The Big Bang Partnership

What The Big Bang Partnership does

The Big Bang Partnership Limited is a UK-based innovation consultancy and facilitation firm founded in 2010 and headquartered in York. The company operates as a micro-consultancy of 1-10 employees, led by founder and Managing Director Dr. Jo North, delivering innovation strategy, creative facilitation, executive development, and training services to enterprise, public sector, and education clients. Its client base spans water and utilities (Northumbrian Water, AquaGib), retail (Costcutter), nuclear (Sellafield, National Nuclear Laboratory), transport (Transport for London, Port of Tyne), energy (Equinor), government (Forestry England), and education (University of York), with operational reach into Gibraltar, the United States, and Canada. There is no external institutional funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries; the firm is privately held and founder-operated.

The company's core offering is anchored by its proprietary Big Bang Innovation Framework — a six-step methodology structured across three phases (Ignite, Expand, Accelerate) — which underpins its Innovation Accelerators, Innovation Consulting, Virtual Facilitation, and Creative Facilitation Skills programmes. Under the Idea Time sub-brand, the firm publishes books (Idea Time; Leading Sustainable Innovation, distributed globally by Kogan Page), produces a podcast and video series, and distributes free and paid facilitation toolkits including the Creative Facilitation Handbook, Mission/Vision/Values Workshop Toolkit, Reconnect & Reset Toolkit, and DIY Awayday Toolkit. Executive development programmes include Everyday Innovation for Leaders, Influencing Skills, Collaboration Skills, Capacity for Challenge, Business Insights for Public Sector Leaders, and Successful Commercialisation, all delivered in-person, virtually, or as live online sessions accommodating 8-25 delegates.

The revenue model is multi-streamed and primarily professional services in nature: bespoke consultancy engagements, training programmes sold on a quote basis, conference keynote speaking by Dr. Jo North, and transactional sales of digital toolkits and books. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct, relying on content marketing through a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, and Instagram/Facebook presence to drive top-of-funnel awareness, with bespoke programme design per client organisation. Distribution is direct-to-enterprise for core services, supplemented by an e-commerce storefront for digital products and global book retail through Kogan Page, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WHSmith, Waterstones, and Bookshop.org. A strategic partnership with the University of York supports the firm's InnovateYork Innovation in Action programme and academic credibility, while a multi-year leadership development engagement with AquaGib (since 2018) anchors non-UK recurring revenue.

Name

The Big Bang Partnership

Legal name

The Big Bang Partnership Limited

Website

https://bigbangpartnership.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Big Bang Partnership is a York, UK-based innovation consultancy delivering innovation strategy, creative facilitation, and executive development programmes to enterprise and public sector clients. Led by Dr. Jo North, the firm sells bespoke consulting, training programmes, books, and toolkits anchored by its proprietary Big Bang Innovation Framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

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. Consultancy Services: Hands-on innovation consultancy, working as part of client teams to create, develop and implement ideas. Includes strategy consulting and bespoke facilitation.
2. Training Programmes: Executive development programmes including Everyday Innovation for Leaders, Influencing Skills, Collaboration Skills, Capacity for Challenge, Business Insights for Public Sector Leaders, and Successful Commercialisation. Delivered in-person, online, or hybrid formats.
3. Innovation Events and Workshops: Custom-designed innovation sprints, workshops and events facilitated in-person or virtually. Includes team building and facilitation services.
4. Training Materials and Toolkits: Sale of facilitation materials, training resources, workshop toolkits, and digital products including the Creative Facilitation Handbook and Idea Time Book.
5. Conference Speaking: International keynote speaking engagements by Dr. Jo North.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Big Bang Partnership provides bespoke innovation consulting, creative facilitation, and executive development services to organizations across multiple sectors. Its work is built around the proprietary six-step Big Bang Innovation Framework (Ignite, Expand, Accelerate) and includes in-person and virtual workshops, innovation accelerators, leadership and commercialization training programmes, and downloadable facilitation toolkits and books delivered under the Idea Time sub-brand.

