What Papertank does

Papertank is a digital design and development studio founded in 2010 and headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. The company delivers bespoke web and mobile solutions, including custom e-commerce platforms, native iOS and Android applications, API development, brand identity, and graphic design. Its core proprietary technology is 'Blanket', a bespoke e-commerce CMS developed since 2010 to handle complex requirements — such as calendar booking, B2B mini-stores, custom product configurations, and bespoke integrations — that mainstream platforms like Magento, Shopify, and WooCommerce cannot accommodate. The studio also produces its own product portfolio, including the Big Team Challenge corporate wellness platform, the World Walking global fitness initiative, the Word Hunt Apple TV party game, Critter Quest (a children's health-focused mobile game), canüwork (a temporary staffing subscription app), the Ramblers Medal Routes walking app, and the Sharpen study app.

Papertank serves a horizontally diverse client base across SMBs, enterprises, non-profits, healthcare institutions, government bodies, and consumer brands, with project portfolios spanning education, audio/retail, hospitality, charity/walking initiatives, staffing, corporate wellness, and whisky. Notable clients include Glasgow University, RHA, What Lydia Made, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, the FDA Union, Suresafe, and Ramblers Scotland. The company operates on a primarily project-based, custom-quote pricing model with occasional subscription-based products (canüwork, Big Team Challenge), and reaches customers through direct consultative sales, its portfolio website, technical blog, and Twitter presence. It maintains recurring development partnerships with mobile specialists Michael Park and Fergus Howe, and has no disclosed external funding, remaining independently owned.

Name

Papertank

Legal name

Papertank

Website

https://papertank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Papertank is a Glasgow-based digital design and development studio founded in 2010 that delivers bespoke web, mobile, and e-commerce solutions for SMBs, enterprises, and non-profits, powered by its proprietary 'Blanket' e-commerce CMS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Custom Design & Development Services: Bespoke web development, mobile app development, graphic design, and API development services billed on a project basis. Services include Client Services (Web Development, Mobile App Development, API Development, Graphic Design).
2. canüwork Subscription: canüwork is described as a subscription-based service for employers to find temporary staff. This is a productized SaaS offering with recurring subscription billing.
3. Big Team Challenge Platform: Papertank developed and maintains the Big Team Challenge platform for exercise challenge programs. While they built it for a client, the platform itself is referenced as one of 'Our Apps', suggesting ongoing involvement or licensing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

No source-backed information was provided in the input to describe the core offering.

Product overview

Papertank is a digital product design and development studio offering a combination of services and proprietary products. Their core product portfolio includes 'Blanket', a bespoke e-commerce platform built since 2010 to handle complex requirements standard platforms cannot meet. They offer several standalone digital products including Big Team Challenge (exercise challenge management platform), World Walking (fitness tracking with virtual routes), Word Hunt (Apple TV party game with iOS companion), Critter Quest (children's health-focused mobile game), canüwork (temporary staff scheduling app), FDA Union App (overtime tracking), Ramblers Medal Routes (walking routes app), and Sharpen (exam revision app). Services offered include Web Development, Mobile App Development, API Development, and Graphic Design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blanket: Bespoke e-commerce CMS platform developed by Papertank to power custom-built online stores
• Big Team Challenge
• World Walking
• Trivia Night
• Doorstep
• Word Hunt

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michael Park (Turing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecurring collaborator on mobile development projects. Co-developed Critter Quest game with Michael Park from Turing (turing.scot). Also collaborated on Word Hunt for Apple TV and Ramblers Medal Routes app. Brings additional mobile development expertise to projects.
• Fergus HowecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecurring mobile development collaborator. Co-developed Critter Quest game, NHS Active Staff app, and Ramblers Medal Routes app. Expertise in native iOS and Android development.
• Box Dog Inc (Dave Morrow)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collaborator on What Lydia Made e-commerce project. Dave Morrow handled front-end design while Papertank developed the e-commerce platform.
• Ripe DigitalminorOthersPrint partner for Glasgow University Booklet project. Ripe Digital handled the printing of the 60-page perfectly bound book.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CTI Digital: UK digital agency with end-to-end bespoke web, mobile, and platform builds. Comparable capability to Papertank, but with a larger team and broader enterprise/government exposure.
• MMT Digital: Larger UK digital agency delivering bespoke web, mobile, and platform development. Overlaps Papertank's bespoke web and mobile capabilities but at greater scale and broader enterprise footprint.

Regional players

• Springload: New Zealand-based bespoke digital agency offering custom web and mobile development for complex client requirements. Similar boutique service model and emphasis on bespoke solutions over templated platforms, although geographically distant from Papertank's UK base.

Direct peers

• Sequence: UK-based digital agency delivering custom web development, e-commerce, and integration projects. Comparable in custom e-commerce and bespoke platform work to Papertank's Blanket-led solutions.
• Studio Output: UK digital design and development studio producing bespoke brand, web, and interactive work. Comparable boutique position with strong design-and-code integration, similar to Papertank's combined design/development pitch.
• Buffalo: UK digital agency focused on bespoke web development, e-commerce, and integrations. Comparable to Papertank on custom-build, smaller-team delivery of complex client requirements.
• Clearleft: Boutique UK digital agency specialising in UX design, service design, and product development. Comparable to Papertank as a small, senior, custom-engagement studio with strong reputation in the UK market.
• Nothing (design and technology studio): Boutique design and technology studio building bespoke digital products for clients. Similar small-team, high-craft positioning to Papertank, with comparable emphasis on custom mobile and web experiences.
• ustwo: UK-based digital product studio with a small senior team delivering bespoke mobile, web, and product design. Operates a similar boutique model with both client services and proprietary products (e.g., Monument Valley, ustwo Games), directly comparable to Papertank's design-plus-development studio positioning.
• Found: UK digital product studio providing bespoke web, mobile, and brand services. Operates a similar small-team, high-craft approach and overlaps with Papertank's horizontal segmentation across SMB and enterprise clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/papertank
• GitHubgithub.com/papertank
• Facebookfacebook.com/wearepapertank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/papertank

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 Papertank