Ink & Water

What Ink & Water does

Ink & Water is a privately held, founder-led creative agency founded in 2011 in Sheffield, United Kingdom. The company delivers a multi-disciplinary service portfolio spanning web design and development, print design, branding and visual identity, and video production, alongside managed WordPress hosting and technical support as an add-on. Web projects are built on a WordPress-based CMS using modular, block-based page templates and deployed on WPEngine infrastructure with SSL, CDN, advanced caching, and automatic backups; specialised integrations include estate-agency software connectivity (Cocker & Carr) and complex e-commerce variation/pricing systems (e.g., 80,000+ product variations for Made in the Cellar). The team of seven covers graphic design, web design, web development, accounts, and customer support, enabling end-to-end delivery from brand strategy through to print, digital, and video outputs for clients such as the University of Sheffield, Diocese of Manchester, Diocese of York, Sheffield Students' Union, Harworth Group PLC, Church of England, and Natural Bed Company.

The business operates on a project-based professional services model with quote-based pricing determined by scope and complexity, supplemented by multi-year managed hosting contracts that introduce a recurring-revenue wrapper. Go-to-market is consultative and sales-led: prospective clients engage via the website, email ([email protected]), phone, or in-person studio visits, with a dedicated project manager assigned throughout the engagement. Marketing is portfolio-driven through detailed case studies and word-of-mouth referrals rather than paid acquisition. Customer segments are horizontally distributed across UK small and medium businesses (retail, hospitality, manufacturing, professional services) and enterprise/institutional organisations (universities, dioceses, charities, public companies), with a notable concentration of long-tenured clients in the higher education and religious organisation verticals. Ink & Water Ltd is a UK private limited company with no disclosed external investment, parent entity, or M&A activity.

Name

Ink & Water

Legal name

Ink & Water Ltd

Website

https://inkandwater.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ink & Water is a Sheffield-based, founder-led creative agency founded in 2011 that delivers web design and development, print, branding, video production, and managed WordPress hosting for UK SMBs and enterprise/institutional clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Design Services

NAICS

Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) (323111), Support Activities for Printing (323120)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Printing (Short-Run, Variable Data) (MPAJALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Direct-to-Container & Digital Printing (Inkjet/Laser) (IMALAKAF)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Web design development
• Brand identity design
• Print design services
• Video production services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Project-based professional services across web design, graphic design, branding, and video production. Services priced based on scope and complexity, with branding packages to suit all pockets and ambitions. Long-term client relationships drive repeat engagement across multiple disciplines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ink & Water is a multi-disciplinary creative agency delivering bespoke website design and development, print design, branding and visual identity, and video production for UK businesses and institutions. Services are complemented by managed WordPress hosting and ongoing technical support, with each engagement handled by an in-house project manager from conception through delivery.

Product overview

Ink & Water is a full-service creative agency offering four core services: Web Design & Development (bespoke, responsive, accessible websites with managed hosting), Print Design (brochures, posters, packaging, annual reports), Branding & Visual Identity (logo design, brand guidelines, brand strategy), and Video Production (music videos, promos, live events, animated content). These services are delivered through a multidisciplinary team using a design-led approach, with managed hosting and technical support provided as complementary add-on services. Established in 2011 and based in Sheffield, the agency works with clients across diverse sectors including e-commerce, education, charities, religious organisations, and hospitality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 80,000+ product variations supported on e-commerce platform (Made in the Cellar case)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Delete: London creative agency delivering brand, digital, film and content services. Comparable in multi-disciplinary creative offering; Ink & Water is regional/SME-focused whereas Delete is London/premium.
• Bray Leino: Bristol- and London-based creative agency offering brand, digital, film and print services. Comparable in multi-disciplinary creative services mix and UK client base, though at a larger scale.
• Studio Output: Manchester/London design studio delivering brand identity, web design and digital experiences for clients across sectors including higher education, charity and cultural — a near-direct match for Ink & Water's multi-disciplinary service mix and client profile.
• Hallam: Nottingham-based digital marketing and web design agency serving UK SMEs and enterprise clients. Comparable in regional UK positioning, full-service web/marketing offering and mid-market client focus.
• Cyber-Duck: UK digital agency specialising in web design, branding and digital transformation for enterprise clients. Comparable in core web development and branding capabilities and UK-only service delivery.
• Make Studio: Manchester-based creative agency offering brand, web, print and digital design for SME and institutional clients. Closely comparable in size, multi-disciplinary scope and regional UK focus.

Broad incumbents

• Pentagram: Global design firm specialising in brand identity, graphic design and digital. Comparable on the branding/visual identity dimension and competes for the same institutional clients (universities, dioceses, PLCs) for high-end brand work.
• IDEO: Global design consultancy spanning brand, product and digital experience design. Comparable on the design-led creative services dimension and on serving mission-driven organisations and institutions.
• WPP: Global advertising and creative services holding company (parent of Ogilvy, VMLY&R, etc.). Comparable in aggregating the full spectrum of brand, digital, print and video services under one umbrella, but at a vastly larger scale and with global enterprise reach.
• McCann: Global creative advertising network offering brand, digital, content and production services across all major markets. Comparable capability set at vastly larger scale; competes for the same enterprise and institutional clients Ink & Water serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/inkandwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Ink & Water