Ekosgen
GC Insight (formerly ekosgen) is a UK social enterprise that delivers research, evaluation, and predictive business intelligence—anchored by its Growth Flag platform with a proprietary Growth Score algorithm—to local authorities, combined authorities, national government departments, agencies, and select private-sector clients across the UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ekosgen does
GC Insight (formerly ekosgen) is a UK social enterprise operating within The Growth Company group, providing research, evaluation, economic development strategy, and predictive business intelligence to public and private sector clients. Its flagship technology is the Growth Flag platform, which combines a comprehensive UK-wide business dataset refreshed up to twice daily with a proprietary Growth Score algorithm (claiming greater than 90% year-on-year accuracy in predicting which businesses will achieve 20% growth in the next 12 months) and an RFA Rating for credit and risk early-warning signals. The platform is augmented by Growth Flag+, a bespoke insights and analysis service producing State of Growth reports, sector deep dives, comparator analyses, spatial mapping, and investment prospectuses; by a system-integration layer offering pre-built CRM connectors (Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, Pipedrive) plus an API; and by design-and-delivery of business support programmes such as the St Helens Business Launchpad.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: annual SaaS-style subscriptions for the Growth Flag platform on a quote-based, per-user-licence structure; multi-year professional-services contracts for Growth Flag+ bespoke analysis and evaluation work; standalone research and evaluation consultancy engagements (including Green Book-compliant business cases, programme evaluations, impact assessments, and economic growth strategies); and additional fees for system integration beyond the core subscription. Go-to-market is direct sales-led via discovery calls and demos, supported by content marketing (reports, webinars, LinkedIn, news/insights articles) and credibility partnerships (High Growth 50 at the London Stock Exchange, Warwick Business School endorsement, CLES collaboration).
Customer concentration is heavily skewed toward UK public sector buyers—national departments (DBT, DCMS, DESNZ, Defra, DfE, DLUHC), devolved administrations (Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish), combined and mayoral authorities (West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, North of Tyne), local councils across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, agencies (UKRI, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, London & Partners), universities, and select private-sector logos (Amazon, Mace, Bruntwood, Lendlease, Renaker, Aviva Studios). Operations span four UK offices (Manchester HQ at Lee House, plus London, Birmingham, and Glasgow) on a hybrid model. The firm holds ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 14001, Cyber Essentials, Social Enterprise Gold Mark, Real Living Wage, Disability Confident Level 3, and Investors in People Gold accreditations, and reports no external venture or private equity funding, operating commercially as a social enterprise that reinvests surpluses into client services.
Ekosgen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ekosgen
- Legal name
- GC Insight
- Website
- https://gcinsight.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GC Insight (formerly ekosgen) is a UK social enterprise that delivers research, evaluation, and predictive business intelligence—anchored by its Growth Flag platform with a proprietary Growth Score algorithm—to local authorities, combined authorities, national government departments, agencies, and select private-sector clients across the UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ekosgen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategy & IT Advisory (BPAEAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- ESG Governance, Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Advisory (BPAHAFAJ), ESG Data Platforms, Controls & Audit Readiness (Data quality, internal controls) (EUAHAJAN)
Keywords
Where Ekosgen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Ekosgen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Research and Evaluation Consultancy: Social enterprise providing evidence, analysis, tools and know-how to help clients deliver greater positive impacts. Generates revenue through consultancy fees for economic development strategies, programme evaluations, impact assessments and business support programme design
- Growth Flag Platform Subscription: SaaS platform providing ongoing access to UK business intelligence data with user licences. Clients access predictive growth scoring, risk signals, portfolio monitoring and interactive visualisation through subscription model
- Growth Flag+ Insights and Analysis: Bespoke analysis service complementing the platform with tailored consultancy, State of Growth reports, sector deep dives, comparator analysis, spatial mapping and investment prospectuses. Available as add-on to platform or standalone projects
- System Integration Services: CRM and API integration services enabling Growth Flag data to flow into client systems, reporting tools and internal databases. Additional charge beyond platform subscription
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Platform user licences with flexible access levels |
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Growth Flag+ Insights and Analysis service |
| Subscription | Annual | System Integration (CRM and API) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ekosgen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ekosgen (now operating as GC Insight) is a social enterprise research and evaluation consultancy that designs and delivers business support programmes, economic strategies, and impact assessments for UK public and private sector clients. The company sells the Growth Flag business intelligence platform — a SaaS tool providing predictive analytics on UK business growth potential and risk signals — supplemented by bespoke Growth Flag+ insights, system integration services, and end-to-end project consultancy across the strategy-to-evaluation lifecycle.
