What Ecosystems Knowledge Network does

Ecosystems Knowledge Network (EKN) is a UK-based Charitable Incorporated Organisation founded in 2012 and registered as a charity in 2015, operating from Wallingford, Oxfordshire with a staff of 7. It runs an award-winning, independent knowledge-sharing network of more than 4,000 members and over 600 local environmental initiatives across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, serving environmental practitioners, land managers, private-sector investors, public-sector bodies, researchers, and third-sector organisations. EKN's product surface is a platform of interconnected services rather than a unified software product: the Tool Assessor (a free resource cataloguing natural capital and environmental valuation tools), the Project Directory (an interactive map-based facility for UK case studies), the Webinar Library (on-demand recordings), three branded Learning Hubs (Nature Finance, HALO/Habitat And Land Observation, Welsh Forum | Fforwm Cymru), structured training courses (notably Nature Markets Training at £360/person), and two flagship annual conferences (Nature Finance UK and Nature Tech). Underlying technology includes the LearnUpon e-learning platform, Stripe payment processing for event registration, and a conventional web CMS stack; EKN does not develop proprietary AI or data products. The business model is a hybrid: free membership provides reach, while paid training tickets, event registrations, and corporate sponsorship (lead sponsors include Knight Frank and Envance, with major sponsors such as abrdn, BSI, National Parks Partnerships, Nature Returns, and AtkinsRéalis) generate operating revenue. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, with annual conferences serving as primary touchpoints for member acquisition and sponsor monetisation, and a strategy period running 2022–2027 focused on equipping members to harness the value of the natural environment.

Name

Ecosystems Knowledge Network

Legal name

Ecosystems Knowledge Network

Website

https://ecosystemsknowledge.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ecosystems Knowledge Network is a UK-based charitable knowledge-sharing network convening 4,000+ environmental stewardship professionals across public, private, third, and academic sectors through conferences, training, learning hubs, and a digital resource platform spanning the four UK nations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wallingford

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. Event Tickets: Revenue from paid conferences, training days, and webinars. Nature Markets Training courses priced at £360 per person with discounts for CLA and Society of Agriculture members. Conference tickets sold for Nature Tech 2024 and Nature Finance UK events.
2. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors pay to align their brand with EKN events. Sponsors include lead sponsors (Knight Frank, Envance), event partners (UKCEH, Nature Tech Collective), media partners (edie), and various tiered sponsors for Nature Finance UK and Nature Tech events.
3. Membership Subscriptions: Free membership provides access to resources, newsletters, and event discounts. The membership collects professional details including organization, job title, profession, and sector to enable targeted engagement.
4. Professional Development: E-learning and training courses on cutting edge topics relating to environmental stewardship, nature markets, and natural capital assessment through LearnUpon platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EKN is a UK-wide knowledge-sharing network and Charitable Incorporated Organisation that delivers impartial resources, events and training to enable professionals to lead stewardship of land, water and nature. Its core deliverables include the free Tool Assessor for environmental valuation, an interactive Project Directory, a Webinar Library, topic-specific Learning Hubs, and paid conferences and training such as Nature Finance UK, Nature Tech and Nature Markets Training. The platform is anchored by a free membership of 4,000+ professionals spanning public, private, third and academic sectors.

Product overview

Ecosystems Knowledge Network (EKN) is an award-winning knowledge-sharing network and social enterprise that enables over 4,000 people to lead the way in stewardship of land, water, and nature across the UK. EKN operates as a platform of interconnected services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Tool Assessor (a free resource for assessing environmental tools and natural capital), the Project Directory (an interactive map-based project explorer), and the Webinar Library (on-demand recordings). EKN organizes major annual conferences including Nature Finance UK and Nature Tech events, and provides structured Learning Hubs covering Nature Finance, HALO (Habitat and Land Observation), and the Welsh Forum. Training courses on nature markets are offered both in-person and online, while a free membership program provides newsletters and event discounts. The organization functions primarily as a convening and knowledge-dissemination platform rather than a software-as-a-service product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nature Finance Learning Hub: A learning hub helping discover the topic of finance and investment for environmental restoration across the UK.
• HALO Hub (Habitat And Land Observation)
• Welsh Forum (Fforwm Cymru)
• Tool Assessor

