Hepp

What Hepp does

Hepp (Higher Education Progression Partnership) is a publicly funded educational outreach partnership established in 2018 and headquartered in Sheffield, UK. The organization operates as a strategic partnership between Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield, delivering impartial higher education guidance across South Yorkshire. It targets multiple stakeholder groups including secondary school students (Y7-Y13), primary-age children, parents and carers, teachers and practitioners, and specific underrepresented cohorts such as care-experienced students, disabled students, young carers, and mature students. Hepp is supported by the OfS Uni Connect Programme, the government-backed widening participation initiative administered by the Office for Students.

The organization's core platform is HeppHUB, a web-based portal that centralizes downloadable resources, video content, and event information. The product portfolio includes approximately a dozen downloadable booklets covering student finance, university applications, career pathways, and tailored guidance for specific student demographics. Video content includes the "Me & My Degree" testimonial series featuring graduates from partner universities and campus tour videos. Structured engagement programs include Future Forged workshops (Y7-Y9), GOALS Breakfast Club (in-school engagement), HE Can (targeted cohort support), and the Endeavour outdoor development programme (Y10 resilience building in the Peak District). Twilight CPD sessions provide virtual professional development for school staff, local authorities, and third-party organisations.

Hepp operates as a non-commercial entity with no revenue-generating model; all services, resources, and programs are provided free of charge. Funding flows from the Office for Students Uni Connect Programme and from the two founding partner universities. Distribution is regional (South Yorkshire), delivered via direct in-school programs, virtual CPD sessions, website downloads, and a network of Children's University partners in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield. The organization has 1-10 employees (exact headcount not publicly disclosed), no external private capital, no M&A activity, and a subsidiary structure comprising HeppSY (regional operating entity) and South Yorkshire Children's University (children's outreach program).

Name

Hepp

Legal name

Higher Education Progression Partnership

Website

https://hepp.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hepp is a grant-funded partnership between Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield that delivers free higher education outreach and guidance programs to schools, students, parents, and underrepresented cohorts across South Yorkshire through its HeppHUB web platform, in-school workshops, and the South Yorkshire Children's University.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Widening Participation Outreach Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Test Prep & Exam Readiness (K–12) (EDAJALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12) (EDAJADAI)

Keywords

• Higher education outreach
• Widening participation programs
• University progression services
• Student engagement workshops
• Educational guidance resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Hepp is funded through the OfS Uni Connect Programme and by its founding partners Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield. The organization provides free services and resources to schools, students, and families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hepp (Higher Education Progression Partnership) is a partnership between Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield that delivers higher education outreach services across South Yorkshire. It provides free in-school engagement programs (Future Forged, GOALS Breakfast Club, HE Can, Endeavour outdoor development), downloadable guidance booklets covering student finance, university pathways, and support for underrepresented groups, video testimonial content, virtual CPD sessions for educators, and enrichment activities for children aged 5+ through South Yorkshire Children's University.

Product overview

Hepp (Higher Education Progression Partnership) is a partnership between Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield that operates across South Yorkshire to encourage more children, young people, and adults to consider higher education opportunities. The organization offers a unified platform (HeppHUB) that serves as a central hub for higher education guidance resources. The product portfolio includes downloadable guidebooks and booklets (covering topics such as finance, career pathways, support for disabled students, care-experienced students, and mature students), a video content library featuring graduate testimonials and campus tours, and structured engagement programs including Twilight CPD sessions for professionals, GOALS Breakfast Club, Future Forged, HE Can, and the Endeavour outdoor development programme. The subsidiary South Yorkshire Children's University (SYCU) extends these outreach efforts to children aged 5+, promoting lifelong learning and aspiration-building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• South Yorkshire Children's University (SYCU): A program that supports and encourages every child to reach their potential through learning experiences and achievement celebration, culminating in graduation ceremonies
• HeppSY

