What AKE International does

AKE International is a UK-headquartered global risk consultancy founded in 1994, operating from its Dovehills training facility in Hereford alongside a London training presence and delivering services across the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Thailand. The company is organised around three integrated revenue lines: (i) subscription access to its proprietary Global Intake 3 (GI3) risk intelligence platform, which combines ACLED incident data (over 40,000 events weekly) with proprietary analyst research to deliver 198 real-time country profiles, crisis risk scorecards, and human-verified alerts; (ii) bespoke reporting, embedded analyst services, scenario modelling, and Probable Maximum Loss (PML) modelling sold primarily to political risk insurers, corporates, and government clients; and (iii) an extensive training catalogue including the original Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) course, HEFAT, SAFE/SAFE+, CONDO, FREC, Drone Awareness, PSAT, and crisis management programmes, delivered residentially at the 50+ hectare Dovehills estate and internationally.

The company is privately held with no disclosed venture or private equity backing. Its primary customer segments are media and journalism organisations, NGOs and aid agencies, corporate and energy sector clients, and insurance/reinsurance underwriters in London and Singapore, with named logos including FOX News, CNN, Muck Media, and the Overseas Development Institute. AKE monetises via disclosed per-attendee training fees (ranging from £500 for online CONDO refresher to £2,700 for HEFAT), enterprise-grade subscription tiers for Global Intake (pricing not publicly disclosed), and quote-based bespoke mandates that include recurring annual report volumes and embedded analyst placements with individual insurance clients.

AKE's go-to-market blends direct enterprise sales for intelligence and advisory mandates, self-serve booking for individual training courses, and content-led demand generation through weekly Ones to Watch bulletins, four-times-weekly Analytical Briefings, and thematic reports on Kidnap & Ransom, Political Risk, Energy, and the Global Lithium Trade. The company partners with ACLED for incident data, Kinetic6Tracks for real-time personnel tracking, Qualsafe Awards for FREC certification, and the Rory Peck Trust for journalist outreach.

Name

AKE International

Legal name

AKE International

Website

https://akegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

AKE International is a UK-based global risk consultancy providing security, political risk intelligence, and hostile environment training to media organisations, NGOs, corporates, and political risk insurers across more than seven countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Risk Intelligence and Security Consulting

NAICS

Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services (56161)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Advisory (BPAHAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Enterprise Security Strategy & Program Advisory (BPAKADAA), Risk Management (Enterprise, Operational, Model) (EDABAJAF)

Keywords

• Political risk intelligence
• Security consulting
• Hostile environment training
• Kidnap ransom analysis
• Geopolitical risk analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Intelligence & Advisory Subscriptions (Global Intake): Subscription-based access to the Global Intake 3 platform, providing real-time risk intelligence, country profiles, alerts, and analytical briefings. Emailed intelligence includes real-time Risk Alerts, Risk Advisories, Daily Risk Updates, and twice-weekly Analytical Briefings. Subscription tiers provide different access levels.
2. Bespoke Reporting & Advisory Services: Custom intelligence reports produced for specific clients on countries, companies, sectors, or thematic risks. Services include embedded analysts, scenario modelling, in-person briefings, direct analyst access, and social media monitoring. Over 300 reports produced annually for one major political risk insurance client.
3. Training Courses: Instructor-led and online training courses delivered at the Dovehills facility in Hereford, London, and internationally (US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Thailand). Course portfolio includes HEAT, HEFAT, SAFE, SAFE+, CONDO, FREC, Drone Awareness, PSAT, and Gap Year Travel Safety. Price points range from £500 to £2,700 per attendee, with discounts for NGOs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AKE International is a global risk consultancy delivering political, security, and geopolitical risk intelligence through its proprietary Global Intake subscription platform, complemented by bespoke reporting and embedded analyst services for enterprise clients. It also provides operational security services (24/7 support, evacuation, and tracking via Kinetic6Tracks) and a portfolio of specialist training courses — anchored by the original Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) — delivered at its 50-hectare Dovehills facility in Hereford and internationally across the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Product overview

