What IDE Concepts does

IDE Concepts is a UK-based engineering consultancy and product design firm operating as a trading name of IB Technology Limited (registered in England, company no. 8058034), headquartered in Bicester, Oxfordshire. Originally founded in 1998 as a software and electronic design consultancy, the company previously traded as Eccel Technology Ltd specializing in RFID before selling that business and rebranding to IDE Concepts in 2023. The company provides consultancy, software/electronic/PCB design, and small-to-medium volume manufacturing services to B2B clients, drawing on combined mechanical, electronic, and software design experience.

IDE Concepts' core product portfolio targets rural infrastructure in developing countries and comprises two product lines. The cPAL (compact Power and Light) family — cPAL PLUS (100W LED, 64W solar panel, 42Ah LiFePO4 battery, MPPT charging, IP65 housing) and cPAL BASIC (40W LED, 38W solar, 18Ah battery) — provides off-grid solar power and lighting for rural communities, medical clinics, and schools. The Pay-As-You-Go RFID Water Dispenser and Metering Tap uses contactless RFID tags with mobile money integrations (M-Pesa, Tigo-Pesa, Airtel Money) and NFC smartphone top-up to enable sustainable, pre-payment clean water access, with optional add-on modules (OLED display, MicroSD storage, multi-channel sensor/control interface for bore-hole pumps and tank monitoring). Products operate autonomously 24/7 with local data back-fill when connectivity is restored, and are built for harsh environmental conditions (-20 to +60°C).

The company generates revenue through engineering consultancy, product design and prototyping, and hardware sales. Manufacturing is outsourced to ISO9001-approved partner companies in the UK and offshore for PCBs and sub-assemblies. Customers are primarily government water agencies, NGOs, and rural infrastructure programs in developing countries, with distribution via direct B2B project delivery and government/NGO procurement channels. Core technology relationships include NXP Semiconductors and Microchip Technology for component access.

Name

IDE Concepts

Legal name

IB Technology Limited

Website

https://ideconcepts.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Short description

IDE Concepts is a UK-based engineering consultancy and product designer that develops off-grid RFID water dispensing and solar power/lighting systems (cPAL) for government agencies, NGOs, and rural communities in developing countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consultancy Services: Provides consultancy services drawing on mechanical, electronic, and software design experience for problem solving and developing new design specifications.
2. Product Design and Prototyping: Software and electronic design services to bring new ideas into reality, including prototyping and manufacturing package creation.
3. Manufacturing Services: Small to medium volume production using ISO9001 approved partner companies in the UK and offshore for PCBs and product sub-assemblies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

IDE Concepts provides B2B engineering consultancy, electronic/PCB and software product design, and small-to-medium volume manufacturing services. Its proprietary products target rural infrastructure challenges in developing countries, including the cPAL PLUS/BASIC solar-powered LED lighting and battery power systems and a Pay-As-You-Go RFID water dispensing and metering tap system with IoT connectivity and mobile money integration.

