City Hive

What City Hive does

City Hive (legal entity: City Hive Network Ltd) is a London-based, founder-owned private company operating as an independent think tank and advocacy group for the investment management industry. Founded in 2016 by Bhavini (Bev) Shah, the firm is built around the ACT (Assess, Challenge, Transform) framework, positioned as the corporate culture standard for investment companies and used by firms to articulate, assess and demonstrate alignment on diversity, equity and inclusion. Core products include the ACT framework and ACT-Mark trademark, the City Hive Think Tank for research and commentary, the City Hive Academy for workshops and training, and the City Hive Mentoring scheme for industry professionals.

The company's revenue model is a B2B subscription business with two membership tiers (ACT Signatory Members eligible to use the ACT-Mark, and standard City Hive Members), priced by assets-under-management band and billed annually. A secondary revenue stream comes from paid events, workshops and programmes (often hosted at member firms such as M&G Investments), with member discounts applied at City Hive's discretion. Customer concentration is overwhelmingly in the investment management vertical, spanning large UK and global asset managers (Fidelity International, Schroders, LGIM, Invesco, AXA Investment Managers, Aviva Investors, M&G Investments, RBC BlueBay, Lombard Odier, CCLA) as well as fund buyers and selectors such as Hargreaves Lansdown and EQ Investors, with additional reach into asset owners and investment consultants.

Operationally, City Hive runs a lean team of eight (Co-CEOs Bev Shah and Mandy Kirby, plus business development, communications, operations and digital roles) and is governed independently with a Non-Executive Director and external Stewardship Council and Global Leadership Council. Strategic priorities visible in the data are: scaling ACT signatory adoption (current ~17, target 50), extending ACT globally, and embedding the framework into regulatory workflows through the Simmons & Simmons regulatory mapping partnership covering FCA Consumer Duty and SDR.

Name

City Hive

Legal name

City Hive Network Ltd

Website

https://cityhive.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

City Hive is a London-based independent think tank that developed ACT, the corporate culture standard for investment companies. It monetises through AUM-tiered corporate memberships and paid events, serving asset managers, fund buyers, and investment consultants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Culture Standards

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

HR Events: Onboarding, Engagement & Culture Programs (THAHAIAF)

Keywords

• Corporate culture standards
• Investment management research
• Diversity and inclusion
• Regulatory compliance framework
• Industry advocacy think tank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions for organisations supporting City Hive's objectives. Subscription rates determined by AUM (Assets Under Management) band. ACT Signatory Members and City Hive Members with different tiers based on firm eligibility.
2. Event Tickets and Workshops: Paid attendance at Events, Workshops, Programmes and Meet Ups. Corporate members receive discounts on standard event prices. Payment processed online and in advance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

City Hive is an independent think tank and advocacy group that develops and promotes the ACT (Assess, Challenge, Transform) Framework, the corporate culture standard for investment companies. It enables asset managers and investment firms to articulate, assess, and demonstrate how their external and internal cultural values on diversity, equity, and inclusion align, supporting regulatory compliance with Consumer Duty and SDR requirements.

Product overview

City Hive is an independent think tank and advocacy group that has developed a unified product ecosystem centered around ACT (Assess, Challenge, Transform), the corporate culture standard for investment companies. The core offering comprises the ACT Framework for measuring and quantifying corporate culture, supplemented by the City Hive Think Tank for research and insights, the City Hive Academy for workshops and educational programmes, and the City Hive Mentoring Scheme for professional development. Together, these products work to raise standards across the investment management industry and democratise investing for everyone.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACT: The corporate culture standard for investment companies, developed by City Hive. ACT enables firms to articulate, assess and demonstrate how their external and internal cultural values on diversity, equity and inclusion align.
• City Hive Academy
• City Hive Mentoring

Products and services

• ACT (Assess, Challenge, Transform) Framework
• City Hive Think Tank
• City Hive Academy
• City Hive Mentoring Scheme

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Simmons & SimmonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading global law firm partnered with City Hive to map how the ACT Framework can support investment firms in complying with Consumer Duty and SDR regulations. Created regulatory mapping document available to ACT Signatories.
• M&G InvestmentscoreOthersHosted City Hive's ACT 2nd Birthday Party event. Major investment management firm and ACT Signatory committed to industry culture improvement.
• Hargreaves LansdowncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor UK wealth management platform that has incorporated ACT Framework into fund selection due diligence. Publicly stated they will not invest in funds where asset manager is not an ACT Signatory.
• Stewardship CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of fund buyers and practitioners who have incorporated ACT Framework into their investment decision-making process. Driving adoption with goal of 50 Signatories by year end.
• Global Leadership CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched to drive ACT Framework strategy globally and ensure it is embedded throughout the investment management industry worldwide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 100 Women in Finance: Global membership organisation advancing women in the finance and investment industry through events, mentoring, and networking. Comparable membership/advocacy model to City Hive, though with a more gender-specific mandate.
• The Diversity Project: Financial services initiative focused on improving diversity, inclusion, and culture in the investment industry. Most direct peer to City Hive by mission, audience, and member-based advocacy model.
• PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment): UN-supported network promoting responsible investment practices through signatory commitments and reporting frameworks. Directly comparable to City Hive's model of getting asset managers to commit to and report on a defined standard.
• UKSIF (UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association): UK membership organisation for sustainable and responsible investment, overlapping with City Hive's mission around culture, stewardship, and ESG in investment management.
• The Investment Association: The UK trade body representing investment management firms. Highly comparable to City Hive as both serve UK asset managers with industry standards, advocacy, and policy work, though IA is broader in remit and far larger.

Broad incumbents

• CFA Institute: Global standards body for investment professionals, comparable in setting industry-wide standards and professional credentials. Significantly larger and broader scope than City Hive's culture-focused ACT framework.
• AIMA (Alternative Investment Management Association): Global hedge fund and alternative asset management trade association. Comparable as an industry body representing asset managers with standards, advocacy, and policy work, though focused on the alternatives segment.
• EFAMA (European Fund and Asset Management Association): European trade body representing the European investment management industry. Comparable in standards-setting and advocacy across asset managers, but with regional and broader remit than City Hive.
• CISI (Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment): UK professional body for the securities and investment industry, providing standards, qualifications, and membership. Comparable as an industry standards setter, though broader and qualification-led rather than culture-specific.

Others

• Women in Finance Charter (HM Treasury): UK government-backed charter where financial sector firms commit to gender balance targets. City Hive is itself a Signatory; the Charter is a complementary, government-led initiative rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cityhive
• Xx.com/TheCityHive
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCityHive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 City Hive