Product overview
GC Insight offers a unified platform-plus-modules architecture anchored by the Growth Flag Platform, a real-time business intelligence platform with predictive capabilities. The Growth Flag ecosystem includes Growth Flag+ (an add-on insights and analysis service), System Integration (enabling CRM and API connections), and Business Support Programmes. Together, these products provide evidence-led intelligence for business growth identification, risk assessment, and economic development across UK local authorities, combined authorities, and government agencies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Growth Flag: A first-of-its-kind real-time business intelligence platform designed to give policymakers, analysts and delivery teams a clearer, more proactive view of business growth, risk and opportunity.
Products and services
- Growth Flag Platform A real-time business intelligence SaaS platform combining UK-wide business datasets with predictive analytics. Enables policymakers, analysts and business support teams to identify businesses with high growth potential, assess risk and make evidence-led decisions through interactive visualisation, portfolio tracking and segmentation tools.
- Growth Flag+ Insights and Analysis Bespoke insights and analysis service powered by Growth Flag data, providing expert support, tailored analysis, deeper insight, custom business lists, in-depth sector deep dives, comparator analysis, spatial mapping, State of Growth reports and fully developed reports. Available as an add-on to the Growth Flag platform or as standalone consultancy projects.
- System Integration Services Integration service that brings Growth Flag data into CRM systems, reporting tools and internal databases. Includes pre-built plug-and-play integrations with Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho and Pipedrive, plus API access for custom CRMs, data warehouses, Power BI and other internal environments.
- Research and Evaluation Consultancy Social enterprise consultancy delivering evidence, analysis and know-how across the project lifecycle. Services span generating evidence (including survey services), creating strategy, securing investment, evaluating success, assessing impact and supporting business growth for local authorities, combined authorities, national government departments, universities, agencies and private sector clients.
- Business Support Programmes Designed and delivered business support programmes such as St Helens Business Launchpad, providing one-to-one expert business advice, tailored workshops, support for start-ups and early-stage businesses, and access to bespoke growth programmes. Based on 35+ years of experience supporting business growth across the UK.
Quantifiable outcome
- Year-on-year Growth Score accuracy exceeding 90%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Ekosgen
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ekosgen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
Ekosgen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Red Flag AlertcoreGrowth Flag was co-developed by Red Flag Alert (data intelligence platform) and GC Insight (part of The Growth Company). Red Flag Alert contributed background in data insights while The Growth Company contributed 30+ years expertise in delivering inclusive and sustainable business growth. Partnership continues post-launch with Red Flag Alert maintaining collaboration role.
- The Growth CompanycoreGC Insight is part of The Growth Company, a social enterprise with 35+ years experience supporting businesses, people and places. Parent organisation provides infrastructure, frameworks and collaborative network for delivering economic development services. Powered by The Growth Company branding visible on GC Insight communications.
- CLES - Centre for Local Economic StrategiesminorCollaborated with CLES on Cumberland Economic and Inclusive Growth Strategy 2026-2036 project alongside support from Ian Wheeler and WSP. Multi-disciplinary team approach for local authority strategy development.
- MC2minorGrowth Flag became data partner to MC2 for the High Growth 50 - annual publication spotlighting most ambitious and growing mid-market businesses in the North of England. Report launched at London Stock Exchange market close ceremony.
