SpeakOut
SpeakOut is a UK-based speaker bureau and entertainment booking agency, founded in 1985, that connects corporate clients with over 2,000 keynote speakers, comedians, entertainers, and event hosts, earning commissions on bookings managed by its in-house agents.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersTranent, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SpeakOut does
SpeakOut (legal entity SpeakOut Celebrities & Presenters Ltd) is a UK-based speaker bureau and entertainment booking agency founded in 1985 and headquartered in Tranent, Scotland, with a second office in London. The firm acts as an intermediary between clients seeking event talent and professional speakers, comedians, entertainers, and event hosts, curating a roster of more than 2,000 acts spanning keynote speakers, after-dinner speakers, comedians, conference hosts, celebrity chefs, sports personalities, military speakers, esports figures, and diversity-themed speakers. Its product surface is organised around two pillars: a browsable Speaker Topics Directory and Speaker Categories Directory covering 30+ topic areas and 20+ specialist categories, plus a tailored booking and event logistics service managed by dedicated booking agents.
The company earns revenue via transaction fees (commissions or booking fees) on each talent engagement, with publicly indicated price tiers ranging from approximately £1,000 for emerging/regional speakers to £10,000-£100,000+ for high-profile headline acts. GTM motion is consultative, enterprise-field-sales-led: clients browse or submit briefs via the website, then booking agents provide bespoke speaker shortlists, negotiate fees, and manage end-to-end logistics. SpeakOut serves corporate enterprises (Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Retail, Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage), event organisers and agencies, Scottish organisations, and Diversity & Inclusion teams. The firm holds memberships in The Entertainment Agents Association and The European Association of Speaker Bureaux, has delivered 10,000+ professional bookings across its 40+ year history, and has received consecutive Most Innovative Entertainment Company awards from SME500 UK (2025) and Global 100 (2026), plus the M&A Today Global Award (2026).
Operationally the company is privately held with 101-250 employees, no disclosed institutional funding, and no subsidiary or parent structure. Technology is non-proprietary — SpeakOut's platform assets are its talent network, agent expertise, and content marketing footprint (website, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X), rather than a software product. Revenue, ownership structure beyond founder/team leadership, and detailed financial metrics are not publicly disclosed.
SpeakOut firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SpeakOut
- Legal name
- SpeakOut Celebrities & Presenters Ltd
- Website
- https://speakout.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- SpeakOut is a UK-based speaker bureau and entertainment booking agency, founded in 1985, that connects corporate clients with over 2,000 keynote speakers, comedians, entertainers, and event hosts, earning commissions on bookings managed by its in-house agents.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SpeakOut industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Speaker Bureau & Entertainment Booking Services
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entertainment Booking & Speaker/Talent Management (HSACAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Motivational/Inspirational Talks (MPAGACAL)
Keywords
Where SpeakOut is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tranent
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
SpeakOut business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Speaker Booking Fees: SpeakOut generates revenue by charging fees for booking keynote speakers, after-dinner speakers, entertainers, comedians, and event hosts for corporate events, conferences, awards ceremonies, charity galas, and private celebrations. The agency acts as an intermediary between clients seeking talent and the speakers/entertainers themselves, earning commission or booking fees on each transaction.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Local/Emerging Speakers - Entry-level pricing from £1,000 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-tier National Speakers - £5,000 to £10,000 range |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | High-Profile Headline Speakers - £10,000 to £100,000+ |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
SpeakOut product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SpeakOut is a UK-based speaker bureau and entertainment booking agency that connects corporate clients and event organisers with a roster of more than 2,000 keynote speakers, after-dinner speakers, comedians, entertainers, and event hosts. The agency manages the entire booking process — speaker matching, brief curation, fee negotiation, and event logistics — and delivers speaking and entertainment talent for corporate conferences, awards ceremonies, charity galas, and private celebrations worldwide.
Product overview
SpeakOut is a UK-based speaker bureau and entertainment booking agency founded in 1985, offering a portfolio of talent booking services organised around two core pillars: keynote and professional speaking engagements (keynote speakers, after dinner speakers, motivational and inspirational speakers, and 30+ specialist speaker categories spanning sports, food, entertainment, business, and diversity), and live entertainment booking (comedians, entertainers, conference hosts, and performers). The company also provides a Speaker Topics Directory enabling clients to filter by subject matter. All services are supported by an event booking management and logistics offering handled by SpeakOut's booking agents. The platform's primary product is the speaker and entertainer roster — a network of over 2,000 comedians, keynote speakers, entertainers, and event hosts — rather than a standalone software product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Keynote Speakers Service Booking service connecting corporate clients with professional keynote speakers for conferences, leadership summits, and business events worldwide.
- After Dinner Speakers Service Booking service for after dinner entertainers and speakers who deliver humorous, storytelling-driven talks at corporate dinners, awards evenings, and gala events.
- Comedians Booking Service Booking service providing access to stand-up comedians, comedy performers, and entertainers for corporate events, awards ceremonies, and private functions.
- Conference & Awards Hosts Booking Service Booking service for professional event hosts and masters of ceremonies to lead corporate conferences, awards ceremonies, and live events.
