IQN

What IQN does

IQN is a private UK-incorporated international examination body, founded in 2015, that issues professional designations and diplomas recognised under the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF Level 7–8) and benchmarked at European Qualifications Framework (EQF) Level 5. Its core product portfolio comprises three professional certifications — Certified Finance Specialist (CFS), Certified Project Management Analyst (CPMA) and Certified Strategic Manager (CSM) — priced at £149 each, and three diplomas — Human Resource Management, Marketing and Supply Chain Management — priced at £79 each. Examinations are delivered online through the Speedexam platform with browser-based remote proctoring (webcam, microphone, screen capture, behavioural flagging), Stripe payment processing, and digital credentials issued via the Credly badge platform with unique verification URLs.

Revenue is generated through four distinct mechanics: (i) one-time individual exam fees with up to three free re-sits within 90 days and lifetime credential validity; (ii) annual Dual Certification provider fees (£120/year) plus a £49 per-student award fee; (iii) annual Endorsed Course provider fees (£180/year) plus £10 per digital certificate issued; and (iv) tiered CPD Certification annual fees ranging from £195 to £395+ for 1–20 programmes, with unlimited certificates under the Certified CPD logo. The business serves three customer segments: individual professionals pursuing self-study credentials, higher-education institutions seeking dual-certification arrangements, and training providers/professional bodies seeking CPD certification or course endorsement. IQN operates through a dual corporate structure (IQN Ltd. in England and Wales; IQN (Labuan) LLP in Malaysia), with offices in London (Fitzrovia) and Kuala Lumpur (Bukit Bintang), and a partner-led distribution model that has reached 15,000+ certified learners across 65+ countries.

Name

IQN

Legal name

IQN Ltd.

Website

https://iqnglobal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification & Qualifications

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification & Licensing Exam Management Platforms (EDAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Credentialing, Digital Badges & Micro-Credential Platforms (EDAFADAF), Secure Browser, Device Lockdown & Exam Security Tools (EDAFADAI), Transcript, Score Reporting & Verification/Credential Wallet Platforms (EDAFADAO)

Keywords

• Professional certification
• Online examinations
• UK qualifications
• Continuing professional development
• Course endorsement

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuala Lumpur

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Exam Fees: One-time exam fees paid by individual candidates. For diplomas (HRM, Marketing, SCM), the fee is £79. For certifications (CFS, CPMA, CSM), the fee is £149. Includes initial exam attempt and up to three free re-sits within 90 days.
2. Endorsed Course Provider Annual Fee: Annual provider fee of £180 per year for organisations with endorsed courses. No limit on number of courses submitted for endorsement.
3. Student Certificate Fees (Endorsed Courses): Fee of £10 for each digital certificate issued by IQN to successful learners under the endorsed course scheme.
4. CPD Certification Annual Fee: Annual certification fees for CPD programmes: 1 programme/course at £195/year, 2-5 at £245/year, 6-10 at £295/year, 11-15 at £345/year, 16-20 at £395/year. Unlimited certificates can be issued using the Certified CPD logo with no per-learner or per-certificate charge.
5. Dual Certification Provider Fees: Annual fee of £120 for approved dual certification providers. Reduced flat rate of £49 per student for claiming IQN awards for eligible learners.
6. Exemption Application Fees: Exemption fee equal to the qualification exam fee (same as exam fee: £79 for diplomas, £149 for certifications). Non-refundable. Upon approval, digital certificate and digital badge issued at no extra cost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IQN is a global examination body that designs, owns, and awards UK-recognised professional designations and diplomas, delivered through a self-serve online platform where learners register for free, self-study using free Body of Knowledge materials, and sit remotely proctored MCQ exams on-demand via the Speedexam platform. Successful candidates receive digital certificates and verifiable badges through Credly. For institutional clients, IQN provides CPD Certification (annual tiered subscriptions for training providers), Endorsed Courses (annual provider fees plus per-certificate issuance), and Dual Certification (annual fee plus per-student award) programmes that allow universities, colleges, and training providers to align their own qualifications with IQN's SCQF/EQF-recognised credentials.