Product overview

IDE Concepts offers innovative technology products focused on solving infrastructure challenges in developing countries. The product portfolio centers on two main systems: (1) the cPAL (compact Power and Light) solar power and lighting product line, consisting of the cPAL PLUS and smaller cPAL BASIC models that provide solar-powered LED lighting and battery-backed DC power for rural communities; and (2) a Pay-As-You-Go RFID Water Dispensing and Metering System that enables sustainable clean water supply through pre-payment via RFID tags with optional add-ons including an OLED display, MicroSD storage module, and multi-channel sensor interface for water source monitoring. The company also provides consultancy, product design (software and electronic design services), and manufacturing services for small to medium volume production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• cPAL PLUS A compact solar-powered LED lighting and battery power system providing 100W LED illumination and 12.8V DC power output for rural communities. Includes a 64W mono-crystalline solar panel, 42Ah LiFePO4 battery with MPPT charging, IP65-rated cast aluminum housing, and mounts on top of metal poles. Designed to power water pumps, cell phone chargers, and small refrigerators in off-grid locations.
• cPAL BASIC A smaller, more compact version of the cPAL solar power and lighting system with 40W LED lighting, 38W solar panel, and 18Ah battery. Dimensions 34cm x 74cm. Designed for lighter-duty applications in rural communities.
• Pay-As-You-Go RFID Water Dispenser & Metering Tap A modular pre-payment water dispensing and metering system operated via RFID contactless tags. Features solar charging, power management, GSM-based IoT connectivity, real-time credit deduction, and cloud data services. Designed for sustainable clean water supply in rural communities with 24/7 autonomous operation. Supports credit purchase via NFC smartphone or SMS-based mobile money services (M-Pesa, Tigo-Pesa, Airtel Money).
• Engineering Consultancy Services Consultancy services drawing on mechanical, electronic, and software design experience for problem solving and developing new design specifications, targeted at B2B clients including water services providers, government agencies, and NGOs.
• Electronic and Software Product Design & Prototyping Software, electronic, and PCB design services to bring new ideas into reality, including prototyping and manufacturing package creation, for B2B clients requiring custom product development.
• Small to Medium Volume Manufacturing Small to medium volume production using ISO9001 approved partner companies in the UK and offshore for PCBs and product sub-assemblies, delivered as part of the company's product design service.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NXP SemiconductorscoreTechnology or IntegrationNXP Semiconductors is a key semiconductor manufacturer and supplier relationship. The company developed relationships with key semiconductor manufacturers allowing market trends tracking and access to latest sustainable technology for future-proof products.
• Microchip TechnologycoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrochip Technology is a key semiconductor manufacturer relationship. The company leveraged these relationships to track market trends and ensure access to latest sustainable technology for product development.
• ISO9001 Approved Manufacturing Partners (UK and Offshore)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISO9001 approved partner companies in the UK and offshore are used for manufacturing PCBs and product sub-assemblies for small to medium volume production.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Grundfos: Global pump and water technology manufacturer with sustainability-focused smart water solutions including metering and distribution. Comparable in the broader water access / metering technology space, though far larger and not PAYG-specialized.
• Cambridge Consultants: UK-based product design and engineering consultancy covering mechanical, electronic, and software development. Comparable service offering (full-lifecycle design + prototyping + small-volume manufacturing) though serving commercial/industrial clients globally rather than rural developing markets.
• Xylem: Global water technology company with smart metering and utility-scale water management offerings. Adjacent in the rural/developing-country water metering space but operating at vastly greater scale and broader scope.

Others

• Impinj: Global RFID chip and reader manufacturer that sits upstream of IDE Concepts' RFID-based water dispenser product. Comparable through shared RFID domain expertise and as a likely semiconductor ecosystem participant.
• WaterAid: International NGO focused on clean water and sanitation in developing countries. Comparable in target geography and customer segment, and a likely ecosystem partner or potential deployment channel for IDE Concepts' PAYG water systems.

Direct peers

• M-KOPA: Kenya-based pay-as-you-go solar home system provider serving off-grid households across East Africa. Highly comparable in target customer (low-income rural users), PAYG business model, mobile money (M-Pesa) integration, and IoT-enabled energy access product family.
• Sun King (Greenlight Planet): Global PAYG solar energy provider selling affordable lighting and phone-charging products in emerging markets. Overlapping product line (entry-level solar lighting), end-user demographic, and PAYG distribution approach.
• Davis & Shirtliff: East African water solutions distributor and pump supplier operating in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and beyond. Directly comparable in the rural water infrastructure / prepaid metering customer segment IDE Concepts targets.
• d.light: Pay-as-you-go solar lighting and power systems distributed across Africa and Asia. Comparable product category (off-grid solar + IoT control), end-customer base (unbanked rural households), and mobile-money-enabled payment model.
• BBOXX: UK-based PAYG solar energy provider operating across Africa. Comparable in product category (off-grid solar power systems), IoT-enabled remote management, and emerging-market distribution model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ide-concepts

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 IDE Concepts