There is a real buzz around Gateshead at the moment which is fuelled even more by Gateshead Council’s announcement that they are creating a 1.5 billion start up fund, specifically focusing on enhancing economic development and business start-up support. Moreover, the reasoning behind the funding is to assist Gateshead businesses to be even more competitive internationally and supporting the region in these international markets. There is a secondary fund that will change the way start-up businesses are supported in regards to employing people – anyone who runs their own business knows how challenging and overwhelming employing your first person can be; this extra support will help and should see the creation of 100,000 new jobs from 2017. This is good news for Gateshead business people and brilliant news for the area.
Gateshead is fast becoming known as an entrepreneurial hub on the National stage – all across the borough exists a wide range of diverse creative businesses that have survived the recession or have launched in its wake. That is one of the reasons I love attending networking events; listening to their stories makes me feel so inspired and proud to be from this area. At the moment, the regional press is full of stories of the thriving community of start-up businesses and creatives. And rightly so – us northerners have never been afraid of getting our hands dirty and doing the hard work necessary for business success.
A real entrepreneurial and creative hub in Gateshead, can be found just behind the Gateshead Quays, in the Baltic Business Quarter. Most people recognise The Northern Design Centre, as an icon on the sky line with its unique building design, by award winning local architects, Red Box Design but few know that the building is a purpose built space for start-up businesses and is full to the brim of exciting Gateshead businesses. I thought I’d use this blog post to talk about some of my favourite businesses in there and the innovative things going on right here in Gateshead!
Green Digit
Green Digit can be found on the first floor of the Northern Design Centre. Their innovative product Seed Cell are pods of various seeds in a wheel that are ready for planting; everything from herbs, to flowers, to chilli. This product has revolutionised gardening and made it a little bit fun again and completely accessible to all. You can plant these pods in the garden, in your allotment or grow them in your kitchen in a pot. The product is the brain child of founder, Dan Robson and in 2014, secured investment to scale up the business and manufacturing.
Green Digit can be found on the first floor of the Northern Design Centre. Their innovative product Seed Cell are pods of various seeds in a wheel that are ready for planting; everything from herbs, to flowers, to chilli. This product has revolutionised gardening and made it a little bit fun again and completely accessible to all. You can plant these pods in the garden, in your allotment or grow them in your kitchen in a pot. The product is the brain child of founder, Dan Robson and in 2014, secured investment to scale up the business and manufacturing.
YourFilm
YourFilm is growing; representative of the fact video (partly thanks to YouTube) is now one of the key mediums, alongside social media for businesses to communicate their offering and to engage with their customers. They can create visually fantastic commercials, training videos, animations, short films and promotional content – they’re abilities in this sector are endless. In fact, if you’re a business or organisation in the North East wanting a video, they are THE go to video production business. I recently put a call out on Facebook to my business connections, as I want to create a video for a future crowd funding campaign and 90% of people suggested YourFilm; that has to be a good sign that these guys are the very best!
I’ve met the guys behind YourFilm several times at networking events and what comes over loud and clear is their passion for film! One wonders, if we will ever see their very own big screen debut!?
CleanShakes
CleanShakes can be found taking over the Northern Design Centre fridges with their yummy shakes. They make and bottle superfood shakes mixed with Almond milk that nourish to make you flourish. Each 250ml bottle is packed full of nutrition and taste; priced at £3.00. CleanShakes is the creation of three ladies, living in the North East. The story goes that one founder returned from America after travelling around and noticed the amount of juice bars, another founder had been researching keenly the diary free market and the other found was looking for better tasting healthy foods; they sat down, brainstormed and CleanShakes was born!
At Clean Shakes, they value your taste buds above anything else and they believe, they only deserve the very best; a top notch delicious premium healthy Shake. They are healthy and yummy – perfect combination.
Their shakers are the top priority; they want them to feel good, look good and with a bounce in their step. The shakes are packed with super foods, Almond Milk and are free of nasties; a daily dose of health within a balanced diet and bursting full of nutritional benefits. #tastethebenefits
They are currently developing their business model; plotting to scale up via funding their own growth and establishing CleanShakes as the number one alternative milkshake brand in the North East. It’s certainly an exciting time for this business! They have already secured written expressions of interest from the likes of Nudo, Fenwicks, Waitrose, Booths and Ocado. You can purchase a CleanShake via premium delis such as The Urban Bakery in Low Fell or the Cycle Hub in Newcastle this Easter weekend or by placing an order direct!
Follow them on Twitter: @CleanShakes
Design Network North
Design Network North is made up of Designers, Manufacturers, Businesses, Institutions, Students and Individuals who all work within or have a passion for Design in their industry.
The Network is designed to offer support, advice, networking, business opportunities and events to its members, partners and the wider community. Their aim is to increase the awareness of the importance of design within all industries, insuring that the value of design is considered by everyone, in the region and beyond.
As the Network is so diverse, they are able to pair up designers with other businesses who are looking to advance their design practices and create opportunities for working partnerships and future growth in the industry. It’s almost like a match maker service for businesses!
They also put on really brilliant networking events too!
Atomhawk
Since 2009 Atomhawk have been working with movie studios, game developers and product designers to help realise their visions, bringing their ideas to life.
They’ve been involved in everything from projects with Nike, to working with Costa coffee, to The Guardians of the Galaxy film, to big budget computer games such as Mortal Combat, to very high profile projects like J.K Rowling’s Pottermore. Very impressive and right here in Gateshead; who would have thought!?
You can read more about their work on the Guardians of the Galaxy here.
They also exhibit and sell lots of their conceptual art from projects; The Art of Atomhawk Volume 2 features a diverse range of concept and marketing art from high profile projects such as Mortal Kombat, Project Spark, Injustice: Gods Among Us and J.K Rowling’s Pottermore. The images appear alongside insights into the thinking and influences behind the art work and digital painting tips from the Atomhawk artists. It also features personal pieces from members of the Atomhawk team.
The book is available to purchase on Amazon so have a deeks!
Entrepreneurial Business Management – Northumbria University
A quarter of the Northern Design Centre has been taken over by Northumbria University and the really innovative degree programme; entrepreneurial business management. The degree course sees students, embracing the lean start-up ethos; rapid testing of enterprise concepts and setting up and growing businesses and learning through their experiences. As such the course empowers and enables students so they leave University much more entrepreneurial and with (hopefully) successful established businesses.
Across the course, there are a really wide range of diverse businesses – from an all in one teabag from Tea3 Ltd, to Loco a 90s Club night at MSA, to a clothing line from PowrFitness, to North East Unity business consultancy, to an upcycling bike business.
The businesses have generated over £30K since conception showing how important these students are to economic development in Gateshead. They are full of ideas that are tested rapidly and experiencing real life business by doing; the office is so full of energy, it’s completely infectious!
There are many more businesses, not mentioned in this blog post, that call The Northern Design Centre their home. The ones chosen are simply my favourite ones that have crossed my path, as they are doing something a bit different, love the North East and play by their own rules! I’m all about rebellion so seeing other people making their own way, creating fantastic products and delivering quality services right here in Gateshead is magical!
Gateshead is on the way up…….partly powered by the magic that is happening in the NDC!
The Culture Vulture NE 