What SQEP does

SQEP Ltd is a privately held UK specialist engineering consultancy founded in 2014 by Paul Mayo, a 22-year RAF veteran, and headquartered at the Bristol & Bath Science Park. Operating under the acronym "Suitably Qualified Experienced Personnel," the firm provides security-cleared subject matter experts embedded directly into client teams across defence, aerospace, nuclear, and critical-infrastructure programmes. Its core capability stack comprises seven service lines: Airworthiness & Certification (Def Stan 00-970, EASA/FAA, military type certification, FHA/FMEA/FTA), Cyber & Information Assurance (DO-326A/356A/355A, RA 5890/1202, NIST, ISO 27001, Secure By Design), Engineering Support Solutions (sustaining airworthiness, CAMO, configuration management, release to service), P3M (programme strategy, governance, risk and quality), Training (DSAT-aligned curriculum per JSP 822), Safety (FTA/FHA/BowTie/GSN/CAE, ICAO SMS audits, support for eVTOL and autonomous systems), and Environment & Sustainability (ASEMS POEMS, Net Zero support, carbon benchmarking). More than 70% of the team are RAF veterans with deep experience across AH-64E Apache, CH-47 Chinook, Hawk, Typhoon, and UK MFTS platforms.

The business model is a pure professional-services consultancy: SQEP sells embedded expert time and project-based deliverables to UK MOD, DE&S, NATO and major defence primes (e.g., General Dynamics UK), with revenue generated through day-rate and milestone-based engagements on multi-year safety-critical programmes such as Chinook Capability Sustainment, Apache environmental assurance, and NATO AirC2 software safety assurance. The firm operates a hybrid delivery model combining a small core permanent staff of 1-10 with a distributed network of associates and security-cleared SMEs, enabling rapid scalability. Customer acquisition is predominantly enterprise field sales driven by reputation, veteran peer networks, prime-contractor referrals, and event participation at DSEI, DSET, Security Cleared EXPO, and Whitetree's Bristol networking forum. Pricing is bespoke and not publicly disclosed.

Customer-base signals indicate deep dependence on UK defence procurement: named logos span UK MOD (rotary aviation, Apache, AirC2), General Dynamics UK, NATO/European ATM clients, and one major defence contractor cyber programme, with the Nuclear sector (AWE) flagged as a secondary vertical. The firm carries ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, UKAS-accredited certification, JOSCAR registration, the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award, and Women in Defence Charter signatory status, which together pre-qualify it for UK defence supply chains. Operations span Europe (primarily UK) with stated support activity into the US, and the firm has remained privately bootstrapped since founding with no disclosed external funding rounds.

Name

SQEP

Legal name

SQEP Ltd

Website

https://sqep.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SQEP is a UK specialist engineering consultancy, founded in 2014 and based at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, that embeds security-cleared, predominantly RAF-veteran subject matter experts into UK MOD, NATO, and defence-prime safety-critical programmes across airworthiness, cyber, P3M, training, and environmental assurance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Engineering Consultancy Services: SQEP generates revenue through providing specialist consultancy services across airworthiness, certification, engineering support, cyber assurance, programme management, training, safety, and sustainability. Services are delivered through embedded expert placement and project-based delivery engagements with defence, aerospace, and critical infrastructure clients.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SQEP (Suitably Qualified Experienced Personnel) is a specialist engineering consultancy that provides security-cleared subject matter experts to UK MOD, NATO, defence primes, and critical infrastructure clients. The company embeds experts directly into client teams to deliver seven core capabilities: airworthiness and certification, cyber and information assurance, engineering support solutions, programme/project/portfolio management (P3M), training, safety, and environment and sustainability. Over 70% of the team are RAF veterans, with services delivered across air, land, sea, nuclear, and cyber domains.

