ABPCO

Name

ABPCO

Legal name

Association of British Professional Conference Organisers

Website

https://abpco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK), Professional & Certification Expos Organizers (THAHABAD), Employee Recognition, Awards & Incentive (Internal) Events (THAHAIAM)

Keywords

• Professional association membership
• Conference organiser accreditation
• Association event training
• Event industry networking
• Conference professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Kettering

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: ABPCO generates revenue through annual membership fees from individual professional conference organiser members, industry members and partners, academic members, and allied members. Membership is renewed annually and provides access to resources, networking, and professional development.
2. Event Registrations and Training Fees: Revenue is generated from paid training workshops and educational events. For example, the ABPI Code training course is priced at £120 for members and £240 for non-members. Some events are free for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ABPCO is a UK professional membership association for conference organisers in the association and not-for-profit sector. It sells annual memberships, paid training courses (such as ABPI Code and Venue Contracts workshops), an annual flagship conference (Festival of Learning), an annual Excellence Awards programme, and a unique tendering/RFP matching service that connects event clients with member organisers.

Product overview

ABPCO (Association of British Professional Conference Organisers) is the UK's leading professional body for event organisers in the association and not-for-profit sector. It operates as a membership-based professional association rather than a software product company. The organization offers membership services, a comprehensive events program (including Coffee & Chat sessions, Training, Roundtables, Look & Learn visits, and the flagship Festival of Learning), the ABPCO Excellence Awards, a tendering/RFP service, and various committees and taskforces for member engagement. The organization focuses on promoting excellence, sharing knowledge, and collaboration among professional conference organizers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ABPCO Professional Membership Annual membership for professional conference organisers in UK associations and not-for-profits (Full and Associate Members), plus Industry Members and Partners (venues, suppliers, destinations) and Academic Members (universities and students). Membership provides networking, resources, training, accreditation and access to the tendering/RFP service.
• ABPCO Festival of Learning The Association's flagship annual educational conference bringing together event professionals to connect, collaborate and learn, held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, with paid delegate registration and sponsor packages.
• ABPCO Excellence Awards Annual awards programme (with categories such as Best Event by an Agency PCO, Best Event by an In-house PCO, Best Partnership, Industry Supplier of the Year, Best Member Engagement and Student of the Year) that recognises excellence in the UK association events sector and accepts paid award entries.
• ABPCO Training Programmes Paid professional development courses including ABPI Code training (£120 member / £240 non-member per delegate; £100/£200 for the May 2026 session) and the Venue Contracts Workshop, plus Neurodiversity in Events training and other workshops.
• Find an ABPCO Organiser (Tendering and RFP Service) A unique tendering and request-for-proposals matching service that connects event clients with ABPCO-member professional conference organisers, available to organisations seeking PCOs in the UK association and not-for-profit sector.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CventcoreTechnology or IntegrationCvent is a Technology Partner for ABPCO's Festival of Learning 2026 and ABPCO runs a Cvent User Group for members who use Cvent event management software. Cvent CONNECT Europe 2026 is listed as an ABPCO event.
• Visit BelfastminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVisit Belfast is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner, supporting the association and its members.
• ICC (International Convention Centre Belfast)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorICC Belfast is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner and serves as the venue for the ABPCO Excellence Awards 2026 on 10-11 December 2026.
• Northstar Meetings GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthstar Meetings Group is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner, supporting the association.
• Nottingham VenuesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNottingham Venues is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner and serves as the venue for the Networking Supper at the Festival of Learning 2026.
• James Hallam LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJames Hallam Ltd is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner and provides insurance expertise for ABPCO webinars on event insurance.
• Manchester CentralminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManchester Central is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner and was the venue for the ABPCO Excellence Awards 2025.
• Whitespace Exhibitions LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWhitespace Exhibitions Ltd is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner and hosted ABPCO Social Drinks at Confex 2026.
• Excel LondonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExcel London is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner, Conference Lunch Sponsor for the Festival of Learning 2026, and venue for International Confex 2026 and The Meetings Show 2026.
• Royal Armouries, LeedsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRoyal Armouries Leeds is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner and Event Sponsor for the Festival of Learning 2026. Winner of the Best Partnership Award 2025 (with UKREiif).
• Liverpool Experience Campus (LEX)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLiverpool Experience Campus is listed as an ABPCO Industry Partner and Student Supporter for the Festival of Learning 2026.
• Harrogate Convention CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHarrogate Convention Centre is listed as a Refreshments Sponsor for the Festival of Learning 2026.
• Full Circle Events & ExhibitionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFull Circle Events & Exhibitions partnered with ABPCO at The Meetings Show 2026 (stand B22) and Rebecca Towell won the 2025 Industry Supplier of the Year Award.
• GESminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGES is the Networking Supper Sponsor for the Festival of Learning 2026.
• MICE ConciergeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMICE Concierge is the Newcomers Reception Sponsor for the Festival of Learning 2026.
• SEC (Scottish Event Campus)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSEC is the sponsor of the Agency PCO and In-House PCO meet-ups and Networking Breakfasts at the Festival of Learning 2026.
• Inclusive DigitalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInclusive Digital is the Media Partner for the Festival of Learning 2026.
• Hilton Birmingham MetropoleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHilton Birmingham Metropole is an ABPCO Industry Member and hosts the Roundtable: Exploring the Future of Association Awards (October 2026) and the Look & Learn: Women Teachers' Consultation Conference.
• InterContinental London - The O2minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInterContinental London - The O2 is the venue for Cvent CONNECT Europe 2026 (ABPCO event).

