Growth to soar at top tech business following major investment

Award-winning digital technology firm +24 is putting Burnley on the map for both marketing and software.

After becoming the marketing partner last year for one of Britain’s oldest sporting goods firms, Burnley headquartered Surridge Sport, they have now also managed to secure a six-figure investment grant by the government-backed Innovate UK SMART fund.

+24 has more than made a name for itself in the world of marketing but what many don’t realise is they’ve also developed bespoke software solutions for global brands for the last ten years.

An example of this is the solution they developed for Screwfix around ten years ago where they’ve continued to work with them on internal software requirements ever since.

“We haven’t shouted about our bespoke software solutions as much as the marketing but that’s something we’re trying to change as we believe there is going to be a real need for this service in the coming years,” says Sam Keenan, head of marketing.

“Businesses will have to be more agile than ever and our bespoke software can help them solve problems that offthe-shelf software isn’t able to do.”

And it’s only getting better for this as digital technology firm they are now one of only ten tech companies in the country to be supported by the research and development based Innovate SMART funding grant within their innovation area.

The £270,000 grant, awarded following a rigorous submission process, will be boosted by a further investment by +24, totalling close to £500,000, as the company embarks on an ambitious expansion plan.

The Innovate UK SMART grant comes from a government backed fund inviting organisations to apply for a share of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable research and development innovations that can significantly impact the UK economy.

+24 founder and managing director Dave Walker explains: “The grant is hugely important for +24.

“It was a robust application process and we are delighted to be one of only a handful of tech businesses in the UK to have been awarded the funding.

“There were over 120 companies who applied with only 6.7 per cent being awarded the research and development funding.

“This grant and our own additional investment, allows us to accelerate the development of our hardware capabilities.”

Part of the criteria of the grant is that it must be something that doesn’t exist yet. +24 develop brand new technology - there’s no equivalent solution currently available on the market. Their application was chosen for its uniqueness, the likelihood of success, and potential impact on the UK economy.

“We’ve been developing bespoke software solutions for businesses for years and have recently developed IoT solutions for manufacturers wanting to make their products smart and integrate into the cloud.”

IoT (Internet of Things) solutions refers to technologies, platforms, and systems that enable the connection and communication between various devices, sensors, and other objects over the internet.

IoT solutions typically involve collecting data from these devices and sensors, analysing and processing the data, and using it to automate processes, monitor performance, and make informed decisions.

“This technology focuses on utilisation of data in key focus areas such as carbon reduction/environmental impacts, space optimisation, staff health & wellbeing and safety.”

The Innovate UK SMART grant signals a strong move by +24 to utilise their technological capabilities to enter into new commercial avenues, stimulating significant growth for the business.

Dave says: “It positions +24 as a true digital and technological innovator and signals our ambition to be leading the industry.

“We are now offering the service to invent and develop hardware technology which can communicate with our software in the cloud to further enhance our service offering to a vast range of businesses.

“For example, we already have a ground-breaking product which we have developed from the ground up for one of our longstanding clients in the lighting sector.”

The investment has already resulted in job creation with three new positions and more to follow.

Dave adds: “We are actively seeking more staff, full stack and front end developers, embedded software engineers, and graduates to join our team.

“The importance of the grant from Innovate UK cannot be underestimated.

“It means we are now able to scale up significantly to develop leading edge IT technology for manufacturers both nationally and internationally.

“Ultimately, this will help support growth across all our brands, including +24 Software, +24 Academy, our digital apprenticeship training business, as well as our core business.”