Product overview

The Big Bang Partnership is an innovation consulting and facilitation company offering a portfolio of services centered on its proprietary Big Bang Innovation Framework (six-step methodology across Ignite, Expand, and Accelerate phases). The core offering includes Innovation Accelerators, Virtual Facilitation, Innovation Consulting, and Creative Facilitation Skills training. The company also provides Executive Development programmes including Everyday Innovation for Leaders, Influencing Skills, Collaboration Skills, Mastering Difficult Conversations, and Successful Commercialisation training. Under the Idea Time sub-brand, the company publishes books (Idea Time, Leading Sustainable Innovation), produces podcasts and videos, and offers free toolkits including the Mission Vision Values Workshop Toolkit, Reconnect & Reset Toolkit, and Creative Facilitation Handbook. The product portfolio is delivered through in-person workshops, live online sessions, and on-demand resources, all designed and facilitated by Dr. Jo North.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Big Bang Innovation Framework A structured six-step innovation methodology organized into three phases (Ignite, Expand, Accelerate) used to guide client organizations from idea generation through implementation and growth. Delivered as consulting and facilitation engagements.
• Innovation Accelerators Programmes designed to accelerate innovation within client organizations through structured sprints, workshops, and facilitated events delivered in-person or virtually.
• Virtual Facilitation Online facilitation services for workshops, sprints, and innovation events delivered via video conferencing platforms for remote teams and organizations.
• Innovation Consulting Hands-on advisory engagements where Dr. Jo North works as part of client teams to develop effective strategy and optimize creative potential.
• Creative Facilitation Skills Programme A 1- or 2-day in-house training programme equipping leaders of innovation events with tools and techniques to advance facilitation competence, for groups of 8-25 people.
• Everyday Innovation for Leaders A two-day executive development experience helping leaders embed innovation into daily practice, learn strategy tools, and lead a culture of sustainable innovation.
• Influencing Skills Programme A one-day interactive course helping professionals build confidence in influencing without authority through practical models, emotional intelligence, and ethical influence tools.
• Collaboration Skills for High-Performing Teams A programme building behaviours, mindsets, and tools for leaders and teams working across functions or organizations to improve communication and decision-making.
• Mastering Challenge and Difficult Conversations Training on handling tough conversations with professionalism and confidence, managing emotion, clarifying intent, and building trust.
• Business Insights for Public Sector Leaders Programme helping public sector professionals understand business needs and pressures, improving communication and engagement with regulated businesses they serve.
• Successful Commercialisation Programme A live online 1-day programme equipping innovation professionals, entrepreneurs, and researchers with tools and strategies for bringing products and services to market, accommodating 8-25 delegates.
• Leading Sustainable Innovation (Book) A book by Dr. Jo North published by Kogan Page covering sustainable innovation in complex technical industries, available in the UK, US, and Canada.
• Idea Time Book A book by Dr. Jo North available on Kindle providing practical tools and techniques for innovation and facilitation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Finalists for CIPD People Management Award for Best HR/Learning & Development Supplier
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 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 core and minor.

• Costcutter Supermarkets GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint development and delivery of the Horizon leadership course, which led to CIPD People Management Award finalist recognition.
• AquaGibcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Multi-year leadership and management development partnership since early 2018. AquaGib provides Gibraltar with drinking and salt water, sewage, electricity meter reading and billing services.
• University of YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Jo North serves as Associate Lecturer for business creativity and innovation. The company delivers the InnovateYork Innovation in Action programme for start-ups and provides academic contributions to university programmes.
• Emotion at WorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in developing the Horizon leadership course for Costcutter Supermarkets Group.
• Idea TimecoreOthersIdea Time is a related brand of The Big Bang Partnership, encompassing the Idea Time Book, Idea Time Studio, free resources, and the Idea Time for Workshop Facilitators Facebook Group community.
• Idea Time for Workshop Facilitators Facebook GroupminorOthersFree private Facebook Group for workshop facilitators to share ideas, support each other, and access resources. Serves as a community-led marketing and engagement channel.
• Kogan PagecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublisher of Leading Sustainable Innovation book. Book is available globally through Kogan Page, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WHSmith, Waterstones, Bookshop.org, and other retailers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• IDEO: Global design and innovation consultancy serving large enterprises on innovation strategy, design thinking workshops, and capability building. Overlaps with BBP on facilitation, training, and innovation culture work but at vastly larger scale.
• Innosight: Strategy and innovation consultancy (now part of Huron) founded on Clayton Christensen's work, serving large enterprises on innovation strategy and transformation. Comparable to BBP at the upper end of the same buyer segment.
• frog (frog design): Global design and innovation firm offering strategy, design, and transformation services. Comparable to BBP as a broader incumbent operating in the same innovation/transformation space with enterprise clients.
• BTS Group: Global consulting firm specialising in executive development, leadership programmes, and business simulations. Comparable to BBP's executive development offering (Everyday Innovation for Leaders, Influencing Skills, etc.) but at much larger scale.
• Deloitte Innovation (Doblin): Deloitte's innovation practice (formerly Doblin) provides enterprise innovation strategy, design, and capability services. Competes with BBP for the same enterprise innovation/transformation mandates at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Strategyzer: Software and training company behind the Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas, offering workshops and certification to innovation teams. Comparable to BBP's productised workshops, toolkits, and facilitator community.

Direct peers

• Luma Institute: Pittsburgh-based innovation and human-centred design training firm that teaches innovation methods to practitioners and organisations. Closely comparable to BBP's Creative Facilitation Skills programme and Idea Time community.
• Strategos: Innovation strategy consulting firm offering proprietary frameworks for guiding innovation in large organisations. Closely comparable in its methodology-led, boutique-consulting approach.
• ?What If! (What If Innovation): Innovation consultancy specialising in ideation, facilitation, and innovation capability programmes for global enterprises. Overlaps with BBP on creative facilitation, executive development, and innovation sprints.
• Board of Innovation: Boutique innovation consultancy that helps corporates launch new ventures and run innovation sprints, workshops, and accelerator programmes. Directly comparable to BBP in offering, target buyer (enterprise L&D/innovation leaders), and productised methodology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ideatime_bbp
• YouTubebigbangpartnership.co.uk/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigbangpartnership
• Instagraminstagram.com/ideatimestudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-big-bang-partnership-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Big Bang Partnership