Product overview

IQN is a professional certification and qualification body offering a portfolio of UK-recognised credentials. The core offerings include three professional designations (Certified Finance Specialist/CFS, Certified Project Management Analyst/CPMA, Certified Strategic Manager/CSM) and three diplomas (Diploma in Human Resource Management, Diploma in Marketing, Diploma in Supply Chain Management). All qualifications are recognised under the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) and aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Beyond self-study and exam-based certifications, IQN provides services for learning providers including CPD Certification (for certifying professional development courses), Endorsed Courses (for external quality recognition), and Dual Certification (enabling institutions to offer IQN qualifications alongside their own awards). Digital certificates and badges are issued through Credly upon successful exam completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Finance Specialist (CFS) Professional certification designation for finance professionals covering financial reporting, planning, decision tools, investment appraisal, and strategic finance. Accredited at SCQF Level 8 / EQF Level 5 with a £149 one-time exam fee that includes the initial attempt and up to three free re-sits within 90 days.
• Certified Project Management Analyst (CPMA) Professional certification designation for project management professionals covering project foundation, planning, scheduling, procurement, cost, quality, and risk management. Accredited at SCQF Level 8 / EQF Level 5 with a £149 one-time exam fee.
• Certified Strategic Manager (CSM) Professional certification designation for strategic managers covering strategic management frameworks, external/internal analysis, strategy formulation, and implementation. Accredited at SCQF Level 8 / EQF Level 5 with a £149 one-time exam fee.
• Diploma in Human Resource Management (HRM) Professional diploma covering HRM concepts including people management, recruitment, performance management, employment relations, and HR analytics. Recognised at SCQF Level 7 / EQF Level 5 with a £79 one-time exam fee.
• Diploma in Marketing Professional diploma covering essential marketing concepts, strategies, and tactics for career-ready marketing skills. Recognised at SCQF Level 7 / EQF Level 5 with a £79 one-time exam fee.
• Diploma in Supply Chain Management Professional diploma covering supply chain strategy, operations (Procure, Make, Deliver, Return), and performance drivers. Recognised at SCQF Level 7 / EQF Level 5 with a £79 one-time exam fee.
• CPD Certification Annual tiered certification service for training providers and professional bodies to certify their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses and activities, enabling them to assign CPD Credit Hours (CCH) and display the Certified CPD logo on certificates they issue themselves.
• Endorsed Courses Course endorsement service enabling learning providers to obtain external IQN quality recognition for their existing courses and have IQN issue digital certificates to successful learners under the endorsed course scheme.
• Dual Certification Partnership programme that enables universities, colleges, professional institutes, and training providers to align their syllabuses with UK-recognised IQN qualifications, so eligible learners receive both their institution's own award and an IQN certification or diploma.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000+ learners certified globally
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aquinas College of Higher Studies (ACHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSri Lankan higher education institution officially recognised by local authorities to administer professional courses at tertiary level. Partnership enables dual certification, allowing learners to receive both the college's own awards and IQN UK qualifications after successful completion.
• Norco CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college in California, USA. IQN provided dual certification for Supply Chain Management graduates, offering additional IQN certification for broader international recognition of their supply chain knowledge and academic achievement.
• BiMScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional education and training institution in Bangladesh committed to practical, career-focused learning. IQN collaborated with BiMS for joint certification of Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management (PGDPM) together with CPMA (UK) Certification.
• SCQF PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK qualifications framework partnership including Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), College Development Network (CDN), Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and Universities Scotland. Recognises IQN qualifications on SCQF database, confirming meeting of learning outcomes, assessment, and quality assurance criteria.
• European Qualifications Framework (EQF)coreOthersEQF formally adopted by European Parliament and Council in 2008 for qualification comparability across Europe. IQN certifications benchmarked as Level 5 qualifications in EQF, enabling international comparability across European education systems.
• CredlycoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital credential platform partner for issuing IQN digital certificates and badges. Badges issued via [email protected], with unique verification URLs, shareable on LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter, and embeddable in email signatures.
• European University AssociationminorOthersEUA membership recognised for exemption purposes. Students with undergraduate/postgraduate degrees from EUA full or associate member universities in relevant fields may be exempted from IQN exams.
• Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)minorOthersACU membership recognised for exemption purposes. Postgraduate degrees from ACU full member universities in relevant fields may qualify for IQN exam exemptions.
• Universities UKminorOthersMembership in Universities UK (and similar bodies in Australia, Canada, New Zealand) recognised for exemption purposes. Degrees from member universities may qualify for IQN exam exemptions.
• International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)minorOthersFull membership in IFAC-recognised national or international accountancy professional bodies qualifies for exemption from CFS exam. Professional body membership provides evidence of finance/accounting qualification equivalence.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants): UK-headquartered professional body offering management accounting and strategic management qualifications (CIMA, CGMA). Closely comparable to IQN in geography (UK) and in offering strategic/management credentials to working professionals, but with substantially greater scale, employer recognition, and member base.
• CFA Institute: Premier global credentialing body for investment professionals (CFA Program). Comparable to IQN in delivering finance certifications via proctored exams with digital badges, but at much higher price points and with significantly stronger employer mandates, illustrating the credentialing-barrier challenge IQN faces.
• CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development): UK professional body for HR and people development, offering chartered credentials recognized as the standard for HR professionals. Direct competitor to IQN's Diploma in Human Resource Management (HRM) in the same UK professional HR qualification market and in the same candidate segment (career-advancing HR practitioners).
• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants): Established global professional accounting certification body offering chartered certifications recognized worldwide. Directly comparable to IQN's finance (CFS) certification in target learner (working professionals seeking recognized credentials) and business model (exam-based qualification with multiple tiers), though operating at vastly larger scale and with longer-standing employer recognition.
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI): UK chartered body awarding management and leadership qualifications, including Level 5 qualifications aligned with EQF. Direct comparable to IQN in offering UK-recognized management/strategic qualifications at EQF Level 5, but with a more established employer brand and broader chartered membership base.
• edX (2U): Online learning platform offering micro-credentials, professional certificates, and degree programs from accredited institutions. Comparable to IQN in offering stackable professional credentials delivered online with digital badges, though typically at higher price points and tied to accredited university partners.
• PMI (Project Management Institute): Globally dominant project management credentialing body issuing the PMP certification. Direct competitor to IQN's CPMA (Certified Project Management Analyst) in target audience (project management professionals) and exam-based delivery, but with PMP's established employer recognition acting as a structural moat against newer entrants.
• Coursera: Large online learning platform offering professional certificates and accredited credentials from universities and companies. Comparable to IQN in digital delivery of professional qualifications and in serving global learners seeking affordable credentials, but with vastly broader catalog and stronger university partnerships.

Direct peers

• APMG International: UK-based global accreditation body that accredits training organizations and certifies individuals in methodologies like PRINCE2, ITIL, and AgilePM. Direct comparable to IQN as a UK-rooted professional certification body offering globally-recognised credentials via accredited providers, with similar B2B2C channel economics and exam-based delivery.

Others

• Speedexam: Online examination platform provider used by IQN for exam delivery and remote proctoring. Listed as a peer because it sits in IQN's technology stack and provides the underlying proctoring infrastructure that enables IQN's self-serve exam model — making it a critical enabling partner rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/iqnglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iqn

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 IQN