Unloc

What Unloc does

Unloc Learning Ltd. is a UK-registered social enterprise founded in 2013 in Portsmouth that delivers youth leadership, enterprise, and personal development programmes to young people aged 13-25 across schools, colleges, healthcare bodies, and corporate partners. Its core delivery model combines in-person facilitation at physical innovation hubs (Changemaker Studios in Portsmouth and London, with a Leeds Hub launched in 2025) with school- and college-based programme contracts such as Enterprise Days, Leadership Academy, Student Governor training, and the NHS-linked Youth Board. The organisation supplements face-to-face delivery with two digital surfaces: the Unloc+ platform (launched 2020) as a central hub for opportunities, grants and resources, and Unloc.online, an interactive e-learning platform offering short courses for students aged 11-19.

The product portfolio spans programmes (Changemaker Grants, Young Entrepreneurs Challenge in partnership with Verizon Business, I AM: EDI programme with Burberry, NHS Youth Wellbeing, Portsmouth Net Zero, Social Action Week, Enterprise Short Course), sub-brands (Changemaker Alliance corporate network, Changemaker Studios), and content resources (Changemaker Toolkit, Student Governor Hub, Festival of Student Governance). Technology plays a supporting rather than central role: the stack is WordPress-based with Google and Microsoft OAuth for authentication, and there is no disclosed AI/ML capability.

Unloc generates revenue through a hybrid model combining fee-for-service programme delivery contracts with schools and colleges, foundation grants (Ellis Campbell Foundation, The Blagrave Trust, Queen's Commonwealth Trust), and corporate sponsorship via the Changemaker Alliance (Verizon Business as headline partner since 2019, alongside Burberry, Palo Alto Networks, Juniper Networks, Rockborn). Programmes are largely free to participating young people, with costs covered by partner organisations, grants, and corporate sponsors; the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge offers a £10,000 annual grand prize funded by Verizon. Geographic operations span England (Portsmouth HQ, London regional office, Leeds Hub) with European reach through the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge. The organisation is privately held with 11-50 employees, and announced a social investment round in 2025 to support its next growth phase.

Name

Unloc

Legal name

Unloc Learning Ltd.

Website

https://unloc.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unloc Learning Ltd. is a UK social enterprise founded in 2013 that delivers youth leadership, enterprise, and personal development programmes to 13-25 year olds through schools, colleges, NHS partners, and corporate sponsors, anchored by physical Changemaker Studios hubs in Portsmouth, London, and Leeds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership and Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Tutoring & Academic Intervention (K–12) (EDAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Model United Nations (MUN) (EDAMAGAB)

Keywords

• Youth leadership programs
• Education programme delivery
• Student voice initiatives
• Young entrepreneur challenges
• Youth empowerment training

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Programme Delivery Contracts: Unloc generates revenue through delivering educational and youth empowerment programs to schools, colleges, and community organizations on a fee-for-service basis. They also secure grants from foundations and corporate partners to fund specific initiatives.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: The organization receives grant funding from charitable foundations including the Ellis Campbell Foundation, Queen's Commonwealth Trust, and The Blagrave Trust to support specific programs and expansion efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Unloc delivers youth leadership, enterprise, and personal development programmes to schools, colleges, businesses, and community organisations across the UK. It operates physical Changemaker Studios innovation hubs in Portsmouth and London (with a Leeds Hub launching in 2025), and provides the Unloc+ digital platform as a central hub aggregating opportunities, grants, and resources for young people aged 13-25.

Product overview

Unloc is a social enterprise operating as a platform-and-programs model for youth empowerment. The core offering centers on the Unloc+ digital platform, which serves as a unified hub for opportunity discovery and program enrollment. This platform connects to an ecosystem of distinct programs including Changemaker Studios (physical/hybrid innovation spaces in Portsmouth and Westminster), the Changemaker Alliance (business partnership network), the annual Young Entrepreneurs Challenge (in partnership with Verizon), Changemaker Grants, Leadership Academy, and various educational tracks under Academia Programmes. Additional offerings include the Student Governor Hub, NHS Youth Wellbeing mini-site, Portsmouth Net Zero training course, I AM: EDI programme, and the Youth Board initiative. Unloc also provides resources through Unloc.online e-learning platform and the Changemaker Toolkit. The product portfolio is designed to support young people aged 13-25 across education, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and wellbeing through a multi-channel approach combining digital platforms, in-person events, and online learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Unloc+ Platform: Central digital hub providing access to all Unloc opportunities, resources, and programmes for young people.
• Changemaker Studios
• Changemaker Alliance
• Changemaker Grants
• Young Entrepreneurs Challenge