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Cvent: Leading events management software platform and ABPCO's core technology partner. Included as a peer because it co-hosts events with ABPCO (Cvent CONNECT Europe) and runs the ABPCO Cvent User Group, though its core business is enterprise event software rather than membership services.
• Informa: Major global events and exhibitions operator (Informa Markets / Informa Connect). Included as an adjacent peer because Informa Connect organises association and professional conferences — competing indirectly with ABPCO member PCOs for the same conference clients.

Direct peers

• AEO (Association of Event Organisers): UK-based trade association for companies that organise exhibitions and events. Highly comparable to ABPCO as a UK-headquartered events-association peer, although AEO focuses on exhibition organisers rather than association conference organisers.
• BVEP (Business Visits and Events Partnership): UK umbrella partnership representing the business visits, events, and meetings sector to government. Comparable to ABPCO in providing industry advocacy and representation for the UK events ecosystem.
• ESSA (Event Suppliers and Services Association): UK trade association representing event suppliers and services. Comparable as a UK events-sector professional body serving a complementary stakeholder group (suppliers) to ABPCO's PCO members.
• MPI (Meeting Professionals International): World's largest association for meeting and event professionals, offering membership, education, and certification. Directly comparable to ABPCO in providing community, training, and professional development for events professionals.
• PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association): Global professional body for convention, conference, and meeting management professionals. Closest analogue to ABPCO in mission (advancing the events/meetings profession), though PCMA operates globally rather than being UK-scoped to association PCOs.
• SITE (Society of Incentive & Travel Executives): International society dedicated to the incentive travel industry, with a similar membership-association model offering education, certification, and networking. Adjacent to ABPCO in serving events professionals with shared community and education services.
• MIA (Meetings Industry Association): UK association for the meetings industry, providing accreditation, training, and advocacy for venues, agencies, and suppliers. Directly comparable to ABPCO as a UK-based meetings/events professional body.
• IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events): Global professional association for the exhibitions and events industry, offering education, certification (CEM), and advocacy. Comparable to ABPCO as an events-sector professional body, though broader in scope and international.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abpco
• Instagraminstagram.com/weareabpco
• Xx.com/ABPCO
• Facebookfacebook.com/ABPCOsocial

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 ABPCO