- Entertainers Booking Service Booking service providing access to a broad roster of entertainers including musicians, magicians, impressionists, tribute acts, and live performers for events of all sizes.
- Celebrity Chefs & Food & Drink Experts Booking Service Booking service for celebrity chefs, TV personalities, mixologists, food critics, and culinary entrepreneurs for live demonstrations, tastings, Q&As, and after-dinner talks.
- Event Booking Management & Logistics End-to-end booking management service, including speaker matching, brief curation, fee negotiation, and on-site event logistics coordination handled by SpeakOut's booking agents.
- Speaker Topics Directory Online browsable directory categorising speakers by expertise topics including Artificial Intelligence, Leadership, Change Management, Diversity & Inclusion, Mental Health, Sustainability, and 30+ other subject areas, enabling clients to filter and find speakers by theme.
Companies that use SpeakOut
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SpeakOut technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SpeakOut partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- The Entertainment Agents AssociationcoreSpeakOut is a proud member of The Entertainment Agents Association, operating to the highest professional standards in the industry. This membership ensures every booking runs smoothly from start to finish and provides credibility through adherence to association codes of conduct.
- The European Association of Speaker BureauxcoreSpeakOut is a member of The European Association of Speaker Bureaux, demonstrating commitment to professional standards across the European speaking and entertainment booking industry.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SpeakOut competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Champions Speakers: UK-based speaker bureau competing directly with SpeakOut in the keynote, motivational, and after-dinner speaker booking market for corporate clients. Champions Speakers is referenced in SpeakOut's own award recognition, confirming direct competitive overlap.
- Great British Speakers: UK speaker bureau curating British keynote speakers, celebrities, and personalities for corporate and private events. Comparable to SpeakOut in audience (corporate event planners) and speaker-led value proposition.
- Agent4Stars: Entertainment booking agency representing comedians, entertainers, and celebrities for corporate and private events in the UK. Direct peer to SpeakOut's comedy and entertainment booking services.
- Gordon Poole Agency: Long-established UK speaker and entertainment bureau booking after-dinner speakers, comedians, hosts, and celebrities for corporate events. Comparable to SpeakOut in business model, customer base (corporate event organizers), and 40+ years of operating heritage.
- The Speakers Agency: UK-based talent booking agency representing speakers and entertainers for corporate events. Direct competitor in the same agent-led booking model, serving similar enterprise and event-organizer clients as SpeakOut.
- After Dinner Speakers Ltd: Specialist UK after-dinner speaker bureau booking comedians, entertainers, and celebrity speakers for corporate dinners and awards nights. Overlapping category focus with SpeakOut's after-dinner and Scottish after-dinner services.
- JLA (Jeremy Lee Associates): One of the UK's most established speaker bureaus offering booking services for keynote speakers, after-dinner speakers, hosts, and entertainers to corporate clients. JLA competes head-to-head with SpeakOut for enterprise event bookings and shares the same agent-led, commission-based model.
- Booking Speakers: UK-based speaker bureau offering booking services for keynote speakers, motivational speakers, and entertainers to corporate and association clients. Direct overlap with SpeakOut in service offering and target buyer.
Broad incumbents
- Celebrity Talent International: US-headquartered celebrity and keynote speaker bureau with global corporate client reach. Comparable to SpeakOut in business model (agent-led bookings, commission fees) and customer base (enterprise event organizers), but at significantly larger scale.
- Hilton Booking Agency (Speaker Bureau): One of the UK's largest speaker bureaus representing Olympic athletes, TV personalities, and celebrities. A broader incumbent operating at scale in the same enterprise speaker booking space as SpeakOut, with significant celebrity roster depth.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
SpeakOut social profiles
Digital presenceSpeakOut financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SpeakOut leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
SpeakOut funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SpeakOut M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SpeakOut
What does SpeakOut do?
SpeakOut is a UK-based speaker bureau and entertainment booking agency that connects corporate clients and event organisers with a roster of more than 2,000 keynote speakers, after-dinner speakers, comedians, entertainers, and event hosts. The agency manages the entire booking process — speaker matching, brief curation, fee negotiation, and event logistics — and delivers speaking and entertainment talent for corporate conferences, awards ceremonies, charity galas, and private celebrations worldwide.
Is SpeakOut a public or private company?
SpeakOut is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SpeakOut founded?
SpeakOut was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is SpeakOut based?
SpeakOut is headquartered in Tranent, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SpeakOut make money?
One revenue line is on record: speaker Booking Fees.
Who are SpeakOut's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Champions Speakers, Great British Speakers, Agent4Stars, Gordon Poole Agency, The Speakers Agency, After Dinner Speakers Ltd, JLA (Jeremy Lee Associates) and Booking Speakers. Broad incumbents are Celebrity Talent International and Hilton Booking Agency (Speaker Bureau).
Does SpeakOut have an API?
No public API is recorded for SpeakOut.
What industry is SpeakOut in?
SpeakOut's product category is Speaker Bureau & Entertainment Booking Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAAAI, Entertainment Booking & Speaker/Talent Management, with a secondary code of MPAGACAL, Motivational/Inspirational Talks. Its SIC code is 7900.