Sea Dragon Design

What Sea Dragon Design does

Sea Dragon Design is a UK-based bespoke web design and development agency founded in 2004 and headquartered in Hythe near Folkestone, Kent. The company designs and builds hand-coded websites, single-page applications, custom CRM and database systems, and API integrations entirely in-house, with no use of page builders, templates, or WordPress. Its core technology stack combines Vue.js/Nuxt.js on the frontend with Laravel/PHP on the backend, deployed across Cloudflare (edge, CDN, DDoS protection) and AWS (EC2, S3, RDS, SES). The firm serves primarily small and medium-sized businesses across the UK and selectively internationally, with notable clients including Kent County Council, Buckleys International, Envirograf, and a long tail of regional SMBs across manufacturing, hospitality, rail, food services, and agriculture.

The business model is predominantly project-based: bespoke web builds, CRM systems, cloud applications, and API integrations are delivered as one-time engagements with quote-based pricing. Recurring revenue is generated through a layered managed-services offering that includes managed VPS/cloud hosting, managed website security, automated backups (from £6/month), hosted Exchange email, and domain management. A free website audit serves as the primary lead-generation tool. The firm has delivered 50+ websites, manages 20+ servers, and operates with 1-10 employees as a privately held, bootstrapped limited company with no external funding.

The go-to-market is sales-led and direct: local Kent/South East presence for SMB clients, UK-wide direct sales for mid-market and public-sector work, and a content-marketing footprint (technical blog, portfolio, SEO-optimised service pages) as the top-of-funnel lever. A recently launched Microsoft 365 backup service (May 2026) and Microsoft CSP partnership signal incremental expansion into the managed-IT and Microsoft productivity stack as recurring-revenue adjacencies to the core build business.

Name

Sea Dragon Design

Legal name

Sea Dragon Design Ltd

Website

https://seadragon.digital

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sea Dragon Design is a UK-based, bootstrapped bespoke web design and development agency in Kent that hand-codes websites, custom CRMs, and cloud applications for small and medium businesses using Vue.js and Laravel. It supplements one-time project revenue with recurring managed hosting, security, and Microsoft 365 services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Folkestone

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Web Design and Development Services: Bespoke website design and development from scratch. Pricing is quote-based, varying by project requirements. Projects range from simple brochure sites to complex e-commerce platforms and custom web applications.
2. Cloud Application Development: Custom SPA and full-stack cloud application development for complex applications with large datasets, real-time updates, and diverse user roles.
3. CRM System Development: Custom web-based CRM software development with multi-level access, reporting dashboards, and API integrations. Bespoke systems built around client workflow.
4. Web Hosting Services: Managed VPS servers and full cloud infrastructure hosting including automated backups, DDoS protection, and 24/7 monitoring. UK-based servers running hardened Linux with Nginx.
5. Website Backup Service: Automated daily backups of website and database. Secure off-site storage with quick recovery options. Priced at £6 per month.
6. Managed Website Security & Protection: Proactive security monitoring and maintenance including plugin/CMS updates, security patch management, vulnerability monitoring, website health monitoring, and priority technical support.
7. Hosted Exchange Emails: Business-class email and calendaring with full synchronization across devices, 25GB storage per mailbox, shared calendars and contacts, remote device wipe capability.
8. Domain Name Management: Domain registration, DNS management, and transfer services across major TLDs including .co.uk, .com, .org, .net.
9. Data Processing Services: Bespoke data processing including data cleaning, email validation, merging/updating datasets, and custom scripts for automated processing tasks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sea Dragon Design is a UK-based web design and development agency that builds bespoke websites, web applications, and digital platforms for small businesses and organisations. The company complements its build work with recurring managed services including web hosting, email hosting, security, backups, and domain administration, generating a mix of one-off project fees and ongoing subscription revenue.

