What Ideas Foundation does

Ideas Foundation is a UK-registered charity (no. 1090451) founded in 2004 and headquartered in London, operating with 1–10 staff to nurture creative talent in young people aged 11–19 from disadvantaged backgrounds. The organisation delivers its mission through a portfolio of creative education programmes — including the BBC Creative Media Camp (running since 2017), Pantene's Power of Hair, Burberry Inspire sustainable fashion workshops, Canon's Young People Programme, and Engineer the Story with Queen Mary University of London — delivered free of charge through partnerships with UK secondary schools, FE colleges, and creative-industry mentors. Programmes combine project-based learning with real-world brand briefs (BBC, Canon, Pantene, Burberry, Nike, EE, adam&eveDDB, M&C Saatchi, Karmarama) and culminate in student presentations, exhibitions, and digital showcases.

The organisation's core 'technology' consists of freely downloadable educator resources, student resources, creative briefs, and creative toolkits — most notably the Online Digital Storytelling Toolkit co-developed with Canon and NATE — which translate in-person workshop IP into scalable digital content for teachers and students. Distribution is event-driven and field-based: Ideas Foundation delivers workshops directly into schools (Whitby and Scarborough programmes have run for 9 years; Power of Hair reached 1,723 students across 37 schools and 16 regions in 2025) and extends reach through social media, YouTube (#InAdland series), WorldSkills UK competition sponsorship, and PR-driven earned media.

Ideas Foundation is funded through three revenue streams: individual donations (£20 cited as funding a meaningful workshop contribution), corporate sponsorship from major consumer brands, and grants from trusts and foundations including the Royal Academy of Engineering, London Community Response Fund, Convocation Trust, and Creative Floor Healthcare Awards Talent & Diversity Fund (which has raised over £200,000 cumulatively). Programmes are offered free to students and schools, with the charity monetising exclusively through philanthropic and sponsor relationships rather than tuition or licensing.

Name

Ideas Foundation

Legal name

Ideas Foundation

Website

https://ideasfoundation.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ideas Foundation is a UK-registered charity that delivers free creative education programmes, workshops, and digital toolkits to students aged 11–19 from disadvantaged backgrounds, partnering with schools, brands (BBC, Canon, Pantene, Burberry, Nike), and universities to provide industry-led creative briefs, mentorship, and progression pathways into creative careers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Creative Education

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

akta.pro primary industry

Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL)

Keywords

• Youth creative education
• Creative mentoring programmes
• School partnership workshops
• Creative industry outreach
• Talent diversity programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals supporting the organisation's mission to nurture creative talent in disadvantaged young people. The organisation is registered charity no. 1090451.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Partnerships with major brands including BBC, Canon, Pantene, Burberry, Nike UK, and others who sponsor specific programmes and initiatives.
3. Funded Projects: Funding from trusts, foundations and organisations such as Royal Academy of Engineering, London Community Response Fund, Convocation Trust, and Creative Floor Awards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ideas Foundation is a UK charity that designs and delivers free, project-based creative education programmes and workshops for students aged 11–19, partnering with schools, colleges and major brand sponsors (BBC, Canon, Pantene, Burberry, Nike UK). Programmes include creative media camps, sustainable fashion workshops, digital storytelling toolkits, engineering storytelling and a mentor recruitment scheme, all aimed at nurturing creative talent from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Product overview

