Inspired

What Inspired does

Inspired is a UK-headquartered, technology-enabled energy and sustainability advisory group serving more than 3,500 organisations across the UK and Ireland. The company delivers professional advisory services across the '4Cs' framework — Cost control, Consumption efficiencies, Carbon reduction, and Compliance — with dedicated service lines in energy procurement, operational efficiency, net-zero and carbon-reduction strategy, sustainability reporting (SECR, TCFD, ESOS, CSRD), ESG advisory, water and telecoms cost management. Its client base spans industrial manufacturing, retail, property and corporate, leisure and hospitality, public sector, education, transport and logistics, and listed companies, including named enterprise customers such as Volvo Group, Travis Perkins, Saint-Gobain, Bombardier, Twickenham Stadium, Suzuki, Arnold Clark, New Look, B&M, Ann Summers, The Gym Group, RBH Hospitality Management, ATG Entertainment, and the University of Manchester.

The operating model combines a 700+ strong in-house advisory workforce with proprietary software platforms UNIFY (a client portal for energy management) and CARO (an energy management and reporting platform), which together cover more than 275,000 meters across the UK, plus a PUE Calculator tool targeted at data centres. The group operates through a multi-brand structure of acquired subsidiaries — SystemsLink, PCMG, Ignite Energy, Horizon Energy Group (Ireland), and Businesswise Solutions — alongside branded service offerings including 'Energy Management as a Service by Inspired', 'Net-Zero as a Service by Inspired', and 'Plan.it.Zero'. Headquartered in Kirkham, Preston, with regional offices in London and Manchester, Inspired was founded in 2011 as Inspired Energy PLC, listed on the AIM market, and was acquired by US private equity firm HGGC in October 2025 through Intrepid Bidco Limited, after which the company was delisted and taken private as a platform investment of HGGC's $3.2bn Fund V.

Revenue is generated principally through supplier commissions averaging 2% of client utility spend when clients authorise Inspired to present options from a curated network of more than 80 UK/European energy, water and telecoms suppliers, supplemented by direct recurring advisory fees and ongoing professional-services engagements in energy procurement, ESG and regulatory compliance. Distribution is sales-led, direct to enterprise and mid-market accounts across the UK via field sales and ongoing account management, supported by thought-leadership content, the 'Energy Unplugged' events series, and webinars. The company has been ranked the Number One Industrial & Commercial energy advisor in the UK by Cornwall Insight for seven consecutive years (2018–2024) and has been recognised twice by the London Stock Exchange in its '1000 Companies to Inspire Britain' list.

Name

Inspired

Legal name

Inspired Limited

Website

https://inspiredplc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Inspired is a UK-based, technology-enabled energy and sustainability advisory group delivering energy procurement, cost management, carbon reduction, and ESG compliance services to over 3,500 organisations across the UK and Ireland via its UNIFY and CARO platforms and a 700+ strong in-house advisory team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy and Sustainability Advisory Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Engineering Services (541330), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability, ESG & Climate Risk Advisory (BPAHAJAH), ESG Governance, Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Advisory (BPAHAFAJ), ESG Strategy & Materiality Assessment (EUAHAJAA), Audit-Ready Controls, Assurance & Compliance Workflow Tools (CSRD/SEC/ISSB) (EUABAEAG), Climate Data Measurement & IoT/Telemetry Enablement (Energy/Meter/Asset Data Ingest) (EUABAEAI), Benchmarking, Ratings & Stakeholder Reporting Portals (Scorecards, Dashboards) (EUABAEAJ), Energy Systems & Power Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAG)

Keywords

• Energy advisory services
• Sustainability consulting
• Energy procurement
• ESG reporting
• Net-zero strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Preston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Supplier Commission: Inspired receives commissions from selected energy suppliers when clients enter into supply contracts with those suppliers. The typical commission averages 2% of the client's spend on the utility. Where market circumstances result in commissions greater than 10% of total spend, clients are informed. Benefits from improved buying power with suppliers are shared with qualifying clients on a 50:50 basis.
2. Direct Advisory Fees: Fees agreed directly between Inspired and clients for advisory services. Fees are based on estimated consumption at the start of each contract year, with rebate or invoice adjustments if consumption varies by more than +/- 10%.
3. Energy Cost Management and ESG Consulting: Ongoing consulting engagements for energy procurement, utility cost optimisation, ESG strategy, and regulatory compliance services across a large client base.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Inspired provides technology-enabled commercial energy and sustainability advisory services to over 3,500 UK and Ireland organisations. The company delivers energy procurement, cost control, consumption optimisation, net-zero strategy, and ESG reporting solutions, supported by proprietary software platforms (UNIFY client portal and CARO energy management platform) and a multi-brand portfolio including SystemsLink, PCMG, Ignite Energy, Horizon Energy Group, and Businesswise Solutions. Services span the 4Cs of Cost, Consumption, Carbon, and Compliance across manufacturing, retail, public sector, education, and property sectors.