AKE International offers a comprehensive portfolio of risk intelligence, security consulting, and specialist training services. The core offering consists of Global Intake, a proprietary risk intelligence platform delivering real-time security and political risk intelligence through interactive maps, live alerts, and in-depth country profiles. This is complemented by analytical services including Political Risk Analysis, Security Risk Analysis, and Geopolitical Risk Analysis, alongside a suite of themed quarterly and thematic reports covering Kidnap for Ransom, Energy, and Political Risk. AKE also provides operational security services including 24/7 support, evacuation, and tracking capabilities. The training division, originally pioneering Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) over 30 years ago, offers a comprehensive range of residential and online courses including HEAT, HEFAT, SAFE/SAFE+, CONDO, FREC, Drone Awareness, and Crisis Management Training, delivered at the Dovehills facility in Hereford and internationally. Bespoke reporting and embedded analyst services complete the offering for enterprise clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Intake (Global Intake 3 / GI3) Subscription-based risk intelligence platform providing real-time security and political risk intelligence through interactive maps, live alerts, 198 in-depth country profiles, dashboards, analytical briefings, and a proprietary security and political risk rating scale. Targeted at enterprise clients requiring continuous global risk monitoring.
• Political Risk Analysis Intelligence services helping clients navigate political instability, regulatory shifts, and governance threats affecting insurance, energy, and finance sectors. Includes country reports, sector-specific assessments, and company-specific due diligence.
• Security Risk Analysis Tailored security risk reports supporting informed decision-making and effective risk management for organisations in complex or high-risk environments. Includes pre-deployment reports, country assessments, and location monitoring.
• Geopolitical Risk Analysis Expert assessments of geopolitical risks including scenario modelling, conflict monitoring, and strategic forecasting. Includes probable loss modelling and sector-specific geopolitical risk assessments.
• Bespoke Report Solutions Fully tailored intelligence reports aligned to specific client needs, including embedded analyst services, scenario modelling, regular reporting, in-person briefings, and social media monitoring. Sold on a quote basis to enterprise clients.
• 24/7 Operations Services Round-the-clock operational security support providing continuous medical, security, and logistical support from planning advice to crisis response. Includes rapid deployment and expert escalation capabilities.
• Evacuation Services Swift extraction and crisis response solutions for personnel in crisis — whether from medical emergencies, civil unrest, or deteriorating environments. Leverages global operational reach with Tier-1 special forces expertise.
• Tracking Services Real-time visibility over movements and missions through secure monitoring of personnel and assets. Provides dynamic journey planning and in-transit tracking for situational control in challenging environments. Powered by the Kinetic6Tracks platform.
• Security + Risk Consulting Best-practice security and risk consultancy encompassing security risk management, crisis planning, incident management, new market entry strategy, comprehensive risk assessments, security audits, cybersecurity consulting, and business continuity planning.
• Hostile Environments Awareness Training (HEAT) Pioneering 3-day residential course for journalists, NGOs, and corporate teams preparing for complex and high-risk environments. Covers security, medical, and situational awareness through lectures, workshops, and practical simulations. £2,100 per attendee (NGO discounted rate £1,500 ex VAT).
• Hostile Environment & First Aid Training (HEFAT) 4-day Level 3 Award course building on HEAT with extended medical training for high-risk environments. Combines security, medical, and situational awareness modules for journalists, NGOs, and corporate teams. £2,700 per attendee (NGO discounted rate £1,700).
• Security Awareness in Fragile Environments (SAFE) 2-day course (online or in-person) for individuals operating in volatile settings. Covers threat awareness, terrorism and crime dynamics, risk assessment, and personal and team safety strategies. Online £700; In-person £850 per attendee.
• Advanced SAFE (SAFE+) 3-day advanced course building on SAFE training for individuals operating in volatile settings. Covers enhanced threat awareness, terrorism and crime dynamics, and advanced safety strategies. Online £900; In-person £1,050 per attendee.
• Drone Awareness Theory 1-day course covering drone surveillance, countermeasures, and protective techniques for professionals in high-risk environments. Covers UAS/RUAS threat landscape, surveillance classification, camouflage and countermeasure principles, and immediate action drills. £650 per attendee.
• Contractor on Deployed Operations (CONDO) Ministry of Defence-compliant training for civilian contractors supporting military operations. Available as 3-day high risk, 2-day low-medium risk, or 1-day refresher courses covering operational security, risk management, cultural awareness, and emergency response. Prices range from £500 to £2,100 per attendee.
• First Response Emergency Care (FREC) 5-day Qualsafe Level 3 Award course enabling learners to attain knowledge and practical competencies for prehospital emergency care situations. Covers emergency oxygen administration, trauma patient management, and major illnesses.
• Personal Security Awareness Training (PSAT) 2-day course building skills to identify threats, assess risks, and stay safe in any environment. Covers situational awareness, conflict management, and effective security measures for travel or work in unfamiliar locations.
• Crisis Management Training Bespoke duration training equipping organisations to respond to and recover from disruptive events. Covers risk assessment, crisis communication, business continuity planning, and practical exercises.
• Gap Year Travel Safety 2-day course equipping students with skills to stay safe while exploring new countries and cultures. Covers personal security, journey planning, health precautions, and emergency response.
• Ones to Watch Weekly forward-looking intelligence report highlighting key political, security, and geopolitical trends emerging around the globe, providing early warning and strategic insight. Available as free email subscription and as a content marketing asset.
• Analytical Briefings Sharp, contextual analysis of political, security, and geopolitical developments published four times weekly for Global Intake clients, providing strategic decision-making insights.
• Kidnap for Ransom Report Quarterly report tracking key K&R cases, trends, and analyses based on AKE's global kidnapping database. Covers perpetrators, victims, ransom demands, and outcomes.
• Political Risk Report Quarterly regional political risk report with overview sections highlighting broad trends, in-focus country analysis, and sector-specific political risk assessments.
• Energy Report Monthly analysis of the impact of geopolitical developments on energy markets, covering both renewable energy and fossil fuels.
• Global Lithium Trade Report Analysis of global lithium trade dynamics and projections, examining demand growth trajectories and supply chain risks.
• Dovehills Training Facility AK

