What Storm Consultancy does

Storm Consultancy (EU) Ltd. is a Bath, UK-based digital technology agency founded in 2009 by David Kelly (CEO) and Adam Pope (CTO), operating for over 15 years with a team of approximately 12-13 people. The company specialises in custom web application development using Ruby on Rails and bespoke marketing websites built on WordPress (with Shopify for eCommerce), serving a diverse client base spanning startups, scale-ups, multinational organisations, national government bodies, universities, and innovative SMEs across the UK with concentration in South West England and South Wales. Its service portfolio is structured around two core product lines (custom web applications and marketing websites) supplemented by specialist modules including fractional CTO services, Ruby developer surge capacity, Rails security health checks, performance audits, Rails upgrades, and accessibility audits against WCAG 2.2.

Storm generates revenue primarily through professional services - project-based, retainer, and team augmentation engagements - with a small but recurring subscription revenue stream from the arcd video asset management SaaS platform, which it transitioned from internal tool to public subscription product in 2024. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but documented entry points (e.g., a small-to-medium Rails upgrade from £5,000 +VAT) and engagement durations (days to months) indicate a project-based model with bolt-on specialist work. Notable strategic activities include the 2014 spin-out of CiteAb as a joint venture with the University of Bath (a life sciences data platform reportedly saving the sector an estimated $1bn annually), equity investments in GettingMarried (2023) and iAM Compliant, the 2023 launch of the Unseen anti-slavery mobile app, and ongoing product rebuilds including Gather and GetOnSite Induction Pro. The company is a Certified B Corporation and received the Queen's Award for Enterprise Innovation in 2022.

Name

Storm Consultancy

Legal name

Storm Consultancy (EU) Ltd.

Website

https://stormconsultancy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Storm Consultancy is a Bath, UK-based digital technology agency that builds custom Ruby on Rails web applications and WordPress marketing websites for UK startups, scale-ups, universities, and enterprises, offering fractional CTO and specialist consulting services with over 15 years of operating history.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bath

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Web Application Development: Custom Ruby on Rails web application development for startups, scale-ups, and enterprise clients. Projects range from MVP development to full-scale platform builds. Engagement models include project-based, ongoing retainer, and team augmentation.
2. Marketing Website Development: Bespoke WordPress website design and development including brand strategy, UX design, and custom theme development. Also includes Shopify eCommerce builds.
3. Specialist Consulting Services: Fractional CTO services, Ruby developer surge capacity, Rails performance audits, security health checks, and Rails upgrades. Tailored to client needs ranging from days to months of engagement.
4. arcd SaaS Platform: Subscription-based video asset management platform for production teams and agencies. Built on Ruby on Rails with Stripe integration for payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Storm Consultancy is a Bath-based digital technology agency that designs, builds, and supports custom web applications and marketing websites for startups, scale-ups, and established organisations. Its core delivery uses Ruby on Rails for web applications and WordPress with bespoke Gutenberg themes for marketing sites, with Shopify for eCommerce and Cordova for mobile apps. Specialist services such as Fractional CTO, security health checks, performance audits, Rails upgrades, accessibility audits, and UX reviews are sold alongside the core builds. Storm also operates arcd, a subscription-based video asset management SaaS platform for production studios.

