Imaginet

What Imaginet does

Imaginet Ltd is a Cardiff-headquartered private UK digital technology company founded in 1995 that designs, builds, and operates bespoke digital platforms — primarily web and mobile applications — for UK transport operators and select B2B clients. Its core technical offering spans six service areas: Digital Platforms & Product Engineering, Transport & Multimodal Solutions (passenger apps, account-based ticketing, smartcard portals, real-time passenger information), E-commerce & Payment Integration, UX/UI Design, Cloud Infrastructure & Managed Services, and Data & AI Solutions. The company employs a Behaviour-Driven Development methodology using Cucumber/Gherkin and increasingly AI-augmented development workflows (code generation, automated testing, documentation agents) to accelerate delivery, while integrating with third-party transport, payment, and ticketing systems including Emovis, ADVAM, and various real-time passenger information providers. Named platforms include MetroSmart (Merseytravel smart-ticketing), the Transport for Wales bilingual passenger app, the Go-Ahead multi-operator digital platform, the NCP digital parking platform, the Mersey Tunnels FastTag/T-FLOW tolling portal, and the Toby Electronics e-commerce platform.

Imaginet makes money primarily through professional services (custom platform development delivered via agile/waterfall hybrid engagements) with a managed-services recurring revenue layer covering cloud infrastructure, customer support, and ongoing platform maintenance. Pricing is bespoke and quote-based rather than published; the go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct outreach, website enquiries, and phone, targeting UK transport authorities and operators (its primary segment), parking and tolling operators, and B2B e-commerce brands. Imaginet holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (since 2016, zero non-conformances) and has delivered WCAG 2.2 AA and DAC-certified accessible platforms. In April 2025 the company was acquired by Vesta Software Group, a strategic operating acquirer, and in June 2026 it underwent a brand refresh; it continues to operate under its own brand with headquarters in Cardiff and a delivery presence in Lublin, Poland.

Name

Imaginet

Legal name

Imaginet Ltd

Website

https://imaginet.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Corporate Booking & Self-Booking Tools (OBT) (THAKAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Digital platform development
• Transport software solutions
• E-commerce development
• Managed cloud services
• AI development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Platform Development: Custom web and app development services for transport, e-commerce, and enterprise clients. Projects are delivered through collaborative agile or waterfall methodologies with long-term partnership focus.
2. Managed Services & Support: Ongoing cloud infrastructure management, customer support, and platform maintenance services providing recurring revenue from existing client relationships.
3. Data & AI Solutions: AI-powered development services and data analytics offerings that complement core development work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Imaginet designs, builds, and supports bespoke digital platforms — primarily websites, web and mobile applications, account-based ticketing systems, smartcard portals, e-commerce sites, and digital tolling platforms — for UK transport operators, public sector organisations, and B2B companies. The company delivers end-to-end services spanning strategy, UX/UI design, custom software engineering, cloud infrastructure and managed services, and AI-augmented development, with a transport-sector specialisation spanning more than 20 years.

Product overview

Imaginet delivers end-to-end digital solutions as a specialist digital technology partner, offering a portfolio of interconnected services rather than a single unified product. The core offering spans six service areas: Digital Platforms & Product Engineering, Transport & Multimodal Solutions, Ecommerce & Payment Integration, UX/UI Design & Digital Experience, Cloud Infrastructure & Managed Services, and Data & AI Solutions. These services combine to deliver tailored digital platforms for clients. Notable named product implementations include MetroSmart (account-based smart-ticketing for Merseytravel), the Transport for Wales app and ticketing platform (WCAG 2.2 AA certified), Go-Ahead's multi-operator digital platform, NCP's digital parking platform, Mersey Tunnels' FastTag and T-FLOW portal, and Toby Electronics' e-commerce platform. The company also integrates AI-powered development workflows using intelligent agents for automation. Imaginet is part of Vesta Software Group and holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility certification achieved for Transport for Wales app
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• EmoviscoreTechnology or IntegrationEmovis provides the FastTag Management System that Imaginet integrated with to deliver the Mersey Tunnels digital tolling platform. Imaginet was the first organisation to integrate with the FastTag Management System from Emovis, enabling FastTag account creation, management, and top-up functionality.
• ADVAMsupportingTechnology or IntegrationADVAM is the payment integration partner used for the NCP digital parking platform, supporting real-time reservations and secure payment processing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Masabi: Masabi provides account-based ticketing and fare-payment platforms (Justride) to UK and global transport operators. Like Imaginet, it builds passenger-facing apps and ticketing engines for buses, rail and metros, and competes head-to-head for transport-operator digital budgets.
• Nomad Digital: Nomad Digital (part of Alstom) provides connectivity and digital passenger solutions for rail operators. Comparable to Imaginet's rail-focused passenger-app and platform work for transport operators, particularly in the UK and Europe.
• Red Badger: Red Badger is a UK-based digital product consultancy building bespoke platforms and digital experiences for enterprise clients. Like Imaginet, it focuses on custom engineering, UX and platform delivery for complex B2B and public-sector engagements.
• Netmatters: Netmatters is a UK digital agency delivering bespoke web, app and e-commerce platforms to B2B and enterprise clients. Directly comparable to Imaginet's e-commerce and digital platform practice in terms of services, customer profile and team size.

Broad incumbents

• Cubic Transportation Systems: Cubic is a global incumbent in transport ticketing, fare collection and real-time passenger information, including the UK Oyster-style platforms. It competes with Imaginet in the transport-operator space but operates at vastly larger scale and across a broader solution portfolio.
• Trapeze Group: Trapeze (part of Modaxo/Volaris) supplies software for public transport operations, scheduling, ticketing and passenger information worldwide. It overlaps Imaginet's transport-ticketing and multimodal passenger-app work as part of a much broader transit software suite.
• INIT (Innovations in Transportation): INIT provides integrated IT solutions for public transport including account-based ticketing, planning and real-time information. Comparable to Imaginet's transport practice but with a broader hardware and software stack serving operators globally.
• Conduent Transportation: Conduent delivers tolling, transit fare collection and parking solutions globally, including in the UK. Comparable to Imaginet's parking (NCP) and tolling (Mersey Tunnels) work as part of a much larger enterprise IT portfolio.
• Thales Ground Transportation: Thales supplies ticketing, fare collection and digital mobility solutions to rail and urban transport operators worldwide. Overlaps Imaginet's transport booking and ticketing work but as part of a much larger global transport and defence portfolio.
• Atos Transport & Mobility: Atos delivers large-scale IT and digital platforms for transport operators and public sector, including ticketing and mobility solutions. Comparable to Imaginet's enterprise digital-delivery work for transport and government clients at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Imaginet_ltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imaginet-ltd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Imaginet