Products and services

• HeppHUB The main online resource hub serving as a one-stop portal providing downloadable guides, booklets, videos, and information about higher education for students, parents, teachers, and practitioners across South Yorkshire.
• To Go or Not To Go? The Hepp Guide to Higher Education
• Higher Education: A Guide for Parents & Carers
• 'HEre for you' Booklet
• Hepp Care Experienced Students Booklet
• Higher Education as a Mature Student
• Me & My Degree Video Series
• South Yorkshire Children's University (SYCU)
• Twilight CPD Sessions
• Future Forged
• GOALS Breakfast Club
• Endeavour Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs delivered at multiple schools across South Yorkshire including Endeavour outdoor development, Future Forged sessions, and GOALS Breakfast Club
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sheffield Hallam UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of Hepp. Sheffield Hallam University is one of the UK's largest universities and provides funding and strategic direction to the partnership. Located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
• University of SheffieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of Hepp. The University of Sheffield is a Russell Group research university ranked in the UK top 20 (Complete University Guide 2024) with approximately 30,000 students. Provides funding and strategic direction to the partnership.
• OfS Uni Connect ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment-funded widening participation initiative administered by the Office for Students (OfS) that provides funding to partnerships like Hepp to encourage more students to consider higher education.
• HeppSY (Higher Education Progression Partnership South Yorkshire)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional arm of the Hepp partnership operating across South Yorkshire. Works with Hepp to deliver programs and engage with schools and students throughout the region.
• Barnsley Children's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Children's University partner operating in the Barnsley area, part of the South Yorkshire Children's University network that provides validated Learning Destinations for enrichment activities.
• Doncaster Children's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Children's University partner operating in the Doncaster area, part of the South Yorkshire Children's University network.
• Rotherham Children's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Children's University partner operating in the Rotherham area, part of the South Yorkshire Children's University network.
• Sheffield Children's UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Children's University partner operating in the Sheffield area, part of the South Yorkshire Children's University network.
• South Yorkshire FuturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Hallam University's ground-breaking social mobility partnership programme supported by the Department for Education. Works with the education sector, employers, and others to improve attainment and aspirations for young people.
• The Careers & Enterprise CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization that connects schools and colleges with employers and careers programme providers. Supports the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Adviser Network.
• Sheffield City Region Enterprise Adviser NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network supported by the Careers & Enterprise Company that connects schools and colleges with employers and careers programme providers to help young people make informed career choices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• NEON (National Education Opportunities Network): Professional network supporting widening participation practitioners across UK higher education, including those working in Uni Connect partnerships. Comparable as the umbrella/sector body representing Hepp's professional community and policy environment.

Broad incumbents

• IntoUniversity: National charity running local learning centres that provide sustained HE progression support to under-represented students, including disadvantaged and care-experienced groups. Comparable as a larger, established widening participation provider overlapping significantly with Hepp's mission.
• Future First: Charity helping state schools and colleges build alumni networks to broaden students' horizons and raise aspirations about higher education and careers. Comparable as a national widening participation provider with overlapping school-based engagement model.
• The Brilliant Club: Charity placing PhD researchers in schools to deliver university-access programmes for pupils from underrepresented backgrounds. Comparable as an established, larger widening participation provider targeting similar pupil segments.
• Social Mobility Foundation: National charity running programmes (e.g., Aspiring Professionals Programme) supporting high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds into leading universities and careers. Comparable on widening participation mission for underrepresented groups.

Direct peers

• Children's University Trust: National umbrella for the Children's University network, including South Yorkshire Children's University which operates under Hepp. Directly comparable as the parent framework that delivers validated Learning Destinations and graduation ceremonies for ages 5+.
• Greater Manchester Higher: Uni Connect partnership serving Greater Manchester, focused on widening participation through school engagement, CPD, and resources for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Comparable as a peer Uni Connect partnership with similar scale and activities.
• Next Steps South East: Uni Connect partnership for the South East providing higher education information, advice, and outreach to schools and colleges. Directly comparable peer operating the same Uni Connect model in a different UK region.
• Go Higher West Yorkshire: A Uni Connect partnership covering West Yorkshire that delivers similar higher education outreach, school engagement, and CPD for underrepresented groups. Directly comparable as a regional Uni Connect programme with comparable mission, structure, and funding model.
• Future Goals (Cumbria & Lancashire): Another regional Uni Connect partnership delivering school-based higher education outreach and progression support across Cumbria and Lancashire. Directly comparable on programme design, target audience, and funding architecture.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hepp_hq
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hepp_hq
• Facebookfacebook.com/HeppOnline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hepp
• Instagraminstagram.com/hepp_hq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 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 Hepp