Product overview

SQEP (Suitably Qualified Experienced Personnel) is a specialist engineering consultancy providing expert, security-cleared professionals across defence, aerospace, and critical infrastructure sectors. The company offers seven core service capabilities: Airworthiness & Certification (supporting military/civilian aircraft certification and compliance), Cyber & Information Assurance (cybersecurity for regulated environments), Engineering Support Solutions (covering airworthiness, configuration management, and logistics), P3M (programme and project management), Training (DSAT-compliant training design), Safety (system safety engineering), and Environment & Sustainability (environmental management and Net Zero). These services are delivered by a team of over 70% RAF veterans who embed directly into client teams, providing tailored solutions for complex, safety-critical programmes across air, land, sea, nuclear, and cyber domains.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airworthiness & Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• Enabled progression of multi-billion pound Chinook Capability Sustainment Programme through certification and airworthiness support
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core, community and support.

• WhitetreeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026SQEP sponsored and attended Whitetree's Annual Networking Event at SS Great Britain, partnering with Apache iX and Safeguard Engineering to bring together industry leaders and specialists from across the defence and security community.
• Apache iXminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnered with SQEP at Whitetree's Annual Networking Event for shared expertise and collaboration across defence and security sectors.
• Safeguard EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnered with SQEP at Whitetree's Annual Networking Event for shared expertise and collaboration across defence and security sectors.
• Make UK DefencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQEP is a member of Make UK Defence, reinforcing commitment to collaboration with UK manufacturers and innovators. Together, they support national resilience and excellence in high-stakes industries.
• Royal Air Force Association (RAFA)communityOthersSQEP supports the RAFA Connections for Life programme, making welfare calls to veterans and identifying individuals who may need additional support. Team members participate in outreach campaigns.
• Women in DefencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQEP is a signatory to the Women in Defence Charter, promoting gender balance and inclusion across the UK defence sector, championing women at all levels and building diverse teams.
• Approachable CertificationsupportOthersSQEP maintains UKAS-accredited certification via Approachable Certification, with strict adherence to logo usage and certificate traceability for compliance and assurance.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• QinetiQ: UK-listed defence technology and consultancy group providing airworthiness, safety, cyber assurance and test & evaluation services to UK MOD and primes — a much larger, multi-vertical incumbent competing for the same MOD technical-assurance mandates SQEP targets.
• Babcock International: Major UK defence and nuclear support contractor providing through-life engineering, training and airworthiness services — adjacent competitor for embedded technical-support roles within MOD programmes.
• Mott MacDonald: International engineering consultancy with a defence and aerospace division providing safety, systems engineering and programme management services to UK MOD and international clients — broad incumbent competing for similar technical-assurance work.
• AtkinsRéalis (Atkins): Global engineering and programme management consultancy with a large UK defence and aerospace practice delivering certification, safety, P3M and cyber assurance to MOD — competing for the same embedded-expert mandates at greater scale.

Direct peers

• Cambridge Consultants: Deep-tech product development and engineering consultancy serving defence, aerospace and security clients — comparable in providing high-end technical expertise for safety-critical and regulated programmes.
• BMT Group: UK-headquartered engineering and programme management consultancy with strong defence, maritime and aerospace practices — directly comparable in delivering technical assurance, safety and P3M to government clients.
• Frazer-Nash Consultancy: UK-based independent engineering, systems and safety consultancy serving defence, aerospace and nuclear — directly comparable in offering independent airworthiness, safety case, and complex programme assurance to MOD and primes.
• Roke (Chemring Group): UK defence technology and engineering consultancy providing cyber, electronic warfare, sensors and safety assurance — a comparable UK-based specialist competing for MOD technical-assurance and cyber mandates.
• TP Group: UK specialist defence and aerospace consultancy providing systems engineering, safety and programme management support — directly comparable niche peer competing for similar MOD and prime contracts.

Regional players

• Haskoning (Royal HaskoningDHV): International engineering consultancy with UK defence and aerospace practice providing safety, certification and environmental services — comparable in capability but broader in geography, useful as a cross-market reference.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sqep-ltd
• Xx.com/sqep_ltd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 SQEP