Product overview

Storm Consultancy is a multi award-winning digital technology agency based in Bath, UK, operating for over 15 years. Their offering is a comprehensive portfolio of digital services centered around custom web application development and marketing websites. The core products include Ruby on Rails development (their primary web application framework) and WordPress development (their primary CMS for marketing websites). Their specialist services complement these core offerings through add-on modules including Fractional CTO, Ruby Developer Surge Capacity, Security Health Checks, Performance Audits, Rails Upgrades, Accessibility Audits, and UX Reviews. Client-facing products built with their technology include Gather (wedding guest management platform), GetOnSite Induction Pro (health and safety management), arcd (video asset subscription platform), CiteAb (life science data services), Canned Wine Co (eCommerce), and Unseen (charity mobile app).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Web Applications Custom web applications built primarily in Ruby on Rails, ranging from internal tools and data-driven platforms to large-scale SaaS products and complex eCommerce solutions, aimed at startups, scale-ups, and enterprise clients.
• Marketing Websites Bespoke marketing websites built with custom WordPress themes, UX reviews, and accessibility audits, designed to promote products or services online for startups, SMEs, and established organisations.
• Ruby on Rails Development Robust and scalable Ruby on Rails application development with skilled developers, covering MVP builds, full-scale platforms, performance optimisation, and long-term support.
• WordPress Development Bespoke WordPress marketing websites built with custom Gutenberg-based themes and custom blocks, tailored to client brand and business goals for flexible content management.
• Fractional CTO Part-time technical leadership and strategic advice from senior Ruby on Rails experts, covering process improvement, team mentoring, code review, hiring assistance, and architecture oversight for clients that need CTO-level guidance without a full-time hire.
• Ruby Developer Surge Capacity Team augmentation service providing additional experienced Ruby developer resource for existing client teams, covering feature development, bug fixes, technical debt management, and specialist skills on a flexible basis.
• Rails Security Health Checks Independent review of Rails application source code to identify security vulnerabilities, including data movement analysis, authentication assessment, third-party library evaluation, and protection against SQL injection and XSS attacks.
• Rails Application Performance Audits Expert optimisation of Ruby on Rails application performance, covering memory utilisation, database configuration, cloud platform optimisation, and page load time improvements.
• Ruby on Rails Upgrades Professional Rails upgrade service ensuring applications stay supported with the latest security patches, performance improvements, and compatibility with modern technologies, typically delivered as a 1-2 week project for small to medium applications.
• Accessibility Audits UX-led accessibility audits against WCAG 2.2 guidelines, identifying barriers and providing prioritised recommendations for inclusive digital products and websites.
• arcd Subscription-based video asset management platform built in Ruby on Rails that enables processing, organising, storing, and sharing of video master files, deliverables, B-roll, and library footage for video production studios and agencies, with Stripe-powered subscription billing.

Quantifiable outcome

• CiteAb has helped save global research an estimated $1bn per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• YuupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Storm is a strategic partner for Yuup, a marketplace for extraordinary experiences. Storm's track record working with high-growth startups to scale and optimise digital products makes them an excellent fit with Yuup.
• GettingMarriedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020In 2020 Storm became the tech partner for GettingMarried, the UK's leading wedding website and planning platform. Storm completed an investment into GettingMarried in 2023, further strengthening the relationship. GettingMarried manages tens of thousands of weddings every year.
• CiteAb (University of Bath Joint Venture)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014CiteAb is a joint venture between Storm and University of Bath. Storm lobbied the University to join in a partnership after completing the project, and together they spun the project out into the world's leading market data provider for life science sector, saving the sector over $1bn each year.
• Co-forestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Co-forest is a not-for-profit company founded by Storm as part of their 10th Anniversary celebrations. Dozens of businesses in the Bristol and Bath area joined together, raised over £250,000, purchased land, and brought together 400+ volunteers to plant 10,000 trees.
• Bath Digital FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Storm founders incubated the first three Bath Digital Festivals starting in 2012, growing it into the largest digital festival in the South West. Storm remains a guardian of the festival through TechSPARK, an organisation in which Storm played a founding role.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cyber-Duck: UK digital agency focused on web/app development, UX design, and digital strategy. Similar scope, UK base, and target market to Storm Consultancy.
• Kyan: UK digital agency offering web application development, design, and consultancy. Comparable to Storm in geography (UK), service mix, and client base of startups through to enterprise.
• Hedgehog Lab: UK digital agency building web and mobile applications for startups and enterprise. Comparable in service breadth, UK presence, and stage of clients served.
• Thoughtbot: US-headquartered consultancy specializing in Ruby on Rails, product design, and fractional CTO/advisory services. Comparable to Storm in tech stack focus, service offering, and serving startup-to-enterprise clients.
• Reaktiv Studios: WordPress VIP agency partner specializing in custom WordPress development and design. Comparable to Storm's WordPress service line and similar positioning around bespoke, design-led CMS builds.
• Planet Argon: Ruby on Rails consultancy offering maintenance, performance, and security audits for Rails applications. Highly comparable specialist-services overlap with Storm's Rails audit/upgrades offering.
• DockYard: US consultancy specializing in Ruby on Rails and Elixir development with design and product strategy services. Direct technology stack and service-line overlap with Storm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/storm-consultancy
• Instagraminstagram.com/storm_bath
• Xx.com/stormuk

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Storm Consultancy