JOHN SMITH & SON GROUP LIMITED
Company number SC006905 · Monitor this company
Executive summary
John Smith & Son Group Limited is a niche EdTech SaaS provider transitioning from a heritage business to a growth-stage fintech platform, backed by a strategic investment from NatWest Group. While its cash position and market opportunity are strong, the company carries significant financial risk with negative shareholders’ funds and elevated liabilities, placing it outside typical UK software industry norms for profitability and capital structure. Its success hinges on scaling the Aspire platform beyond higher education into new public sector markets while maintaining its competitive edge against larger incumbents.
Shareholders' funds
-£999,635
Balance sheet as at 2025-12-31
What it does
The principal activity of the company is to partner with universities to transform the outcomes of students by driving better investment in student engagement and futures.
The company's own description, from its latest filed accounts.
Overview
- Company type
- Private Limited Company
- Incorporated
- 1908-09-24
- Employees
- 43 (2025 accounts · was 44 in 2025)
- Registered office
- Building 1 9 Haymarket Square, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH3 8RY
- Postcode
- EH3 8RY
- Capital
- 405,657 GBP
- Accounts category
- Small
- Charges
- 1 outstanding
Accounts
- Last made up to
- 2025-12-31
- Next due by
- 2027-09-30
- Financial year end
- 31 December
Confirmation statement
- Last statement dated
- 2026-10-01
- Next due by
- 2027-10-15
Nature of business (SIC)
- 62012 Business and domestic software development
- 85590 Other education not elsewhere classified
Officers 7 current · 26 resigned
Group structure
Controlled by JS ASPIRE GROUP HOLDINGS LTD — since 2025-10-06
From persons-with-significant-control filings on the public register.
Public contracts won 2
£326,000 total awarded value where published.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Contracts Finder).
Licensed visa sponsor
Licensed by the Home Office to sponsor worker visas: Skilled Worker (Worker (A rating)).
Matched by registered name to the register of licensed sponsors (Home Office, updated daily) — check the register itself before relying on it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Data protection registration
Registered with the ICO as a data protection fee payer — Z8273688 (Tier 2), registered since 2003.
Information Commissioner's Office register of fee payers, licensed under the Open Government Licence.
Contact details
- Website
- johnsmith.co.uk
Previous company names
| Name | Date changed |
|---|---|
| JOHN SMITH & SON (GLASGOW) LIMITED | 2005-07-26 |
Previous registered addresses 5
| Address | Changed on |
|---|---|
| CAPELLA BUILDING (TENTH FLOOR) 60 YORK STREET, GLASGOW, G2 8JX | 2020-05-28 |
| 152 BATH STREET, GLASGOW, G2 4TB | 2010-06-17 |
| 1 WELLINGTON ROAD, BISHOPBRIGGS, DUNBARTONSHIRE, G64 2SE | 2003-12-15 |
| 26 COLQUHOUN AVENUE, HILLINGTON INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, GLASGOW, LANARKSHIRE G52 4PY | 2002-05-08 |
| 57-61 ST VINCENT STREET, GLASGOW, G2 5TB | 2000-06-08 |
Among its peers
Among the biggest employers
of 462 similar companies in EH, with 43 staff. The oldest of its local peers.
Competitors Edinburgh
-
2. AVENI LTD
This company ranks 663 among business and domestic software development in Edinburgh.
Property in England & Wales 1 title
- Leasehold
- 1
- Most recent registration
- 2019-03-27
- Where
- Southampton
| Title number | County | Tenure | Registered | Price paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP831000 | Southampton | Leasehold | 2019-03-27 | — |
For addresses and the authoritative register entry, use HM Land Registry's official search (£3 per title).
Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Dataset as at 2026-08.