- London Stock ExchangeminorHigh Growth 50 report powered by Growth Flag data was launched at London Stock Exchange in special market close ceremony, providing visibility for Growth Flag platform among investor and business community.
- Warwick Business SchoolminorMark Hart, Deputy Director at Enterprise Research Centre and Professor of Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Policy at Warwick Business School, provided endorsement for Growth Flag dataset quality and methodology.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Ekosgen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bureau van Dijk (Moody's): Provider of large-scale company information databases (Orbis, FAME) used widely for research and due diligence — a broader incumbent with overlapping firm-level financial data and analytics.
- Creditsafe: Global business credit intelligence provider with extensive UK company data and risk scoring — comparable to the RFA Rating component of Growth Flag but at significantly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Red Flag Alert: UK business intelligence and credit risk platform co-developing the Growth Flag dataset with GC Insight — direct peer in business health ratings and risk signals, and a strategic partner rather than just a competitor.
- Hatch (Regeneris): Economic development and place-based consultancy supporting local authorities, combined authorities and developers with impact assessment and strategy — overlaps with GC Insight's Create Strategy and Assess Impact services.
- Beauhurst: UK-focused business intelligence platform tracking high-growth and investment-ready companies with proprietary datasets and analytics — directly comparable to Growth Flag's predictive UK business intelligence offering.
- Metro Dynamics: Economic development consultancy working with UK city regions, combined authorities and government on strategy, evidence and evaluation — closely mirrors GC Insight's research and evaluation service line.
- Datacity: UK local-authority-focused economic data and intelligence platform serving combined authorities and councils — overlaps with Growth Flag's public-sector market and growth/sector analytics.
- SQW: UK economic development and regeneration consultancy providing evaluation, strategy and impact assessment for local authorities and national government — direct peer in the same advisory niche.
- Centre for Cities: UK urban economic policy research and data organisation producing reports and analysis for city-region policymakers — comparable as a producer of economic evidence used by the same buyer personas as GC Insight.
Emerging players
- Localis: Think tank focused on UK local government, devolution and place-based policy — adjacent evidence provider serving many of the same combined authority and council decision-makers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ekosgen social profiles
Digital presenceEkosgen compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Ekosgen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ekosgen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ekosgen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ekosgen 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 Ekosgen
What does Ekosgen do?
Ekosgen (now operating as GC Insight) is a social enterprise research and evaluation consultancy that designs and delivers business support programmes, economic strategies, and impact assessments for UK public and private sector clients. The company sells the Growth Flag business intelligence platform — a SaaS tool providing predictive analytics on UK business growth potential and risk signals — supplemented by bespoke Growth Flag+ insights, system integration services, and end-to-end project consultancy across the strategy-to-evaluation lifecycle.
Is Ekosgen a public or private company?
Ekosgen is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Ekosgen founded?
Ekosgen was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ekosgen based?
Ekosgen is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ekosgen make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Research and Evaluation Consultancy is the primary driver. The others are growth Flag Platform Subscription, growth Flag+ Insights and Analysis and system Integration Services.
Who are Ekosgen's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bureau van Dijk (Moody's) and Creditsafe. Direct peers are Red Flag Alert, Hatch (Regeneris), Beauhurst, Metro Dynamics, Datacity, SQW and Centre for Cities. Localis is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ekosgen have an API?
Yes. Growth Flag offers API integration for more flexibility, ideal for custom or specialist CRMs (e.g. Evolutive or in-house systems), data warehouses or internal databases, reporting tools like Power BI, and wider data environments used for research, evaluation or analytics. The API allows Growth Flag data to flow directly into systems, processes, dashboards and reporting.
What industry is Ekosgen in?
Ekosgen's product category is Economic Development Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAAAA, Strategy & IT Advisory, with a secondary code of BPAHAFAJ, ESG Governance, Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Advisory. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.