Business Spotlight: Valart

Based in Anglesey, Valart is a digital platform that helps collectors manage, value, and protect their collections. Designed to be completely collector-agnostic, it brings together innovative tools that make collecting simpler, more transparent, and better connected.

Valart joined the GlobalWelsh for Business Membership Programme in November 2024. We caught up with founder Elliot Riley-Walsh, a lifelong collector, to hear how the company has evolved through a full rebrand, how the GlobalWelsh community has helped the business grow internationally, and what’s next as Valart sets its sights on scaling and connecting collectors across the world.

Can you tell us about Valart and how you position yourselves in the market?

Our mission is to be a collector’s best friend. Valart was born out of frustration, really. Most collectors don’t just collect one thing. I started with model Land Rovers as a kid, and now I’ve got everything from Lego to sports memorabilia and vintage car pieces. Managing and valuing all that was a nightmare, so we built a platform that’s completely collector-agnostic.

With Valart, users can catalogue their collections, get an estimated valuation using our in-house algorithm, and even set up a legacy tool to make sure their collectables are protected and properly handled when they’re no longer around.

We've built our own valuation algorithm, which provides indicative market values that are useful for insurance purposes and help collectors understand the worth of their items at a glance.

What are the core features and services Valart offers, and how do those features work together to deliver value to collectors?

The catalogue tool is the heart of it. You upload images of your collectables, and our AI identifies and fills in details automatically, things like category, brand, and model. You can also add documents like certificates of authenticity or receipts. The valuation feature is powered by our own algorithm that uses multiple AI models and thousands of data sources to give an estimated value, updated monthly. It’s great for insurance or simply knowing what your collection is worth. Then there’s the legacy tool, which gives read-only access to loved ones or solicitors. That way, if something happens to you, they know what’s valuable and what’s not. Too many collections end up being thrown away because people don’t realise their worth.

What inspired the legacy tool? 

Honestly, I heard too many horror stories. One that stuck with me was about a man who had every Liverpool FC match programme since the 1960s - signed shirts, memorabilia, the lot. When he passed, his family didn’t know what to do with it all, and under pressure to clear the house, they threw it in a skip.

We wanted to stop that from happening. With Valart, your loved ones can easily see the value of what you’ve built, and hopefully, those items find their way to someone who appreciates them.

You recently rebranded Valart. What prompted that change?

We’d outgrown our old look. When Sam, our marketing lead, joined, he pushed for a full brand refresh: website, logo, messaging, everything. We wanted something more memorable, so we introduced our mascot, Val the dog, as a nod to being “a collector’s best friend”. Val even wears a little eyeglass, inspired by old-school valuers.

We also changed our main brand colour to purple. It’s bold, different, and stands out in a space where most companies lean on blue. I’ll admit I wasn’t sure at first, but it’s really grown on me.

What’s been your biggest milestone so far?

Honestly, just getting the product live. I can’t code to save my life, so to see something that started as an idea in my head turn into a working platform with paying users is surreal. We’ve built this from the ground up, completely bootstrapped, and to have customers using it every day feels like a real achievement.

Why did you join GlobalWelsh, and how has the community supported you?

I’m born and bred on Anglesey, and while I might not sound it, I’ve always been proud of being Welsh. Joining GlobalWelsh was a way for me to reconnect with that community and be part of something that supports Welsh entrepreneurs on a global stage.

Through GlobalWelsh, we joined a Welsh Government export trip to Japan, and the support from Dr. Sarah Louisa Birchley and the Japan Hub was incredible. She helped me understand the cultural side of doing business there, from etiquette to how meetings are structured, which made a huge difference. Sarah also set up introductions that I’d never have imagined possible. One of those led to a conversation with Stan Lee’s former business executive, which, as a lifelong Marvel fan, was a real pinch-me moment!

What’s next for Valart?

Growth. Now that our platform, branding, and pricing are in place, our focus is on scaling to 10,000 users by the end of 2026. It’s an ambitious goal, but with the right marketing and community support, we’re confident we can reach it.

We’re also working on partnerships with auction houses and marketplaces to let collectors, or their families, easily sell items through Valart. The aim is to make the entire collecting experience smoother and more connected from start to finish.

Right now, the biggest thing we need is awareness. If you know any collectors of any kind, tell them about Valart. We’re offering 25% off for the first three months through this referral link when you quote ‘GLOBALWELSH’. We’re always happy to connect with anyone who shares a love for collecting.

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