Product overview

Inspired is a technology-enabled commercial energy and sustainability advisory platform providing integrated professional services to over 3,500 UK organisations. The company operates through a multi-brand portfolio combining advisory expertise with proprietary software platforms. The core offering consists of advisory services for energy procurement, cost control, consumption optimisation, net-zero strategy, and ESG reporting, delivered alongside software platforms UNIFY (client portal for energy management) and CARO. The group also includes acquired subsidiaries (SystemsLink, PCMG, Ignite Energy, Horizon Energy Group, Businesswise Solutions) and branded service offerings such as 'Energy Management as a Service,' 'Net-Zero as a Service,' and 'Plan.it.Zero.' Services span energy, ESG, water, and telecoms management across sectors including manufacturing, retail, property, public sector, and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNIFY: Client portal platform for energy management
• CARO
• Plan.it.Zero
• Net-Zero as a Service by Inspired
• Energy Management as a Service by Inspired

Products and services

• Energy Procurement Services Advisory services helping organisations procure electricity and gas at competitive rates through relationships with selected energy suppliers, including British Gas, EDF, E.on, SSE, and Scottish Power.
• Cost Control Services Services helping organisations manage and reduce energy costs, including energy budgeting, bill validation, and meter management across multi-site estates.
• Consumption Efficiencies Analysis and optimisation of energy consumption patterns to reduce waste and improve efficiency across organisational estates, leveraging data analytics from over 275,000 meters.
• Net-Zero and Carbon Reduction Strategy Advisory services helping organisations understand their carbon footprint, set science-based emissions reduction targets (validated by SBTi), and develop pathways to achieve net-zero emissions.
• Sustainability Reporting and Compliance Support for organisations in meeting ESG reporting obligations including SECR, TCFD, CSRD, ESOS, and sustainability disclosures.
• ESG Advisory Services Comprehensive ESG strategy, assurance, and reporting services including ESG assessment, governance, and stakeholder engagement.
• Water Management Services Advisory services helping organisations manage water consumption and costs.
• Telecoms Services Advisory services for telecoms cost management and optimisation.
• Energy Management as a Service by Inspired A managed service providing comprehensive energy cost management and optimization for organisations, delivered as a branded "as-a-Service" offering.
• Net-Zero as a Service by Inspired A comprehensive service helping organisations plan and execute their journey to net-zero carbon emissions, delivered as a branded "as-a-Service" offering.
• Plan.it.Zero A branded service supporting organisations with decarbonisation planning and net-zero strategy implementation.
• UNIFY Proprietary client portal platform providing access to energy management services, enabling customers to monitor consumption, manage accounts, and access energy data.
• CARO Proprietary energy management software platform offered as part of Inspired's suite of digital tools for clients, serving over 275,000 meters across the UK.
• SystemsLink A wholly-owned subsidiary brand of Inspired providing energy data management and monitoring solutions.
• PCMG A wholly-owned subsidiary brand of Inspired operating as part of the group's energy and sustainability advisory services.
• Ignite Energy A wholly-owned subsidiary brand of Inspired providing energy procurement and management services.
• Horizon Energy Group A wholly-owned subsidiary brand of Inspired providing energy consultancy services, operating primarily in Ireland.
• Businesswise Solutions A wholly-owned subsidiary brand of Inspired providing energy management and sustainability solutions.
• PUE Calculator for Data Centres Industry-leading Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) Calculator tool to assess and benchmark energy efficiency of data centres.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved number one I&C energy advisor ranking for seven consecutive years (2018–2024) by Cornwall Insight
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and minor.

• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)Strategic or Co-development PartnerInspired supports clients in setting science-based emissions reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Client Colpac was listed on the SBTi website following its target validation, demonstrating Inspired's capability in guiding organisations through the SBTi validation process.
• Cornwall InsightcoreOthersCornwall Insight is a leading energy and sustainability consultancy that produces annual rankings of energy advisors. Inspired has been ranked number one I&C energy advisor by Cornwall Insight for seven consecutive years (2018-2024), making this a core market positioning recognition.
• VIRTUS DatacentresnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerInspired drove VIRTUS Data Centres' net-zero ambitions through a landmark tri-party Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) for wind-powered renewable energy, facilitating the complex multi-party transaction structure.
• EnviromenanotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerInspired facilitated the University of Manchester's solar farm project in partnership with Enviromena. The project is part of a 10-year CPPA facilitated by EDF and supported by Inspired, supplying renewable energy across the university campus.
• EDF EnergynotableChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEDF Energy partnered with Inspired to facilitate the University of Manchester's 10-year CPPA solar farm project. Inspired acts as intermediary between clients and suppliers like EDF when presenting energy procurement options.
• Five UK Retail Co-operativesnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerInspired facilitated five independent UK retail co-operatives signing a landmark 10-year CPPA to supply renewable energy across over 400 locations, demonstrating the company's ability to structure complex multi-party green energy agreements.
• SJH Group / St James's HouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInspired was featured in the landmark book 'Monarchy and Democracy: A History of Leadership' published by St James's House (an imprint within the SJH Group), with Dr Michelle de Jongh contributing a chapter on turning emissions reduction into business success. The book was launched at Westminster Abbey in June 2026.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/inspiredplc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inspired-plc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A8 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Inspired