Product overview

Sea Dragon Design offers a suite of bespoke web design and development services centered around custom-built websites and cloud applications. The core offerings include Web Design & Development (hand-coded sites without templates), API Integration Services, App Development (SPAs and cloud applications), Data Processing, CRM Systems, and Database Development. These core services are complemented by supporting hosting and infrastructure services including Web Hosting & Servers, Exchange Emails, Domain Name Management, Website Backup Service, and Managed Website Security & Protection. The company also offers a free website audit tool. All solutions are built in-house using modern technologies (primarily Vue.js and Laravel) and are designed for performance, security, and longevity rather than using off-the-shelf platforms like WordPress.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bespoke Web Design & Development End-to-end custom website design and build service using Vue.js/Nuxt.js on the front end and Laravel/PHP on the back end, delivered to UK small businesses and organisations that need a tailored, non-template site.
• API Integration Services Development service that connects client websites and internal systems to third-party APIs, enabling data exchange between platforms such as CRMs, payment gateways, and back-office tools.
• App Development Custom application development for clients needing bespoke web apps or internal tools beyond a standard marketing website.
• Data Processing Services Data processing service that supports client reporting and operational workflows, typically alongside database or CRM builds.
• Custom CRM Systems Design and build of bespoke CRM systems tailored to a client's specific sales, contact, or operational workflows where off-the-shelf products are insufficient.
• Database Development Custom database design and implementation to underpin client websites, applications, or back-office systems.
• Website Backup Service Managed backup service that protects client website files and data against loss, typically bundled into ongoing support packages.
• Managed Website Security & Protection Ongoing managed security service covering monitoring, hardening, and protection of client websites, leveraging Cloudflare edge security.
• Web Hosting & Servers Managed web hosting and server provisioning built on AWS infrastructure, sold as a recurring service to clients of the agency's builds.
• Exchange Emails Managed Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft 365 business email hosting, configured and supported on behalf of client organisations.
• Domain Name Management Ongoing domain name registration, renewal, and DNS administration handled on behalf of clients as part of their managed service package.
• Free Website Audit Complimentary audit of a prospective client's existing website covering performance, security, and reliability issues, used as a lead-generation entry point into paid services.
• Office 365 Backup Service Standalone, subscription-based backup service for Microsoft 365 / Office 365 environments, protecting Exchange, OneDrive, and SharePoint data for client organisations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Faster load times compared to WordPress/template-based sites through hand-coded optimized solutions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Vue.jscoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary frontend JavaScript framework used for building user interfaces and single-page applications. Vue.js enables reactive data binding and component-based architecture for fast, maintainable web applications.
• NuxtcoreTechnology or IntegrationFull-stack Vue framework used for server-rendered and statically generated web applications. Provides file-based routing, automatic code splitting, SEO optimization, and edge deployment capabilities via Cloudflare Pages.
• LaravelcoreTechnology or IntegrationOpen-source PHP web framework used for server-side functions including database interaction, PDF generation, API development, queue processing, and user authentication.
• CloudflarecoreTechnology or IntegrationEdge hosting platform providing Cloudflare Pages for front-end deployment, Cloudflare DNS for domain management, and Cloudflare WAF/DDoS protection for security. Primary hosting infrastructure partner.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCloud infrastructure provider powering backend services including EC2 for scalable compute, S3 for object storage, RDS for managed databases, and SES for transactional email.
• MicrosoftsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft 365/Office 365 reseller through Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partner program. Provides hosted Exchange email services and resells Microsoft 365 products to clients.
• StripesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway integration for e-commerce websites. Built integrations with Stripe for secure payment processing in client projects.
• PayPalsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway integration for e-commerce websites and applications. Commonly integrated with shopping cart and checkout systems.
• WorldpaysecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway integration commonly used in UK e-commerce projects. Part of FIS global financial technology company.
• MailchimpsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing platform integration for contact synchronization and automated campaign management.
• SalesforcesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationCRM platform integration for contact management, sales automation, and marketing campaigns.
• Companies HousesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationUK government API integration for company registration and verification systems. Used in compliance and registration applications.
• eBaysecondaryTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform integration for listing management and order synchronization.
• AmazonsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce and marketplace integration for product listing and fulfillment integration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studio Graphene: London-headquartered bespoke web and app development agency building custom digital products for startups and enterprises. Similar hand-coded, framework-led (Vue/React/Node) approach targeting UK and international clients.
• Codehouse: UK digital agency specializing in bespoke Sitecore, Umbraco, and custom web platform builds for enterprise and public sector clients. Comparable in custom development depth and UK enterprise/government positioning.
• Appetite Creative: London-based digital agency delivering bespoke websites, apps, and immersive experiences for global brands. Comparable in custom development ethos and end-to-end delivery model.
• Redweb: South Coast UK (Brighton-based) digital agency offering bespoke web design, development, and hosting services to enterprise and SMB clients. Geographic and service-model parallel to Sea Dragon's South East England positioning.
• Manifesto Digital: UK digital agency building bespoke websites and web applications using modern frameworks for B2B and SMB clients. Overlapping value proposition in custom development versus template-based competitors.
• I-AM Collective: London-based brand and digital experience agency delivering bespoke website design and development alongside brand strategy. Comparable in combining custom design and engineering for mid-market clients.
• Torchbox: Bristol-headquartered digital agency serving nonprofits, charities, and public sector organizations with bespoke web builds on Drupal and modern frameworks. Similar public-sector and mission-driven client mix to Sea Dragon's Kent County Council work.
• Atomic Smash: South East England digital agency building bespoke websites and platforms for ambitious brands using Laravel and modern JavaScript frameworks. Closely comparable in technology stack (Laravel/Vue) and regional focus.
• Cyber-Duck: UK-based digital agency of similar size specializing in bespoke web design, UX, and development for enterprise and public sector clients. Comparable in bespoke approach, client mix, and technology sophistication.
• NetConstruct: UK bespoke web development agency focused on custom CMS, e-commerce, and web application builds for organizations. Similar mid-size UK bespoke agency profile with public-sector exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seadragondesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/seadragondesign

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 Sea Dragon Design