What Poteris does

Poteris is a UK-based technology collective operating as a Community Interest Company (Poteris CIC, registered in England & Wales, company number 12707985), founded in 2020 and headquartered at 34-35 Hatton Garden, London. The company delivers technology strategy, design, development, and ongoing support services exclusively to charities, campaigners, and changemakers, combining full-stack web development expertise (G Suite, WordPress, HubSpot, Cloudflare, Craft CMS, AWS, various low-code platforms) with mission-aligned sector knowledge. Its commercial model rests on two revenue streams: a Time & Materials professional services offering with tiered hourly pricing (£60/hour for small nonprofits, £75/hour for other nonprofits, £90-£190/hour for commercial organisations) and a recurring "Tech Canopy" subscription model that provides flexible ongoing monthly technical support without long-term contracts.

The company's go-to-market is consultative and relationship-driven, relying on case-study content, direct outreach via its website, and word-of-mouth within the UK charity sector, with no paid acquisition or international distribution. Poteris has produced three primary offerings: Tech Canopy (the core ongoing support model), Chalk (an AI-powered visual learning platform for teachers, used by 550+ UK schools, that compresses visual resource design from 50 minutes to 4 minutes), and Rep Coach (an AI-driven training tool built in partnership with the TUC and Campaign Lab that enables trade union representatives to practise organising conversations with AI personas). Notable engagements include Learning with Parents (5+ year partnership spanning COVID-19 stabilisation through full digital transformation), The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (Tech Canopy subscriber, newsletter migration to Beehiiv, Poool paywall integration), and MeWe360 (CRM implementation managing 500+ DBACE programme applicants).

Poteris operates with a lean team of approximately 11 named specialists across strategy, development, design, and project management, and has raised one disclosed funding event of $47,249 from the CivTech Scottish Government technology accelerator on 2026-01-22. The asset-locked CIC structure means profits and assets are dedicated to community benefit rather than private distribution, and the company has no external institutional investor, parent, or acquisition activity recorded.

Name

Poteris

Legal name

Poteris CIC

Website

https://poteris.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Poteris is a London-based Community Interest Company providing website development, CRM implementation, and ongoing technical support exclusively to UK charities, campaigners, and changemakers, supplemented by AI-powered products Chalk (used by 550+ schools) and Rep Coach (built with the TUC).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Technology Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Microlearning & Short-Form Lesson Platforms (MPACALAE)

Keywords

• Nonprofit technology services
• Charity tech support
• Digital transformation services
• AI learning tools
• Social impact consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Time & Materials Professional Services: Hourly billing model with tiered pricing based on client type. Non-profit organisations with income under £1m pay £60/hour, other nonprofits pay £75/hour, and commercial organisations pay £90-190/hour. Services include design, development, strategy, project management, and ongoing tech support.
2. Tech Canopy Subscription: Recurring monthly subscription model providing ongoing technology support. Clients set a 'canopy limit' for regular support hours, pay only for time used, with no long-term contracts. Includes non-billable strategic check-in meetings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Poteris is a UK-based collective of technology and digital specialists that provides technology services, strategy, and bespoke software development exclusively to charities, campaigners, and changemakers. Its core offering is the 'Tech Canopy' ongoing support model, which delivers flexible, subscription-based technology services including strategy, design, development, CRM, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. The company also develops AI-powered mission-aligned tools such as Chalk (visual learning for teachers, used by 550+ schools) and Rep Coach (AI training for trade union representatives).

Product overview

Poteris is a collective of technology and digital specialists serving charities, campaigners, and changemakers. Its core offering consists of Tech Canopy, an ongoing technical partnership model, and multiple AI-powered tools developed under its mission to bring about positive change. These include Chalk (an AI-powered visual learning platform for teachers at 550+ schools) and Rep Coach (an AI-powered training tool for trade union representatives). The company operates on a time and materials pricing model with tiered rates for nonprofits and commercial organisations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chalk: AI-powered visual learning tool that helps teachers create visual learning resources, developed by Poteris team member Phil Bell.
• Rep Coach
• Tech Canopy

Products and services

• Tech Canopy Ongoing partnership model providing charities and changemakers with continuous, flexible technical support including strategy, design, development, CRM, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. Clients set a monthly canopy limit and pay only for time used, with non-billable regular strategic check-ins. Designed for UK charities, non-profits, and changemaker organisations.
• Chalk AI-powered visual learning tool that helps teachers create accessible visual learning resources combining words and images, reducing design task time from 50 minutes to 4 minutes. Built on Richard Mayer's multimedia learning research. Used by 550+ UK schools.
• Rep Coach AI-powered training tool providing trade union representatives with a safe space to practise organising conversations (recruitment, strike ballots, workplace issues) with AI personas that respond like real co-workers, building confidence before real-world application. Co-developed with the TUC and Campaign Lab.
• Time & Materials Professional Services Hourly professional services covering design, development, strategy, project management, and ongoing tech support. Tiered pricing: £60/hour for nonprofits with income under £1m, £75/hour for other nonprofits, and £90-190/hour for commercial organisations. Available to UK charities, non-profits, and commercial clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 550+ schools using Chalk platform for visual learning
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Campaign LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Campaign Lab to develop Rep Coach, an AI-powered training tool for trade union representatives. Campaign Lab is a political campaigning organisation focused on progressive change through technology.
• TUC (Trades Union Congress)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the TUC to build Rep Coach, an AI training tool helping trade union reps build confidence through practising organising conversations. The TUC provided support and expertise in union organising.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue State: Digital agency working with nonprofits, campaigns, and purpose-driven brands globally. Comparable in mission-led services and campaign/changemaker client base, though larger and US-headquartered.
• Reason Digital: UK-based digital agency exclusively serving charities, social enterprises, and the NHS. Closely comparable to Poteris in mission alignment, services-led model, and focus on the UK third sector.
• Wholegrain Digital: UK sustainable web design and digital agency working with mission-led clients including charities and social enterprises. Comparable in being a values-led UK agency delivering digital services to changemakers.
• Soapbox: UK creative and digital agency working with charities, NGOs, and social enterprises. Comparable in providing digital, design, and strategic services to UK mission-driven organisations.
• Think: UK consultancy specialising in the charity sector, offering fundraising, digital, and strategic services. Comparable in sector specialism and UK nonprofit focus.
• Torchbox: UK digital agency originally founded as a charity, working extensively with nonprofits and mission-driven organisations on web, CRM, and digital strategy. Highly comparable services model and sector focus to Poteris.
• Substrakt: UK digital agency with a strong portfolio in the charity and cultural sectors, providing web, digital strategy, and ongoing support services. Comparable UK focus and nonprofit client mix to Poteris.

Broad incumbents

• Blackbaud: Large US-listed software provider for the nonprofit sector (CRM, fundraising, finance). Overlaps with Poteris's CRM and platform work for charities, but at vastly larger scale and as a software product company.

Emerging players

• mySociety: UK civic-tech charity building digital tools for democracy and accountability. Comparable in being a UK mission-driven technology organisation serving changemakers, though more product/R&D than services focused.

Others

• CAST (Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology): UK charity supporting digital and technology innovation across the social sector. Adjacent peer — not a direct competitor, but an ecosystem enabler serving the same charity/changemaker community that Poteris targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/poteris

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Poteris