Ecomotive

What Ecomotive does

Ecomotive Limited is a workers' cooperative founded in 2006 in Bristol, United Kingdom, operating as a social enterprise focused on community-led housing, self-build, and ecological housing solutions. The cooperative grew directly out of the landmark Ashley Vale self-build project (initiated in 2000) that produced 40 homes, and has since supported the development of additional community housing projects including 325 Fishponds Road (12 homes), Shaldon Road (50 homes), Turner Gardens (5 homes), Woodborough Street (6 homes), and the planned Bridge Farm development of approximately 35 land-based homes.

The company's core offerings span an integrated service portfolio rather than a single software product. The proprietary SNUG Homes modular timber-framed housing system (launched 2016) enables residents to configure home layouts from 5m × 2.9m prefabricated modules delivered part-finished for self-completion. Complementing this, Ecomotive operates the Local Self Build Register, an online platform helping UK local authorities meet statutory obligations under the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015. Professional services include self-build management, RIBA-led masterplanning and architectural design, financial modelling out to 25-year property management plans, 1:1 mentoring, education and training (including paid tours of Ashley Vale), and Convergent Facilitation-based decision-making support.

Ecomotive generates revenue primarily through professional services and consultancy on a quote-based engagement model, with free initial consultations and tailored pricing per project. Secondary revenue comes from tours (£15/individual, £10/concession, £150 minimum group charge) and ancillary training/workshop fees. The cooperative serves four primary customer segments: community housing groups (co-ops, CLTs, self-build groups), local authorities seeking Right to Build compliance, housing professionals and architects, and individual self-builders. The company operates from headquarters at Wild Goose Space in St Werburghs, Bristol, and a training academy at the Wordsworth Centre in Lockleaze, and has established partnerships with Bristol CLT, Bristol City Council, United Communities, Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust, SNUG Homes, Power to Change, Locality, and BBRC, among others.

Name

Ecomotive

Legal name

Ecomotive Limited

Website

https://ecomotive.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ecomotive is a Bristol-based workers' cooperative founded in 2006 that provides professional advice, architectural design, self-finish project management, training, and the SNUG modular housing system to support community-led housing projects for community groups, local authorities, and housing associations across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services and Consultancy: Ecomotive provides project management, architectural design, enabling support, community coaching, training, and financial modelling services to community groups, local authorities, and housing associations. Services are delivered on a consultancy basis with quotes provided for specific support needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ecomotive is a workers' co-operative that helps communities create their own affordable, sustainable housing through professional advice, project management, architectural design, financial modelling and self-finish management. Its stand-alone offerings include the SNUG Homes modular housing system and the Local Self Build Register platform, alongside a portfolio of consultancy, mentoring, training, tours and Convergent Facilitation services for community groups, local authorities, housing associations and self-builders.

Product overview

Ecomotive is a workers' co-operative offering a portfolio of services for community-led housing and self-build projects, not a single unified software product. The core offerings include the SNUG Homes modular prefabricated housing system (a tangible product for custom-build affordable homes), and the Local Self Build Register online platform. These are supported by professional services including Self-Build Management, Masterplanning & Architectural Design, Financial Modelling, 1-1 Mentoring, Education & Training (including Ashley Vale tours), Convergent Facilitation, and Professional Advice & Support. The services range from hands-on housing products (SNUG) to advisory, training, and platform services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SNUG Homes SNUG (aka Modulhus) is a prefabricated timber-framed modular home system where residents choose the number, size and arrangement of modules for their home. Part-finished modules are delivered to site for residents to complete themselves, or can be finished by the SNUG team. Modules can be stacked or joined to create terraces or apartment blocks. The product targets individuals, community groups and local authorities seeking customisable, affordable, sustainable housing.
• Local Self Build Register An independent online platform to help local authorities meet their obligations under the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015. It enables people to register interest in self-build and custom build housing and helps them find suitable building plots in their area. The platform is targeted at UK local authorities and prospective self-builders.
• Self-Build Management Project management and coordination services for self-build and self-finish housing projects, including site coordination, health and safety oversight, training, collective work days, and procurement management. The service is for community groups and self-builders undertaking housing developments.
• Masterplanning and Architectural Design In-house architectural design services delivered from initial feasibility through masterplanning and planning submission, with technical support throughout construction. Led by RIBA-registered architect Alex Dutton, the service is for community groups, housing associations and developers undertaking community-led housing schemes.
• Financial Modelling Financial modelling and business support services for housing projects, from early planning phases through 25-year property management plans, helping groups become 'investment ready'. The service is for community-led housing groups seeking to secure project finance and ensure long-term financial sustainability.
• 1-1 Mentoring Light-touch support service for individuals or groups setting up or running self-build or community-led housing projects. Provides one-off advice sessions or monthly one-hour check-in meetings with a dedicated mentor. Targeted at newly forming and existing CLH groups.
• Education and Training Theory and practice training on community-led housing including tours of Ashley Vale, workshops, talks, curriculum design, and peripatetic lecturing for universities and organisations. Targeted at housing professionals, local authorities, students and community groups.
• Convergent Facilitation Decision-making facilitation service based on Convergent Facilitation principles developed by Miki Kashtan and rooted in non-violent communication. Helps groups find genuine agreement on shared practical problems or disagreements. Targeted at community-led housing groups facing group decision-making blockages.
• Professional Advice and Support Comprehensive consulting services covering group formation, legal structures, feasibility studies, business planning, funding, land finding, community engagement, planning applications, and project management. Available for individuals, informal groups or established organisations undertaking collective housing projects, with a free initial consultation and quoted engagements thereafter.
• Tours of Ashley Vale 1.5-hour tours of the 40-home Ashley Vale self-build project in Bristol for interested self-builders, local authorities, architects, planners, housing professionals, universities, schools and youth groups. Standard pricing: individuals £15, concessions £10, minimum group charge £150.