Products and services

• Unloc+ Platform A central digital hub that aggregates all of Unloc's opportunities, grants, resources, and programme access for young people aged 13-25 to track their changemaker journey.
• Changemaker Studios Physical innovation hub spaces in Portsmouth and London where young people can access training, mentorship, and collaborative workspaces for developing changemaker projects.
• Young Entrepreneurs Challenge An annual competition for 16-25 year olds across Europe to develop business ideas, with a £10,000 grand prize and mentorship, delivered in partnership with Verizon Business.
• Student Governor Hub A dedicated online resource platform providing support, advice, training, and knowledge for Student Governors, developed in partnership with the Association of Colleges and Blagrave Trust.
• Changemaker Alliance A business membership network connecting companies with Unloc's youth empowerment programmes to create opportunities, work placements, and industry engagement for young people.
• Changemaker Grants Micro-grant programme providing funding to 14-25 year olds to kickstart business ideas or community projects addressing social issues.
• Unloc.online An interactive e-learning platform offering online short courses designed for students aged 11-19 covering enrichment learning topics including mental health, entrepreneurship, and career pathways.
• Academia Programmes Educational programmes for schools and colleges including Pastoral Leads, Senior Leaders, and Career Advisors tracks, developing human skills students need for success.
• Leadership Academy A practical and creative programme exploring key leadership skills and knowledge through workshops, guest facilitators, and real-world project development for young people.
• NHS Youth Wellbeing A mental health and wellbeing mini-site created with Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust's Youth Board, providing resources on autism, mental health 101, self-care, and supporting others.
• Portsmouth Net Zero An online training course exploring Portsmouth's 2030 NetZero goal, teaching pupils about carbon footprints, green careers, and sustainability action planning.
• Youth Board A youth leadership programme giving young people aged 13-25 the opportunity to shape Unloc's direction and provide input on organisational strategy.
• I AM: Programme Equality, diversity and inclusion programme in partnership with Verizon and Burberry, supporting young people aged 14-20 in London and Portsmouth to celebrate their culture and identity.
• Changemaker Toolkit Digital resource hub providing grants information, health and wellbeing guidance, study resources, career insights, and exclusive Unloc programme content for young people.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ schools engaged across the UK
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Integration2 records

Partnerships

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

• Verizon BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Long-term strategic partnership delivering the annual Young Entrepreneurs Challenge across Europe, with £10,000 Grand Prize. Partnership includes Changemaker Alliance, I AM: EDI programme, Women in Tech events, and Changemaker Grants. Active since 2019 with multiple co-branded initiatives.
• NHS Southern Health Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch Youth Board initiatives and mental health support for young people. Includes co-creation of NHS Youth Wellbeing digital resources covering autism, mental health, self-care, and support for LGBTQ+ youth.
• NHS Oxford Health Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to shape mental health services for young people in Oxfordshire through surveys and youth summits.
• BurberrymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Changemaker Alliance including hosting events at Burberry's London HQ, I AM: EDI programme collaboration, and Women in Technology event series.
• RockbornmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHeadline sponsor of Student Governor programme including Festival of Student Governance events, Student Governor Changemaker Programme Destination Conference, and Student Governor of the Year Award.
• Palo Alto NetworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember of Changemaker Alliance, contributing to youth opportunity creation and levelling the playing field for young people.
• Juniper NetworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember of Changemaker Alliance committed to driving social value across education, fashion, communications, and manufacturing sectors.
• The Marketors' TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch Changemaker Challenge events for young people from disadvantaged communities across Hampshire and London.
• Royal Yachting Association (RYA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced in 2024 to bring maritime skills, experience, and opportunities to young people through Futures Lab project.
• Westminster Kingsway CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner for first Changemaker Studios location in Camden, London, in partnership with Visionnaires.
• Capital City College GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch Changemaker Studios London space with Westminster Kingsway College and Visionnaires.
• Association of CollegesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch free online Student Governor Hub providing support, training, and resources for student governors.
• Acts of GratitudeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRwandan NGO partnership to build network of global social entrepreneurs, funded by Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
• One Young WorldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting SEED2030 initiative for young people in Northern Ireland to submit ideas and grow their futures.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Enactus UK: UK chapter of a global student-led social entrepreneurship organisation active in universities and colleges. Shares Unloc's mission of developing changemaking and entrepreneurship capability in young people, with overlap in the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge-style competitive format.
• Speakers for Schools: UK charity connecting schools and colleges with industry professionals for talks, work experience, and skills programmes. Highly comparable to Unloc's industry-bridging programmes (Verizon/Burberry partnerships, Changemaker Alliance) and similar school-side B2B distribution model.
• National Citizen Service (NCS Trust): UK government-backed youth personal development and social action programme for 16–17 year olds. Direct functional overlap with Unloc's youth empowerment, leadership, and civic engagement programmes, though at significantly larger funded scale.
• Young Enterprise UK: UK charity delivering enterprise and entrepreneurship programmes for school and college students. Closely overlaps with Unloc's Academia Programmes, Enterprise Days, and Changemaker Grants offerings, and shares the school-distribution GTM motion.
• Generation Network: Global non-profit delivering employment-skills training programmes to young people through employer partnerships. Shares Unloc's youth-employability focus and corporate-partner-driven funding model with measurable employment outcomes.
• UpRising Leadership: UK charity running leadership development programmes for 18–25 year-olds. Directly comparable to Unloc's Leadership Academy and Student Voice programmes, addressing the same cohort with a similar skills-and-voice mission.

Broad incumbents

• The Prince's Trust: Large UK charity supporting young people aged 11–30 with education, employment, and enterprise programmes. Addresses the same youth development and entrepreneurship mission as Unloc but at much greater scale and with broader programme breadth.
• JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement): Global youth entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work-readiness education provider with strong UK operations. Comparable enterprise/leadership curriculum delivery into schools and colleges, though operates at significantly larger international scale than Unloc.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unlocuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unlocuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/unlocuk
• TikToktiktok.com/@unloc_uk
• Xx.com/unloc_uk
• Facebookfacebook.com/unlocuk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Unloc