EtchRock
EtchRock is a UK-based two-sided social ticketing and event discovery platform for endurance sports events, connecting athletes with event organizers across categories such as running, triathlon, cycling, and obstacle racing. It earns revenue via transaction fees on tickets and charity donations processed through Stripe and Square.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersStevenage, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What EtchRock does
EtchRock is a UK-based two-sided social ticketing and event discovery platform focused exclusively on endurance sports events. The company operates a web platform (etchrock.com) and an iOS mobile application that allow participants to discover, book, and pay for events across categories including running, triathlon, cycling, obstacle course racing, SwimRun, canicross, mud runs, swimming, paddleboarding, kitesurfing, and virtual events. Organizers use the same platform to create and list events, process ticket payments via Stripe and Square, manage participant data in a GDPR-compliant manner, and integrate with email/CRM tools (Mailchimp, HubSpot, SecretSource Marketing). A dedicated fundraising module supports UK-registered charities and includes Gift Aid reclaim capability. Social and community features include user profiles, following, connections with race organizers and charities, and activity syncing via Strava (including an official EtchRock Strava club, ID 157990).
The technology stack is a conventional web/mobile marketplace on top of third-party payment processors (Stripe, Square), social identity providers (Facebook, Google, Apple, Strava), and email/CRM partners. Authentication, payment processing, and marketing automation are all outsourced; EtchRock does not disclose a public API, SDK, or proprietary AI/ML capability. The legal entity is Etch Rock Limited, a private limited company incorporated in England and Wales (company number 08759534), VAT-registered (197010414), headquartered at Unit 11, Beaumont Hall, Redbourn Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire.
Revenue is generated exclusively through transaction fees deducted from ticket sales and donations on the platform, with no disclosed subscription pricing for organizers and no participant fees. Organizers can list events for free; EtchRock takes a take-rate on each ticket and donation processed, plus the underlying PSP fees. Customer acquisition is primarily self-serve via organic search (event directory SEO) and Strava-driven referral traffic, with a thin enterprise overlay in the form of a demo request page staffed by a named contact ('Adam'). No funding rounds, ownership disclosures beyond founder/management control, or financial statements are available in the source material.
EtchRock firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EtchRock
- Legal name
- Etch Rock Limited
- Website
- https://etchrock.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EtchRock is a UK-based two-sided social ticketing and event discovery platform for endurance sports events, connecting athletes with event organizers across categories such as running, triathlon, cycling, and obstacle racing. It earns revenue via transaction fees on tickets and charity donations processed through Stripe and Square.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EtchRock industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Ticketing Platform
- NAICS
- Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual & Hybrid Participation Events (App-Based, Remote/Hybrid Races) (MPAKAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Obstacle Course & Adventure Races (OCR, Mud Runs, Adventure Racing) (MPAKAIAE), Endurance Stage & Destination Challenges (Multi-day Tours, Charity Challenges) (MPAKAIAG)
Keywords
Where EtchRock is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stevenage
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
EtchRock business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction/Ticketing Fees: EtchRock charges fees to event organizers for ticket sales processed through the platform. The platform deducts fees from all ticket payments at rates specified on the website. Payment processing is handled by Stripe and Square.
- Donation Processing: For charity fundraising events, EtchRock processes donations and can reclaim Gift Aid on behalf of registered charities. Fees are deducted from donations received.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free for participants to browse and sign up |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Event organizer fee per transaction |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
EtchRock product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EtchRock operates a multi-sided social ticketing and event discovery platform for UK endurance sports events (running, triathlons, cycling, obstacle races, swim runs, swimming, paddleboarding). The platform connects event organizers with participants, enabling event listing, ticket sales, payment processing, and community/social features, with integrated charity fundraising and Gift Aid support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EtchRock Platform A web-based social ticketing and event discovery platform for UK endurance sports events including running, triathlons, cycling, obstacle races, swim runs, swimming, and paddleboarding. Connects event organizers with participants and supports fundraising for charities.
- EtchRock Mobile App iOS mobile application available on the App Store enabling users to discover events, manage bookings, and access their profile on mobile devices.
- Event Management Solution for Organizers A dedicated end-to-end event management backend for organizers to create, list, and manage endurance sports events, including pricing, features, resources, and demo booking. Fees deducted from ticket sales processed via Stripe or Square.
