Member Article

‘UK’s most disruptive tech startup’ moves to Tees Valley digital hub

skignz, a digital technology enterprise, has relocated to Fusion Hive, the new business and innovation centre on Stockton’s Northshore.

Founded in 2013, company founder’s Simon Brown and Gary Baker say the move will place the stand the business well for future growth.

Fusion Hive is managed and operated by Teesside University. Members can collaborate with like-minded businesses and access the University’s business networks.

The pair first met in 2001 and worked together on various projects before founding ‘skignz’, their own software platform, in the summer of 2013.

skignz itself is an Augmented Reality platform, which uses geo-location technology to help display ‘virtual skignz’ in the sky through the camera view of users mobile device screens.

When a user opens the app they view through the mobile device they see whatever is ahead of them using the skignz browser. When they search or want to find a particular point, small ‘skignz’ appear in the sky over that point, effectively digital signs in the sky.

skignz first launched as a software platform in beta via Android app in the summer of 2013 and an iOS version followed shortly afterwards.

skignz also picked up several awards this year, beginning with a runner up prize at the prestigious ‘Pitch@Palace’ digital competition at St James Palace. Ignite London then voted skignz as ‘the UK’s Most Disruptive Tech Startup’ of 2015 and the year was topped off when skignz won the Thinking Digital Award for 2015.

Simon Brown, Co-Founder & CMO, skignz, said: “skignz has already come a long way in the last two years with the development of our technology platform.

“However, it is our future that we are most excited about, as we have ambitious plans for growth as we feel our technology has tremendous potential across any sector or location. The only limitation we feel we have is the limitations of the users imagination.

“We have already made some great connections and are looking to continually develop the functionality of our technology along with potential partners, including some global organisations.

“We are looking to increase our progress further with the move to Fusion Hive. skignz is a very visual product and the move to Fusion Hive, a visually impressive building will only benefit our company, giving us the ideal platform to grow our organisation.

“Fusion Hive will bring together some of the brightest tech talent in the region, and collaboratively working together will give us all the best potential for growth.”

Laura Woods, Director of The Forge, Teesside University’s new national business hub, said: “skignz has made fantastic progress since it was founded two years ago. We are delighted to welcome such an innovative company to Fusion Hive and we are sure that the move will provide skignz with an ideal platform for even greater success.”

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