Products and services

• Tool Assessor A free online service providing summary information on tools that show the value of the natural environment in society. It is aimed at environmental practitioners, land managers and consultants seeking to assess and communicate the wider benefits of environmental interventions and nature markets.
• Project Directory An interactive and searchable, map-based facility to explore selected projects, initiatives, plans and case studies featuring innovative ideas and approaches across the UK. Used by practitioners and funders to find project examples across land, water and nature.
• Webinar Library On-demand access to past webinar recordings covering topics on nature recovery, nature-based solutions and environmental stewardship. Used by members for continuing professional development.
• Nature Finance UK Conference An annual paid conference bringing together professionals from financial services, corporate sustainability, conservation, land management and government to showcase UK nature market developments. Sponsorship tiers and ticketed access are offered.
• Nature Tech 2024 A market-defining expo showcasing how digital technology can power nature recovery and nature-based solutions, covering data processing, mapping, AI, machine learning, e-acoustics, eDNA, gaming, visualisation and virtual reality.
• Nature Markets Training A practical one-day training course on nature markets for farmers, estate managers and land managers, helping them understand nature markets and unlock new income streams from biodiversity, carbon and natural flood management. Priced at £360 per person with discounts for partner-association members.
• Nature Finance Learning Hub A learning hub helping members discover the topic of finance and investment for environmental restoration across the UK, aggregating resources for the Nature Finance Learning Group UK.
• HALO Hub (Habitat And Land Observation) A learning hub focused on habitat and land observation, providing resources and updates for members working on environmental monitoring.
• Welsh Forum | Fforwm Cymru A regional forum focused on the sustainable management of land and water in Wales, providing networking, events and learning content for Welsh practitioners.
• EKN Membership Free membership programme providing access to monthly E-News, event updates, Learning Hubs and discounts on paid events and training. Open to all UK professionals and underpinning engagement with the network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of members report EKN makes a difference to their work
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• AtkinsRéalismajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 January 2025Event sponsor for Northern Nature, Culture & Place Forum. A global professional services company with expertise in engineering, planning and environmental consulting.
• Northern Place and Culture PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2025Event partner for Northern Nature, Culture & Place Forum. A partnership connecting the entire North of England to link arts, culture, heritage and nature as economic drivers and catalysts for social and economic change.
• Knight FrankmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Lead sponsor for Nature Finance UK 2024. A global real estate business and UK's largest property partnership advising clients across rural, residential and commercial sectors. Their Rural Consultancy team works with landowners on ecosystem services and nature-based solutions.
• abrdn InvestmentsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Sponsor for Nature Finance UK 2024. A global specialist asset manager managing £369 billion in assets (as at June 2024) with footprint in 25 locations. Recognized for expertise in emerging markets, specialist equities, real assets, and sustainable investment.
• BSImajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Sponsor for Nature Finance UK 2024. The UK's National Standards Body leading a programme for nature investment standards to support scaling of high integrity nature markets in line with environmental policies.
• National Parks PartnershipsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Sponsor for Nature Finance UK 2024. Works with corporate partners to deliver positive impact through the UK's fifteen National Parks covering 10% of Great Britain.
• Nature ReturnsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Sponsor for Nature Finance UK 2024. An HM Government sponsored programme quantifying potential of nature-based solutions, led by Natural England in partnership with Environment Agency, Forestry Commission and RBG Kew.
• MercerminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Drinks cosponsor for Nature Finance UK 2024. A global investment consultancy bringing innovation and agility to investment portfolios, with expertise in sustainable investment.
• RicardominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Drinks cosponsor for Nature Finance UK 2024. A world-leading global consultancy delivering strategic, environmental and engineering solutions.
• Aldersgate GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 November 2024Event partner for Nature Finance UK 2024. An alliance of leaders from business, academia and civil society driving action for a sustainable economy.
• Green Finance InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Event partner for Nature Finance UK 2024. GFI Hive works to increase private investment in nature restoration and nature-based solutions in the UK, serving as knowledge hub on private investment in nature.
• UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024Event partner for Nature Tech 2024 and Nature Finance UK conferences. UKCEH is an independent, not-for-profit research institute with 600+ staff providing environmental data and insights. EKN collaborates with UKCEH on scientific content and research dissemination.
• Nature Tech CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024Event partner for Nature Tech 2024. A non-profit member alliance, accelerator and intelligence unit advancing nature-based solutions to integrate nature protection into all sectors of society.
• edieminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2024Media partner for Nature Tech 2024 and Nature Finance UK. A sustainability media brand providing energy, sustainability and ESG professionals with practical information and intelligence.
• EnvancemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2024Lead sponsor for Nature Tech 2024. An environmental and sustainability management consultancy founded in 2020, with offices in Greater Manchester, Derbyshire and Central London.
• Wilder SensingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2024Sponsor for Nature Tech 2024. An AI SaaS solution for biodiversity investment providing high-quality data and analytics through audio and other data sources.
• UK-EONSminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2024Sponsor for Nature Tech 2024. The UK Earth Observation Network for Sustainability advances space data and technology across the UK with focus on Earth Observation for sustainability.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecosystems-knowledge-network

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 Ecosystems Knowledge Network