Quantifiable outcome

• Self-builders typically save money compared to buying homes on the open market
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SNUG HomescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Long-standing collaboration on the SNUG modular home initiative. Won William Sutton Prize together for Home-Made Bristol proposal. SNUG supplies modular homes while Ecomotive provides training and self-finish support. Partnership aims to scale up pilot project into construction and training hub.
• Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust (LNT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for delivery of five eco homes at Turner Gardens, Lockleaze. LNT owns the freehold of the site and homes while Ecomotive provides training and self-finish support for residents.
• United CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Housing association working with BCLT and Ecomotive on Shaldon Road 50-home development. United Communities oversees the development while Ecomotive acts as self-finish managers providing training at the Wordsworth Centre.
• Bristol Community Land Trust (BCLT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcomotive helped establish Bristol CLT in 2010 and has supported its inaugural developments including 325 Fishponds Road (12 homes) and Shaldon Road (50 homes). BCLT pioneered the self-finish approach with Ecomotive's support.
• Bristol City CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for community-led housing initiatives. Council sells land through its Community Led Housing Land Disposal Policy and has adopted CLH support policies. Ecomotive supported development of Social Value policy for asset transfers.
• Power to ChangemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrust supporting community businesses, listed as partner and funder of community-led housing initiatives in Bristol.
• Ashley Vale Action Group (AVAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity group that created the 40-home Ashley Vale project (Ecomotive's foundational project). Ecomotive continues supporting AVAG's Bridge Farm development. Jackson Moulding remains a director of AVAG.
• LocalitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting communities. Partnered with Ecomotive, Bristol CLT, and Knowle West Media Centre to establish the Community Led Housing Hub for West of England.
• Knowle West Media CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partnered in the establishment of the Community Led Housing Hub for the West of England.
• Bristol and Bath Regional Capital (BBRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of three-pronged support package with Bristol City Council for the Community Led Housing Hub providing finance, land, and technical support.
• Community Led HomesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as partner and funder supporting community-led housing initiatives.
• School for Social EntrepreneursminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as supporter of Home-Made Bristol. Jackson Moulding is a fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Power to Change: Major UK trust with £150M+ deployed supporting community businesses, including community-led housing initiatives. Major partner and funder of Ecomotive's Bristol activities; comparable as a broader community business enabler with overlapping mission space but at significantly larger scale.
• Wates Group: Major UK housebuilder and residential developer with significant affordable housing delivery through Wates Living Space. Comparable as a broad incumbent in UK housing delivery at much larger scale and traditional model; provides market context for what scaled affordable housing delivery looks like.

Direct peers

• Locality: UK national federation supporting 1,800+ community-led organizations and delivering the government-funded Community Led Homes programme. Partners with Ecomotive on the Community Led Housing Hub for West of England and serves overlapping community-led housing support customers with similar advisory and capacity-building services.
• Community Led Homes: National programme funded by MHCLG and delivered by Locality, supporting community-led housing groups across England. Listed partner of Ecomotive; provides complementary resources, advice, and networking for community housing groups that overlap with Ecomotive's customer segments.
• Confederation of Cooperative Housing: UK national body representing housing cooperatives and tenant-led organizations, providing advocacy and sector support. Ecomotive team member Leah Eatwell is a Director at the Confederation, indicating deep involvement in the cooperative housing movement with overlapping customer base and policy engagement.
• Barefoot Architects: Architecture practice designing the Woodborough Street Cohousing project for Nettle Housing Co-op alongside Ecomotive. Specializes in sustainable community-led housing design with similar target customer base of cooperatives, CLTs, and self-build groups in the community-led housing space.
• Bristol Community Land Trust: Bristol-based community land trust that Ecomotive helped establish in 2010. Partners on multiple affordable housing projects including 325 Fishponds Road (12 homes) and Shaldon Road (50 homes), serving the same target customers in the Bristol community-led housing ecosystem.

Regional players

• Pocket Living: London and South East-focused developer creating affordable compact homes for first-time buyers through modular construction. Comparable as an affordable custom-build/modular housing player but operates in different geography from Ecomotive's Bristol focus, limiting direct head-to-head competition.

Emerging players

• Ilke Homes: UK modular housing manufacturer producing factory-built homes for housing associations and developers. Comparable as an emerging player in modular affordable housing using modern methods of construction, though operating at significantly larger scale than the SNUG Homes partnership.
• SNUG Homes: Modular timber-framed housing company co-developing the award-winning SNUG Home design with Ecomotive. Strategic partner delivering affordable custom-build housing with self-finish completion model; comparable as an early-stage modular housing specialist but operating through partnership rather than direct competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Eco_motive
• Facebookfacebook.com/Ecomotive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecomotive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Ecomotive