What POC in Architecture CIC does

POC in Architecture CIC is a UK Community Interest Company established in 2020 and founded by Savannah Williams. It operates as a social enterprise dedicated to addressing the underrepresentation of people of African and Caribbean heritage in the UK architecture profession through mentorship, community building, and public advocacy. The organization runs a mentoring program that pairs Part 1 and Part 2 architecture students with RIBA-qualified architects for one-to-one portfolio, CV, interview, and professional practice guidance, alongside annual student exhibitions, model-making workshops co-hosted with major architecture practices, a blog featuring student and architect profiles, and a monthly newsletter.

The organization's core technology footprint is minimal: services are delivered through a Wix-hosted website, email, in-person events, and social media (LinkedIn, Instagram), with no proprietary platform, application, or AI/ML component disclosed. Distribution is UK-only, reaching students through direct relationships with 15+ universities and through partner channels at architecture firms.

POC in Architecture CIC's business model is sponsorship-driven. Revenue is generated through corporate partnerships with architecture practices — including Foster + Partners, David Chipperfield Architects, Gensler, Morris+Company, HTA Design, Pascall+Watson, Frank Reynolds Architects, and Online Reprographics — which fund exhibitions, workshops, and mentoring programs. As a CIC, the entity is structured to reinvest surplus into its mission rather than distribute profits; no external investment, equity funding, or institutional backing is disclosed. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth within the architecture community, social media engagement, and the credibility derived from its award-winning status and endorsement by industry figures including Muyiwa Oki, the first Black RIBA President.

Name

POC in Architecture CIC

Legal name

POC in Architecture CIC

Website

https://pocinarchitecture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

POC in Architecture CIC is a UK Community Interest Company founded in 2020 that provides mentoring, exhibitions, and workshops to African and Caribbean heritage architecture students through partnerships with major UK architecture firms and RIBA-qualified architect volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships and Corporate Partnerships: Architecture firms and companies sponsor events, exhibitions, and programs. Sponsors include David Chipperfield Architects, Frank Reynolds Architects, Online Reprographics, Morris+Company, Gensler, HTA Design, and Pascall+Watson. These partnerships provide funding and support for mentoring programs and student exhibitions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

POC in Architecture CIC delivers a one-to-one Mentoring Program that matches Part I and Part II architecture students of African and Caribbean heritage with RIBA-qualified architects for portfolio review, CV guidance, interview preparation, and career advice. The company complements this core service with annual Student Exhibitions showcasing mentee work, Model Making Workshops delivered in partnership with firms such as Foster + Partners, and a Blog Platform plus Monthly Newsletter that provide industry updates and feature student projects.

Product overview

POC in Architecture CIC operates as a community interest company providing a portfolio of services centered on mentorship, community building, and representation for people of African and Caribbean heritage in UK architecture. The core offering is the Mentoring Program connecting minority architecture students with RIBA-qualified architects for one-to-one guidance. Supporting services include annual Student Exhibitions showcasing participant work, Model Making Workshops in partnership with architecture practices (such as Foster + Partners), a Student Work Blog Platform featuring projects and inspirational content, and a Monthly Newsletter delivering industry updates. The organization was established in 2020 and has supported over 250 mentees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mentoring Program One-to-one mentorship scheme connecting Part I and Part II architecture students of African and Caribbean heritage with RIBA-qualified architects, providing portfolio review, CV guidance, interview preparation, and career advice.
• Student Exhibitions Annual exhibitions at London venues showcasing final projects from mentoring program participants and providing networking opportunities between students, mentors, and industry professionals.
• Model Making Workshops Hands-on workshops delivered in collaboration with architecture practices (e.g., Foster + Partners), providing students access to professional model making facilities, expertise from practice staff, and team-based design challenges.
• Student Work Blog Platform Online platform featuring student final projects, inspirational interviews with architects, articles on spatial justice research, and opportunities for people of colour in architecture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ mentees supported since 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Foster + PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2023Flagship collaboration on the POC in Architecture Model Making Workshop, running from July 17-27, 2023. The two-week workshop allowed students to work in the Foster + Partners model making facility in London. Senior Partner Armstrong Yakubu led introductions and student presentations. Students from institutions across the UK participated, working with in-house model makers and architectural staff.
• David Chipperfield ArchitectscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Sponsor of the POC in Architecture Student Exhibition 2023, held at Collective Ending HQ in London. The exhibition showcased Part I and Part II students' final projects from the mentoring program.
• Frank Reynolds ArchitectscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Sponsor of the POC in Architecture Student Exhibition 2023, contributing to the execution of the exhibition event.
• Online ReprographicscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Sponsor of the POC in Architecture Student Exhibition 2023, supporting the printing and reproduction needs for the exhibition.
• GenslerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and collaborator on the POC in Architecture homepage, indicating financial or programmatic support for the organization's mission.
• Morris+CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and collaborator on the POC in Architecture homepage, indicating financial or programmatic support for the organization's mission.
• HTA DesignminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and collaborator on the POC in Architecture homepage, indicating financial or programmatic support for the organization's mission.
• Pascall+WatsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a sponsor and collaborator. POC in Architecture has collaborated with Pascall+Watson Architects on specific initiatives and events.
• Collective Ending HQminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for the POC in Architecture Student Exhibition 2023, hosting the event at their London location.
• Architecture FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture Foundation collaborated with POC in Architecture on a short film documenting Nubia Way, a black-led self-build project. The foundation provides platforms for showcasing diverse architectural narratives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA): UK professional body for architects that runs established D&I programs and initiatives supporting underrepresented groups in architecture — broader in scope than POC in Architecture but a relevant industry counterpart, with Muyiwa Oki (a POC in Architecture mentor) as its first Black President.
• Design Council: UK charity advocating for the value of design across disciplines, including programs on diversity and inclusion in the design professions — broader remit than POC in Architecture but operates a similar advocacy and capacity-building role in the UK design ecosystem.
• New London Architecture (NLA): UK architecture think tank running exhibitions, education programs, and public engagement initiatives in London — overlapping with POC in Architecture's exhibitions and educational programming mission but with a broader built-environment focus.

Direct peers

• Architecture Foundation: UK-based architecture charity that uses public programming, exhibitions, and partnerships to broaden engagement with the built environment — overlapping directly with POC in Architecture's advocacy, exhibition, and public engagement mission in the UK architecture space.
• Open City: UK charity dedicated to opening up architecture to wider public audiences through education programs and the Open House festival — sharing POC in Architecture's mission of broadening access to the architecture profession for underrepresented groups.
• Part W: UK foundation focused on gender diversity in architecture, providing mentoring, advocacy, and community-building for women in the profession — directly comparable diversity-and-mentorship operating model to POC in Architecture.

Others

• London School of Architecture (LSA): UK architecture school with an explicit emphasis on practice-based learning and recruiting diverse student cohorts — adjacent to POC in Architecture as an educational institution serving a similar demographic, and a potential university partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pocinarchitecture
• Instagraminstagram.com/pocarchitecture_

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 POC in Architecture CIC