit discounts. Covers laptops/desktops, Device as a Service, Microsoft licensing, networking, Wi-Fi, secure disposal, and rebates.
• Infrastructure Design & Optimisation Independent collaborative approach to designing IT infrastructure strategies for 100% cloud, co-located, or hybrid environments. Includes the proprietary Health Scorecard Framework with 12 KPIs.
• IT Audit and Risk Assessments Pragmatic top-to-bottom IT audit examining infrastructure, security, finance, operations, policies, and governance. Produces bespoke prioritised recommendations, templates, and risk register.
• Digital Skills & IT Training Charity-tailored digital skills training based on staff personas. Includes classroom/remote workshops, drop-in clinics, video productivity hacks, and structured eLearning courses via a dedicated LMS.
• Co-managed IT Hybrid resourcing model combining internal IT staff knowledge with Smartdesc's expertise. Smartdesc manages the hybrid team as one integrated unit working alongside in-house colleagues.
• vCISOs (Virtual Chief Information Security Officers) Virtual Chief Information Security Officers providing security leadership and governance for organisations without in-house CISO capability.
• Internet and Telephony (Teams Phone) Fibre-optic internet, managed firewall, and managed Wi-Fi for offices and home workers. Teams Phone consolidates desk phones, VOIP apps, and work mobiles into Microsoft Teams with a 99.97% uptime guarantee.
• Data Protection & GDPR Training Training services for data protection and GDPR compliance. Part of the Smartdesc Secure suite.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% client retention rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 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

Integration11 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationTier 1 Direct CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) with Microsoft for Modern Work, Azure and Security. Microsoft Solutions Partner in top 150 worldwide. Manages Microsoft 365, Azure, and security solutions for charity clients.
• Academia The Technology GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of Smartdesc. Combined turnover of £150m and 200+ staff. Smartdesc operates as part of this group.
• ACEVOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of only two officially ACEVO-approved trusted suppliers for IT support. Provides access to ACEVO member charities.
• JamfmajorTechnology or IntegrationElite Partner status for Jamf Apple device management solutions for charity clients.
• AdobemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Reseller status for Adobe in the UK, providing software licensing to charity clients.
• LenovomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPCP Platinum Partner for Lenovo hardware procurement with charity discounts.
• Charity IT LeadersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual research partnership producing the Charity Technology Leaders Report.
• Crown Commercial ServicecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerApproved supplier on UK Government G-Cloud and Crown Commercial Service frameworks for public sector procurement.
• Microsoft Tech for Social ImpactmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose partnership with Microsoft's global Tech for Social Impact team for charity-focused solutions and grants.
• HPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHP Business Partner for hardware procurement.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trustmarque: UK IT services and managed services firm offering cloud, Microsoft licensing and managed support to enterprise and public-sector customers. Overlaps with Smartdesc on managed services, Microsoft ecosystem and UK mid-market/enterprise focus.
• Phoenix Software: UK software licensing and IT services reseller with Microsoft, Adobe and security vendor relationships. Comparable to Smartdesc's procurement- and licensing-led offering, alongside managed services for UK enterprise and public sector.
• Cyberis: UK-based independent cyber-security services firm offering penetration testing, managed detection and security consulting. Closely comparable to Smartdesc's cybersecurity services, CREST-aligned testing and managed security posture for mid-market UK customers.
• Bytes Technology Group: UK-listed software licensing and IT services provider (Platinum Microsoft partner) selling software, cloud and managed services to corporate and public sector customers. Comparable to Smartdesc on Microsoft licensing, IT procurement and managed services with adjacent cybersecurity exposure.
• Bridewell: UK-based cybersecurity services firm providing managed detection, penetration testing, consulting and vCISO services. Directly comparable to Smartdesc's Smartdesc Secure suite and penetration testing/certification body offerings.
• Node4: UK mid-market cloud and managed services provider with a security-heavy offering (notably the legacy 'The Bunker' ultra-secure hosting business). Highly comparable to Smartdesc in scale, Microsoft Tier 1 positioning, and the mix of managed infrastructure plus managed security services.
• ANS Group: UK-based digital transformation and managed cloud services provider serving mid-market and enterprise customers. Comparable to Smartdesc as a UK Microsoft-focused MSP with a multi-vertical book of business including public sector.

Broad incumbents

• Softcat: Large UK-listed IT infrastructure reseller and MSP with Microsoft, Adobe and security vendor partnerships. A much broader incumbent operating across all verticals, but overlapping Smartdesc on Microsoft licensing, managed services and security distribution to enterprise / public sector customers.
• SCC: Major UK and European IT services provider (now part of Sopra Steria) offering managed services, cloud, security and Microsoft-aligned solutions to enterprise and public sector. A broad incumbent with significant overlap on Microsoft managed services and cybersecurity.

Emerging players

• Jisc: UK not-for-profit providing digital, data and cyber-security services to universities, colleges and research organisations. Comparable mission-model (not-for-profit IT body serving a specific sector) and overlapping offerings in security, cloud and managed infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smartdesc_ltd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCs3aiG59RBtXanIA16otHFA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2961812

Compliance24 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Smartdesc - Charity IT Specialist