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 bespoke reports produced annually for a single major political risk insurance client.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project)coreTechnology or IntegrationAKE integrates ACLED's global incident data into its proprietary Global Intake platform, combining AKE's own analytical research with ACLED's dataset of over 40,000 incidents recorded weekly. This data powers AKE's granular trend tracking and evidence-based decision support.
• Major insurance companies in London and SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKE partners with major London and Singapore-based insurance and reinsurance companies in the political risk, credit, and trade finance insurance space. Analysts work directly with underwriting teams to analyse CEND, sovereign default, contract frustration, and arbitration award default risks. This partnership informs AKE's product development and provides recurring revenue through bespoke analysis mandates.
• Qualsafe AwardscoreOthersAKE's First Response Emergency Care (FREC) course leads to a Qualsafe Level 3 Award in First Response Emergency Care (RQF), a regulated and nationally recognised qualification. Qualsafe is the awarding body that issues the certification upon course completion.
• Rory Peck TrustminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAKE offers discounted rates on HEAT training for journalists supported by the Rory Peck Trust, a charity that supports freelance journalists and their safety. This partnership extends AKE's reach into the freelance journalism community through Rory Peck's network and referral channels.
• Kinetic6TrackssupportingTechnology or IntegrationAKE integrates with Kinetic6Tracks for its real-time tracking and monitoring services. Tracking dashboard login is available through AKE's website (kinetic6tracks.com), indicating a platform partnership for 24/7 global tracking, monitoring, and journey management of personnel and assets.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eurasia Group: Political risk advisory firm providing geopolitical analysis and country risk research to corporates, investors, and governments. Comparable to AKE's political and geopolitical risk analysis and the PML model.
• S-RM: London-based intelligence and risk consultancy providing political, security, and cyber risk services to corporates, insurers, and law firms. Direct competitor in bespoke political risk intelligence and embedded analyst services.
• Crisis24 (GardaWorld): Global risk management and security services firm offering intelligence, travel risk, crisis response, and protective services. Comparable across intelligence, tracking, evacuation, and embedded analyst offerings.
• Control Risks: UK-headquartered global risk consultancy offering political risk, security risk, and crisis response services to corporate and government clients. Directly comparable to AKE's political risk analysis, security risk analysis, and embedded analyst model.

Broad incumbents

• Pinkerton: Global security and risk management firm offering corporate security, investigations, and intelligence services. Overlaps with AKE's security consulting and security risk analysis offerings as part of a broader portfolio.
• G4S: Global security services firm providing manned guarding, secure logistics, and risk consulting. Partially overlaps with AKE's security and risk consulting and training services as part of a much broader portfolio.
• International SOS: Large-scale workforce security and health risk services firm with global assistance infrastructure. Comparable to AKE's 24/7 operations, evacuation, and tracking services at a larger organizational scale.
• Stratfor (RANE Network): Geopolitical intelligence platform providing country risk analysis, forecasts, and threat monitoring. Comparable to AKE's Global Intake platform and geopolitical risk analysis from a subscription-driven content perspective.

Others

• S&P Global Market Intelligence: Large-scale data, analytics, and research provider covering country risk, political risk, and sector intelligence. Adjacent competitor for insurance and corporate buyers who might substitute AKE's bespoke analysis with platform data.

Emerging players

• Riskline: Denmark-based travel risk intelligence and country risk platform targeted at corporate travel security and duty-of-care buyers. Comparable to AKE's Global Intake product and country risk intelligence capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/akegroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/akegroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 AKE International