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Headcount jumps at Newcastle digital brand agency

Digital brand strategy and design agency JUMP is growing its headcount following a succession of North East contracts wins and support from the Growth Fund.

The Newcastle-based company, which offers creative design and digital commerce services, has won work from a range of institutions across the region including the National Trust, Newcastle University, Northumberland development company Arch and the Newcastle Motor Show.

On the back of this the firm has recruited a new designer and two graduates, taking overall staffing levels to 20. Adding to this, former head of development Kris Consadine has returned to JUMP as its new project manager.

Founded in 2007 by graphic designer Lucy Batley and software developer Robert Brown, JUMP has developed expertise in the industrial/commercial and education sectors.

Its business plans are being supported by an investment from the Finance For Business North East Growth Fund that it secured last year through NEL Fund Managers, which is acting as the growth capital it required to fund its expansion plans.

Lucy Batley commented: “Having the Growth Fund capital to hand has enabled us to make progress far more quickly than would otherwise have been possible, and we’re really feeling the benefits of it right across our operations.

“As a team, we’re growing in confidence, and the quality of work that we’re producing is leading to us being invited to put our ideas to an ever-greater range of companies.”

After developing and launching the Newcastle website for the city’s Business Improvement District company NE1 earlier in the summer, JUMP has now won two contracts with Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Lucy continued: “Benefits Everyone and Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are both high profile projects of national importance that will help deliver the Trust’s drive towards attracting and retaining skills in the North East, and we’re excited at the opportunities being involved with them both offers us.

“JUMP is a truly full service brand, design and digital offering that we don’t believe is matched anywhere else in the North East, and we’re growing the size and skills base of the team to ensure we can effectively manage all the work that’s coming through our doors.”

Jonathan Luke at NEL Fund Managers, added: “The JUMP team had very clear goals in mind when they took on their investment, as well as very clear pathways they wanted to take forwards, and the progress that’s been made over the last year has been extremely impressive.”

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