Member Article

West Midlands software start-up winning new clients after office move

A West Midlands software start-up which aims to revolutionise vehicle fleet management with a simple smartphone app is already winning its first clients as it looks to kickstart its business.

Digital Innk, which has developed an app and associated software ‘ViSN’ that links vehicle rental companies, fleet operators, drivers, and garages to improve communication between them all, recently moved to Blythe Valley Innovation Centre – part of the University of Warwick Science Park – to establish a permanent base.

The start-up was created jointly by five co-founders who all worked within vehicle fleet management in various forms.

All had crossed paths during their careers and were frustrated with the lengthy process of communication between fleet operators, drivers, and the wider supply network for simple processes like booking in repairs or managing rentals.

They wanted to create a piece of software that integrated all aspects of the industry and massively shortened the tedious processes that were commonplace at the time.

Digital Innk had no permanent offices in its early days, choosing instead to work out of serviced offices in Solihull. However, when it began to win its first clients towards the start of the year, it felt a change was needed.

Angela Montacute, one of Digital Innk’s five co-founders, said: “We felt the time was right to find ourselves a permanent home. It’s much better to bring prospective clients to an office that’s truly your own.

“We heard that Blythe Valley Innovation Centre had space, so we booked a viewing there. Centre manager Andy Stewart explained how flexible the arrangement was at Blythe Valley with us being able to move into bigger spaces in the future if needed. That was very attractive to us.

“Its accessibility with it being just off the M42 was also an added bonus as it means our staff and clients, who are based all over the country, do not have to travel far to get here. “We signed a three-year lease, and we’re confident Blythe Valley will be a fantastic space for us to grow as a business.”

Digital Innk is now actively prospecting for future clients after a string of garages signed up to the service.

Angela added: “With our background in the industry we know there is a clear market for a solution like ours. The goal now is to get our name out there and show how much time and money can be saved by integrating all aspects of fleet management through ViSN. “We’ve already seen success by winning our first clients, and we’re hopeful of attracting many more in the near future.”

Roz Deacon, Centre Administrator at Blythe Valley Innovation Centre, said: “Even though Digital Innk have only been with us a short time, they have made themselves at home really quickly.

“It’s fantastic they will be here for at least the next three years, and we look forward to helping move into bigger office space within the Innovation centre as they grow.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .