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A North East-based digital design agency has outlined plans to scale up and create jobs after securing a five-figure investment.
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David Haigh set up Beatnik Studio seven years ago after more than a decade in the North East’s digital design and creative sectors.
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Clients include Vertu Motors, Northumbria University and Headway Arts.
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After initially running the business solo, Haigh decided to start building it into a full-service design agency with a particular specialism in heritage, culture, the arts and sport.
He worked with NEL Fund Managers to bring in £30,500 from the North East Small Loan Fund Supported by The European Regional Development Fund, which has enabled it to hire a web developer as its first employee.
Three new jobs are set to be created by the end of next year, with a longer-term target of building a 12-strong agency team over the next five years.
Haigh was introduced to NEL by North East tech sector peer Rob Mitchell, managing director of fellow NEL investee Sugarcoat.
He said: “I’d planned from the start to eventually grow Beatnik into a bigger agency, and coming out of the pandemic seemed like the right time to start to work towards realising these ambitions.
“Beatnik has succeeded by using the latest technologies to deliver the results that clients want at a lower cost than our competitors, and we’ve built a strong client base that many larger agencies would be proud to have as a result.
“Taking on your first employee is a big landmark for any business, but we’re confident that more colleagues will be joining us soon as we start to build the business into a fully-fledged digital agency.”
Susan Snowdon, investment executive at NEL Fund Managers, added: “David has a clear vision for how he wants Beatnik Studio to grow over the coming years and the resources he needs to make this happen, and we’re very pleased to be embarking on this journey with him.”