We Own It

What We Own It does

We Own It is a UK-based nonprofit advocacy and campaigning organization, founded in 2013 and led by Director Cat Hobbs. Its mission is to return privatised essential public services — water, railways, the NHS, energy, buses, Royal Mail, and others — to democratic public ownership. The organization operates with a small team (1–10 employees) from the United Kingdom and runs no commercial products or services; its 'offering' consists of awareness campaigns, petition platforms, research reports, and direct-action materials targeting UK policymakers and the general public. Business model mechanics are donation-driven: revenue comes from individual supporter contributions and periodic donation drives, with no disclosed pricing, contracts, or institutional grants.

Its core platform is the website weownit.org.uk, which hosts petitions, open letters, a 154-document public-ownership research library, and topical campaign hubs for each service vertical. Distribution is heavily digital — active presences on seven social platforms (X/Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, Mastodon), a weekly email newsletter, and use of the UK Parliament's official petition system. The go-to-market motion is community-led grassroots mobilization: organizing 8,000+ signatories on open letters to political figures such as Andy Burnham, mobilizing ~10,000 supporters to write to candidates in the Makerfield constituency, and convening partnerships with Survation (polling), Common Wealth (think tank research), Surfers Against Sewage (environmental advocacy), and rail trade unions RMT and ASLEF.

Quantifiable campaign outcomes include 65% public support (Survation poll) for the 'Shares Not Fines' water policy and 82% public support for public ownership of water. The organization generates earned media coverage in outlets including the Guardian, BBC, and Independent, and is actively operating as of mid-2026 with multiple concurrent campaigns across water, NHS, and children's social care verticals.

Name

We Own It

Legal name

We Own It

Website

https://weownit.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

We Own It is a UK-based nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2013 that campaigns for the return of essential public services — including water, railways, NHS, energy, and buses — to democratic public ownership through grassroots mobilization, petitions, and research, funded by supporter donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Advocacy and Campaigning

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Other Social Advocacy Organizations (813319)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Public ownership advocacy
• Campaign organization
• Nonprofit advocacy
• Grassroots organizing
• Policy campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology

Revenue model

1. Donations and supporter contributions: We Own It is funded primarily through donations from supporters. They run periodic donation campaigns asking supporters to contribute financially to sustain their advocacy work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

We Own It is a UK-based campaign organization that runs public advocacy campaigns, open letters, petitions, and grassroots mobilization efforts to push for the return of privatized essential services — including water, energy, railways, NHS, buses, Royal Mail, and care services — to democratic public ownership. The organization publishes research on privatization failures, mobilizes supporters to contact MPs, and engages in coalition advocacy with trade unions, think tanks, and environmental groups.

Product overview

We Own It is a campaign and advocacy organization focused on promoting public ownership of essential services in the UK. The organization does not offer commercial products or services; instead, it provides advocacy campaigns, petitions, research publications, and action tools to support its mission of returning privatized services (water, railways, buses, NHS, energy) to public ownership. The organization's 'offering' consists of awareness campaigns, petition platforms, research reports, and direct action动员 materials targeting policymakers and the public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Ownership Advocacy Campaigns Multi-issue campaigns advocating the return of privatized UK services (water, rail, NHS, energy, buses, Royal Mail, care, children's services, council services) to public ownership. Targets policymakers and mobilizes supporters via petitions, open letters, and protests.
• Public Ownership Research Library Online research repository containing 154 documents on privatization failures across water, rail, NHS, energy, buses, and other services. Used by campaigners, journalists, policymakers, and the general public.
• Supporter Newsletter and Action Alerts Weekly email communications providing campaign updates, research findings, and calls to action for supporters of public ownership.
• Thames Water Public Ownership Campaign Targeted campaign to bring Thames Water into public ownership, including open letters to Andy Burnham (8,000+ signatories), Shares Not Fines policy advocacy (65% public support per Survation poll), and parliamentary petitions for a water referendum.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,000+ signatories on open letter to Andy Burnham
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SurvationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWe Own It partnered with Survation polling company to conduct public opinion research on water company policies, specifically the 'Shares Not Fines' campaign which found 65% public support for taking shares from polluting water companies rather than cash fines.
• Surfers Against SewageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental campaign group mentioned as part of civil society that should participate in water company governance under public ownership proposals. Both organizations share goals of cleaning up rivers and seas.
• Trade unions and rail unionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWe Own It works with trade unions including RMT and ASLEF on railway campaigns. Mentioned working with rail unions who 'mark 30th anniversary of privatisation with damning condemnations' and supporting public ownership of rail.
• Common WealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink tank that has published research on water and energy public ownership alongside We Own It. Law professor Ewan McGaughey argues for Common Wealth position on forcing water companies to compensate for damage caused. Organization referenced in multiple We Own It campaigns.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Greenpeace UK: Greenpeace UK is a large established environmental advocacy organization with broad campaigns across climate, oceans, and corporate accountability. While not exclusively focused on public ownership, it overlaps with We Own It on energy policy, water pollution, and grassroots mobilization tactics.

Direct peers

• Compass: Compass is a UK progressive political pressure group advocating for economic and social justice, including public ownership of utilities and services. It shares We Own It's advocacy focus and UK political targeting, with overlapping supporter demographics.
• New Economics Foundation: The New Economics Foundation is a UK think tank producing research and advocacy on economic alternatives, including public ownership of utilities. It is comparable to We Own It in combining policy research output with grassroots-facing advocacy on similar economic justice issues.
• 38 Degrees: 38 Degrees is a UK-based people-powered campaigning organization that mobilizes supporters around progressive causes via petitions, email actions, and grassroots pressure on politicians. It is the closest direct peer to We Own It in terms of community-led advocacy GTM motion, supporter base, and UK policy focus.
• Friends of the Earth England, Wales & Northern Ireland: Friends of the Earth is a UK environmental advocacy organization that campaigns on issues including water pollution, energy policy, and corporate accountability. It directly overlaps with We Own It's water-quality, energy, and public-interest advocacy campaigns and shares a donation-funded nonprofit model.
• Common Wealth: Common Wealth is a UK think tank focused on public ownership, democratic economy, and alternatives to privatization. It is named as a strategic research partner of We Own It, with co-published research on water and energy public ownership models.
• Surfers Against Sewage: Surfers Against Sewage is a UK environmental charity campaigning against water pollution and sewage discharges by private water companies. We Own It explicitly lists it as a coalition partner, and the two share overlapping campaigns on water company accountability and public ownership.

Emerging players

• Open Democracy: Open Democracy is an independent UK-based news and investigative outlet focused on holding power accountable, including coverage of privatization, public services, and corporate governance. It provides overlapping thought leadership and media coverage relevant to We Own It's policy themes.
• Tax Justice Network: Tax Justice Network is a UK-based advocacy and research organization campaigning on corporate accountability, tax avoidance, and economic fairness. It is adjacent to We Own It's anti-privatization agenda through shared concerns about corporate capture of public goods.
• Avaaz: Avaaz is a global online activism platform that runs petition campaigns and digital advocacy on issues including climate, corporate accountability, and public services. While globally scoped, its petition-led, donation-funded digital advocacy model overlaps with We Own It's grassroots GTM approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/we_ownit
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3QU9ZKZye-S0vP-_g3YE7A
• Facebookfacebook.com/WeOwnItcampaign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weownit
• Instagraminstagram.com/weownit_campaign
• TikToktiktok.com/@we_ownit?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about We Own It