Aimhigher London

What Aimhigher London does

Aimhigher London Ltd is a UK private limited company (company number 07859881) that operates as a widening-participation collaborative, working to widen access to and progression through higher education for underrepresented young people across London. Founded over fifteen years ago and based at Kingston University's Kingston Hill Campus, the organisation functions as a membership-based network connecting higher education institutions, schools, colleges, virtual schools, and local authorities. Its core product, the Finding Futures Programme, is a sustained KS3–KS5 roadmap delivered through in-school sessions, campus events, and online webinars and mapped against the Gatsby Benchmarks. Specialised working groups — the Disability Working Group and the Care-Experienced Working Group — produce annual conferences (Get Ready for Success and New Starts, Strong Futures), practitioner CPD, and parent/carer webinars, while the UNIFISH guide provides a one-stop directory of SEND and neurodiverse support across London HEIs and is also distributed via the UCAS website.

Revenue is generated through two streams: recurring membership fees from HEIs, schools, colleges, and virtual schools, and managed funding through the London Uni Connect partnership and government widening-participation objectives. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and members engage via direct, field-based enterprise sales with embedded in-school delivery, campus events, and online webinars as the primary channels. The organisation operates a small six-person core team (Director, Project Lead, Schools Manager, Head of Programmes, Finance and HR Manager, and HE and Events Partnership Manager) and is strategically anchored by its hosting relationship with Kingston University and partnerships with named HEIs including the University of Roehampton, St Mary's University Twickenham, and Goldsmiths.

Name

Aimhigher London

Legal name

Aimhigher London Ltd

Website

https://aimhigherlondon.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Aimhigher London is a UK membership-based widening-participation network based at Kingston University that delivers the Finding Futures Programme, specialised SEND and care-experienced working groups, and the UNIFISH guide to support underrepresented young people accessing higher education across London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Widening Participation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education (SPED), IEP & Accessibility/Assistive Technology (EDAJAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transition Planning within the IEP (Postsecondary/Employment) (EDAKACAL), Parent & Caregiver Training for IEP Navigation (EDAKACAJ)

Keywords

• Widening Participation Programmes
• Higher Education Outreach
• School-University Partnerships
• Access and Participation Services
• University Progression Support

Headquarters

HQ city

Bletchingley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Membership-based model where Higher Education Institutions, schools, colleges and virtual schools become members to access programmes and collaborative opportunities.
2. Government/Uni Connect Funding: Funding through London Uni Connect programme and government objectives for social mobility enhancement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aimhigher London operates a member-based collaborative network that coordinates sustained widening-participation outreach to under-represented young people in London from KS3 through KS5 and into higher education. Its two flagship deliverables are the Finding Futures Programme and the Uni Connect London partnership, complemented by specialist Disability and Care-Experienced Working Groups, conferences (Get Ready for Success; New Starts, Strong Futures), parent/carer webinars, staff CPD, and the UNIFISH resource supporting SEND learners.

Product overview

Aimhigher London is a collaborative network focused on equitable access and participation in higher education for underrepresented young people. The core offering consists of the Finding Futures Programme - a sustained outreach programme providing in-school, on-campus and online experiences across Key Stages 3-5. This is supported by specialised working groups including the Disability Working Group (DWG) and Care-Experienced Working Group, which deliver conferences, practitioner resources and parent webinars. The organisation also delivers the Uni Connect Programme in partnership with other networks. Key events include the annual Practitioner Awards, Get Ready for Success conference for SEND learners, and New Starts, Strong Futures for care-experienced learners. Membership provides access to these programmes, CPD resources, and the UNIFISH guide to SEND support services across London universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Programmes mapped against Gatsby Benchmarks supporting school Ofsted requirements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kingston UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAimhigher London is based within Kingston University. Kingston provides the operational base and infrastructure for the organisation, with staff email addresses using kingston.ac.uk domain.
• London Uni ConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership of three networks working collaboratively with schools, colleges and universities to support learners in making informed choices to narrow gaps in access and participation in higher education
• University of RoehamptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsistently responds with positivity supporting schools through campus visits, webinars and academic engagement across faculties. Named University of the Year 2026.
• St Mary's University, TwickenhamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValued partner hosting Get Ready for Success conference annually and developing innovative opportunities. Won Innovation Award 2026.
• Goldsmiths University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting New Starts Strong Futures conference and Care-Experienced Student Advisers conference. Winner of Equity of Access Award 2026.
• Become CharityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Become charity to deliver introduction day for care experienced young people alongside University of Roehampton
• NNECL (National Network for the Education of Care Leavers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngages national and regional networks for care experience support
• Catch 22minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngages national and regional networks for care experience support
• UNIFISHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative - one-stop guide to higher education support services across London for learners with SEND and neurodiverse needs, also listed on UCAS website
• IntoUniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership referenced in case studies, working together on campus events for disadvantaged students

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IntoUniversity: UK charity running local learning centres and university progression programmes for disadvantaged young people; cited as an Aimhigher London partner, competing for the same school and university outreach budgets.
• The Brilliant Club: UK widening participation charity that places PhD tutors in schools to support university access for underrepresented pupils; competes for the same Uni Connect and APP-aligned funding streams.
• Sutton Trust: UK foundation focused on social mobility through research, programmes and policy advocacy; operates parallel widening participation and access programmes for disadvantaged school pupils.
• The Social Mobility Foundation: UK charity supporting high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds into leading universities; shares the same widening participation mandate and student cohort.
• NEON (National Education Opportunities Network): UK membership network for higher education widening participation professionals; comparable collaborative-network business model and mission.
• Career Ready: UK charity connecting students from lower-income backgrounds with workplace mentors; comparable school-based progression programme targeting similar demographics.
• Speakers for Schools: UK charity providing free talks and work experience for state school students; overlaps with Aimhigher's in-school and online engagement model.
• Realising Opportunities: Consortium of UK universities running a WP programme for targeted school students; comparable university-led partnership model serving similar applicants.

Broad incumbents

• The Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity with broader education and employment programmes; broader portfolio but overlaps in supporting disadvantaged young people into HE and employment pathways.

Emerging players

• Debate Mate: UK charity using debating to raise attainment and university aspirations among pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds; smaller but adjacent in-school widening participation offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aimhigher-london-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Aimhigher London