- Charity Fundraising Platform Fundraising platform enabling UK-registered charities to collect donations connected to sports events, with Gift Aid processing through HMRC. Fundraisers can create pages to encourage donations from other users.
Companies that use EtchRock
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
EtchRock technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature4 records
EtchRock partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- StravacoreIntegration allows users to connect their EtchRock profile with Strava to sync training activities. Users can automatically import activities and share training with followers on both platforms. EtchRock has an official Strava club (club ID 157990) for community engagement.
- StripecorePrimary payment service provider for processing ticket sales and donations. Handles payment processing for events with transaction fees deducted.
- SquarecoreAlternative payment service provider for processing event ticket payments and donations on the platform.
- MailchimpminorEmail marketing platform used by event organizers who opt to use it via the EtchRock platform to communicate with participants.
- HubSpotminorCRM and marketing platform used by event organizers via the EtchRock platform for email and customer communication.
- SecretSource MarketingminorMarketing services provider used by event organizers and charities for email communications through the platform.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EtchRock competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Eventbrite: Large generalist event ticketing and discovery platform. While not endurance-specialized, Eventbrite overlaps materially with EtchRock's ticketing and event-discovery functionality and serves a much broader event taxonomy.
- Active Network: Large-scale endurance and activity registration platform serving running, triathlon, and cycling events with timing and organizer tools. Competes with EtchRock for the same endurance organizer and participant audience at significantly greater scale.
Direct peers
- Humanitix: Charity-focused ticketing platform with a model similar to EtchRock's charity integration. Comparable in routing a portion of fees to charitable outcomes, though Humanitix is Australia-headquartered and broader in event type.
- Race Roster: Canadian endurance event registration platform with strong North American race organizer base. Competes with EtchRock in the same vertical (running, triathlon, cycling) with similar organizer-side tooling and participant-side event discovery.
- RunSignup: US-headquartered endurance event registration and ticketing platform serving running, triathlon, cycling, and OCR organizers. Comparable as a dedicated endurance registration SaaS targeting the same organizer and participant personas as EtchRock.
- Ticket Tailor: UK-based event ticketing platform serving small and mid-sized event organizers with a fee-per-ticket model. Direct comparable to EtchRock on organizer-side tooling, pricing model, and UK SMB market.
- Booking Live: UK-based event registration and ticketing platform serving endurance, charity, and community events. Comparable on geography, event-organizer target customer, and integrated payment/fundraising workflows.
- Tito: UK-based event ticketing platform targeting conferences, festivals, and community events. Comparable self-serve model and organizer persona, though broader event taxonomy than EtchRock's endurance focus.
- Let's Do This: UK-founded endurance event marketplace where athletes discover and book running, triathlon, cycling, and obstacle events. Closest direct competitor to EtchRock by geography, vertical focus, and two-sided marketplace model.
Emerging players
- GiveTap / JustGiving: UK charity fundraising platforms with event-linked donation pages (similar to EtchRock's charity fundraising module). Adjacent competitor in the charity-fundraising layer that EtchRock integrates, with potential overlap as JustGiving expands event-discovery features.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
EtchRock social profiles
Digital presenceEtchRock financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EtchRock leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
EtchRock funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EtchRock 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 EtchRock
What does EtchRock do?
EtchRock operates a multi-sided social ticketing and event discovery platform for UK endurance sports events (running, triathlons, cycling, obstacle races, swim runs, swimming, paddleboarding). The platform connects event organizers with participants, enabling event listing, ticket sales, payment processing, and community/social features, with integrated charity fundraising and Gift Aid support.
Is EtchRock a public or private company?
EtchRock is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was EtchRock founded?
EtchRock was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EtchRock based?
EtchRock is headquartered in Stevenage, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does EtchRock make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Transaction/Ticketing Fees are the primary driver. The others are donation Processing.
Who are EtchRock's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Eventbrite and Active Network. Direct peers are Humanitix, Race Roster, RunSignup, Ticket Tailor, Booking Live, Tito and Let's Do This. GiveTap / JustGiving is listed as an emerging player.
Does EtchRock have an API?
No public API is recorded for EtchRock.
What industry is EtchRock in?
EtchRock's product category is Event Ticketing Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAIAH, Virtual & Hybrid Participation Events (App-Based, Remote/Hybrid Races), with a secondary code of MPAKAIAE, Obstacle Course & Adventure Races (OCR, Mud Runs, Adventure Racing). Its NAICS code is 71121 and its SIC code is 7990.