Ascent Consultancy Group

Operator-led advice for software companies and manufacturers putting AI to work.

We've run software businesses inside one of the world's most disciplined acquirers, and used AI to change how our own manufacturing business sells and operates. Now we help owners and boards do the same: practical, commercial and measured in results.

Book an introductory call See what we do

What we do

Two practices, one standard: decisions that show up in the numbers.

We work with a small number of businesses at a time, so the people you meet are the people who do the work.

Software advisory

For B2B and vertical software businesses

Founder-led and investor-backed software companies, typically £2m–£20m revenue, looking to grow, sharpen margins or prepare for a sale.

Pricing and go-to-marketPackaging, price increases, recurring revenue mix and sales effectiveness.
Operating disciplineKPIs, operating rhythm, org design and the controls that drive EBITA.
Exit and acquisition readinessHow serial acquirers like Constellation look at a business, and how to get ready for that scrutiny.
Board and non-executive supportIndependent challenge for CEOs and chairs, without crowding execution.

AI for manufacturing

For manufacturers and build businesses

Owner-managed manufacturers who know AI matters but want practical results, not a science project or another software subscription.

Quoting and estimatingFaster, more consistent quotes, built from your own pricing rules and history.
Customer-facing configuratorsLet buyers design and price what they need online, and arrive sales-ready.
Internal tools and dashboardsCustom tools for operations, scheduling and reporting, built in weeks rather than months.
Marketing and sales at paceWebsites, content and outreach produced with AI, kept on-brand and under your control.

Case study

KennelBuild: we did it in our own business first

KennelBuild designs and builds animal care facilities across the UK, from boarding kennels and rescue centres to veterinary and working-dog units. It's part of the Ascent group, which makes it our proving ground: everything we recommend to clients, we've tried here with our own money.

Manufacturing & construction AI-assisted development Sales & marketing

A new website, built in-house

We rebuilt the KennelBuild website using AI-assisted development, so we control the content, change it the same day and don't rely on an agency.

An online kennel configurator

Customers can lay out and specify their own facility before the first call, so enquiries arrive better qualified and the design conversation starts further along.

Internal tools without a software budget

We prototype and ship operational tools and concepts in days, test them with the team, and only scale up the ones that earn their keep.

Repeatable, not one-off

The same playbook (find the bottleneck, prototype quickly, measure, then scale) is what we bring to every manufacturing client.

How we work

Start small, prove value, then go further.

Every engagement starts with a short, fixed-scope diagnostic. If there's no clear return, we'll tell you.

01 · Diagnose

Diagnostic sprint

A focused review of your commercials, operations or AI opportunities, ending in a prioritised plan with the numbers behind it.

Typically 2–3 weeks · fixed fee

02 · Deliver

Hands-on project

We do the work alongside your team, whether that's a pricing reset, a sales process, a quoting tool or a configurator.

Scoped to outcome · milestone-based

03 · Sustain

Retained advisor or NED

Ongoing board-level challenge and support to keep momentum, governance and decision quality where they need to be.

Monthly retainer · flexible term

**Leigh Roberts**Founder & Managing Director

Who you'll work with

An operator, not a slide deck.

Leigh spent more than seven years at Volaris Group, part of Constellation Software, latterly as Group Managing Director. He was accountable for three software businesses across the UK, Ireland and North America, with full P&L ownership and a team of around 100 people. He led M&A in the UK and Ireland, from identifying targets through due diligence to integration.

As a Managing Director in that time he doubled revenue in three years, drove 54% organic growth after an acquisition and took profitability above 35% EBITA. Today he sits on the boards of KennelBuild and Kynetix, advises software businesses on commercial strategy, and leads the Ascent group's acquisitions in vertical software.

2023 – present

Ascent group · Founder and MD; acquisitions, advisory and board roles including KennelBuild and Kynetix

2016 – 2023

Volaris Group (Constellation Software) · Group MD; MD of Primetics, Core Technology and Agronomix

2007 – 2016

Advanced, Serco, Pearson · Client director and international software sales leadership

Start a conversation

Tell us where you want the business to be in two years.

An introductory call is free and confidential, with no obligation. We'll tell you plainly whether we think we can help.

Email: leigh@ascentag.co.uk

LinkedIn: Leigh Roberts

Based in Cheshire, working across the UK and Ireland