Ideas Foundation operates as a charitable educational organization offering a portfolio of creative programmes, workshops, and digital resources designed to nurture creativity in young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The core offerings include BBC Creative Media Camp (annual partnership delivering real BBC briefs), Power of Hair Programme (identity and confidence workshops), Engineer the Story (engineering storytelling), Climate Stories (sustainable fashion), and Canon Young People Programme (digital storytelling with equipment). These are supplemented by Mentor Recruitment Scheme for volunteer training, Future Creatives progression pathway, and freely accessible Educator Resources, Student Resources, Creative Toolkits, and Creative Briefs. The organization connects industry professionals with students through practical project-based learning, while also providing a donation service for public support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of participants reported increased confidence (Power of Hair 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Key4LifeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-winner of Creative Floor Healthcare Awards Talent & Diversity Fund 2025 alongside Ideas Foundation, SCA, and Brixton Finishing School.
• School of Communication of Arts (SCA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-winner of Creative Floor Healthcare Awards Talent & Diversity Fund 2025 alongside Ideas Foundation, Key4Life, and Brixton Finishing School.
• Brixton Finishing SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-winner of Creative Floor Healthcare Awards Talent & Diversity Fund 2025 alongside Ideas Foundation, Key4Life, and SCA.
• BarclaysminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Barclays Life Skills creative brief producing short films with students.
• Canon UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Equipment loan for workshops including Canon Ambassador photographers Clive Booth and Eliška Sky. Support for Portraits of Scientists and Engineers as Young Women.
• KarmaramaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Karmarama Kadets brief for student design ideas for web and Instagram sites.
• British Interplanetary SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner for World Space Week workshops as part of #IAmAnEngineer programme showcasing engineering diversity.
• 42nd StreetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Manchester mental health charity. Alumna Shafia Fiaz served as artist in residence creating 'Hidden Narratives' illustrations exploring mental health themes.
• Manchester Publicity AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Alumna Shafia Fiaz became first diverse role model for MPA's 'A Place for You' campaign celebrating diverse role models.
• The Amos Bursary TrustminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership on #IAmAnEngineer BIS x Ideas Foundation project promoting diversity in engineering through digital storytelling.
• PanteneflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Power of Hair programme partnership addressing afro-textured hair discrimination. Reached 1,723 students across 37 schools in 2025. Ideas Foundation is a partner alongside Black Minds Matter, Project Embrace and World Afro Day in Pantene's campaign to end Afro hair discrimination.
• onepointfiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Brand experience agency providing strategic support and project planning for Global Academy industry days and Power of Hair workshops.
• EE/BTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021EE Lockdown Brief challenging students to create 5G phone campaign.
• ENGINEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Creative advertising agency partnership delivering virtual work experience during COVID-19. Students from London, Manchester and Bolton worked on live brief for Disrupt Space with ENGINE professionals leading sessions across strategy, creative, and production.
• Disrupt SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Arts agency representing young black artists partnership for digital storytelling projects. Students created content for Disrupt Space artists and online gallery launched March 2021 to disrupt cultural elitism.
• Global AcademycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020First school involved in Disrupt Space project. Year 12 students undertake creative briefs and industry days with Global Academy director of specialism supporting programme delivery.
• NATE (National Association for Teaching English)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joint development of Online Digital Storytelling Toolkit for teachers. NATE Chair Peter Thomas provides inspiration and programme support.
• McCann ManchesterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Graphic Design Packaging Brief created for Ideas Foundation students.
• adam&eveDDBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020#InAdland video series providing insights into advertising industry roles including Creatives, Planners, Producers, and Account Managers.
• Brown Bag FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Animation brief for pre-school audience characters demonstrating empathy, tolerance, inclusivity, equality and diversity.
• NikecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Nike Membership Brief and Play More collaboration with Nike UK. Partnership began 2017 alongside NTE.
• CanonflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Canon Young People Programme partnership providing professional cameras, equipment, and Canon Ambassador mentorship. Jointly developed the Online Digital Storytelling Toolkit with NATE. Supported West Cumbria schools Live the Story project and ongoing Creative Media Camps.
• Queen Mary University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Engineering and STEM partnerships including 'Engineer the Story' workshops, 'Engineer Your Story with AI' programme, and Portraits of Scientists and Engineers as Young Women. Funded by Royal Academy of Engineering and Convocation Trust.
• BurberryflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Burberry Inspire programme launched 2018 in Yorkshire, UK. Partnership includes sustainable fashion workshops using Burberry waste materials, creative programmes, and ongoing brand sponsorship of educational initiatives.
• WorldSkills UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Sponsoring and judging the WSUK Graphic Design National Skills Competition for fourth consecutive year. Partnership with The Manchester College for graphic design challenges.
• BBCflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership since 2017 delivering BBC Creative Media Camp workshops to students. The partnership has worked in Manchester and London on projects including Glastonbury, BBC Big Weekend, Radio 1, and TV Drama Series. Students develop marketing campaigns for BBC shows and present to BBC judging panels.
• Nike UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership since 2017 with NTE (Nike Training Experience). Collaboration includes Play More initiative and creative programmes connecting young people with sports and creative industries.
• University of the Arts London (UAL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership for Creative Media Camps providing academic credentials and industry exposure. Students receive mentorship from UAL representatives alongside Canon professionals during photography and creative workshops.
• The Manchester CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Longstanding partnership for Creative Media Bootcamps, BBC Creative Media Camp, and creative briefs. Former Olympian Peter Bakare leads sessions. Partnership includes Employability Bootcamp which won MPA and TES FE Awards.
• M&C SaatchiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Advertising Unlocked programme giving students insight into agency roles and culture including Account Handling, Strategy, Creative, Production, Design, Film, Finance and IT.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Artswork: UK charity working with young people, schools, and creative partners to increase access to arts and creative learning, particularly in the South East. Comparable as a creative-education charity delivering through school partnerships with industry involvement.
• National Youth Theatre: UK charity that nurtures creative talent in young people through training, production opportunities, and industry connections. Comparable mission and youth-focused creative-skills development model.
• Key4Life: UK charity focused on reducing reoffending through creative-education and mentoring programmes for young people. Co-winner alongside Ideas Foundation of the Creative Floor Healthcare Awards Talent & Diversity Fund 2025, indicating comparable mission, scale, and funding profile.
• National Saturday Club: UK charity (formerly the Sorrell Foundation) running free creative and technical Saturday Clubs for 13-16 year olds at universities and colleges nationwide. Closely aligned target audience, free-to-student model, and university/industry partnership structure.
• Speakers for Schools: UK charity providing state-school students with free access to leading professionals and workplace experiences. Comparable as a school-partnership-led charity delivering industry engagement to disadvantaged young people.
• Brixton Finishing School: UK-based creative-industries finishing school focused on preparing under-represented young talent for careers in advertising and communications. Co-winner of the Creative Floor Healthcare Awards Talent & Diversity Fund 2025 alongside Ideas Foundation, indicating highly comparable model and target audience.
• Into Film: UK-wide film education charity delivering free film and filmmaking programmes in schools and colleges, supported by the BFI and industry partners. Comparable as a school-delivery creative-education charity funded by corporate and trust sponsors.
• Roundhouse: London-based charity delivering creative programmes for young people aged 11-30, with strong industry-partner engagement and a focus on under-represented talent. Directly comparable mission of nurturing young creatives through partnerships and project-based learning.
• A New Direction: London-based charity working with schools and creative partners to improve opportunities for children and young people to engage with creativity and culture. Closely aligned with Ideas Foundation's school-partnership delivery model and social-mobility focus.

Broad incumbents

• The Prince's Trust: Large UK youth charity supporting 11-30 year olds into education, employment, and training, including creative and cultural pathways. Larger and more diversified incumbent serving a broader agenda but overlapping target audience and employer-partnership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ideasfoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_v8be9s3EvCNIjmc1_gC6A
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialideasfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ideasfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/ideasfoundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@ideasfoundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Ideas Foundation