AKUMEN LTD
🌳Matureactive
05196079 · ltd · incorporated 2004-08-03
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 6.8y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Jun 2025
Net worth
£-102.1k
book net assets
Opportunity
83/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Other information technology service activities
Sector: Information & communication
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 83/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 6.8y
70/100
ready
Refinance conversation should be productive — structure clean and timing right.
- · Oldest live charge is 6.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Legal-friction score 15/100 — clean.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (4 active, 6 linked, 5 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 7 total, 7 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
105 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
83/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredNegative net assets
Liabilities exceed assets by £102,103
Cash YoY
+26%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£47k
↑ 26% YoY
Net Worth
-£102k
↑ 42% YoY
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-06-30 | 2024-06-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | £47.4k | £37.6k |
| Net assets | £-102.1k | £-177.0k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 signals detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-06-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-06-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-06-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-06-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-06-03📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-06-03📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2025-06-03📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2025-03-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-24📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2024-11-26📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2024-11-26📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-06-11📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-05-09📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-05-09📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2024-04-25📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-04-25🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2024-03-28📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-03-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-26🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Swif - Debt Area a LP Acting by Its General Partner Fse Swif Debt Gp Limited
- 2023-09-06📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-08-31➖CROUCH, Andrew Matheson resigneddirector
- 2023-08-01📄second-filing-of-director-appointment-with-nameofficers · RP04AP01
- 2023-03-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-02-12➕CROUCH, Andrew Matheson appointeddirector
- 2023-02-11➕HORTON, Robert appointeddirector
- 2019-10-01🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2017-07-01➕HOWARTH, Paul appointeddirector
- 2017-07-01➖HOWARTH, Paul resigneddirector
- 2004-08-03🏢Company incorporatedAs AKUMEN LTD
- 2004-08-03➕CHALLACOMBE, Michael Terence appointedsecretary
- 2004-08-03➕CHALLACOMBE, Michael Terence appointeddirector
- 2004-08-03➕HOWARTH, Paul appointeddirector
Owner dependency
75/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 66 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
80/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 66. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 22 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael Terence Challacombe Individual · British · DOB 05/1960 · age 66 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
Paul Howarth Individual · British · DOB 02/1963 · age 63 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 06/04/2016 |
5 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Paul Howarthceased 06/04/2016· 50-75% voting
- Mr Michael Terence Challacombeceased 06/04/2016· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · significant influence
- Mr Paul Howarthceased 06/04/2016· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Paul Howarthceased 06/04/2016· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Michael Terence Challacombeceased 06/04/2016· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒Co-director network graph
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANCILE LIMITED→ 13095914 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ARCADIA SOFTIUM LTD→ 15785773 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ASC-KEY LIMITED→ 16684594 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ASHRAM HOUSE PUBLISHING LTD→ 11422719 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ASSESSMENT INTELLIGENCE LIMITED→ 12942095 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ATDIRECT LTD→ 07868998 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
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| AUBURN RASCAL LTD→ 12854869 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| AUDIFANI LTD→ 11665859 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AUGUST PRODUCTIONS LIMITED→ 04493337 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| AUSPEX SYSTEMS LIMITED→ 10435256 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| AUTHENTICITY NETWORK LTD→ 13399340 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated2004-08-03
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC62090 — Other information technology service activities
Registered office
Suite 19 & 21 Efford Business Park Stanbury Drive
Bude
Cornwall
EX23 8LT
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last made up to: 2025-06-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-06-19
Last: 2026-06-05
Officers (4 active · 2 resigned)
CHALLACOMBE, Michael Terence→
Activesecretary · appointed 2004-08-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CHALLACOMBE, Michael Terence→
Activedirector · ~66y · appointed 2004-08-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HORTON, Robert→
Activedirector · ~50y · appointed 2023-02-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOWARTH, Paul→
Activedirector · ~63y · appointed 2017-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CROUCH, Andrew Matheson→
Resigneddirector · ~50y · appointed 2023-02-12 · resigned 2023-08-31
HOWARTH, Paul→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2004-08-03 · resigned 2017-07-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Swif - Debt Area a LP Acting by Its General Partner Fse Swif Debt Gp Swif - Debt Area a LP Acting by Its General Partner Fse Swif Debt Gp Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 26/03/2024 | — | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 01/10/2019 | 25/04/2024 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (105 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-07-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-12
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-06-04
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-06-04
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-06-03
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-06-03
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-06-03
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2025-06-03
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-06-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-03-31
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2025-02-24
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2024-11-26
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2024-11-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-11