Choosing your university friends wisely could prove to be a profitable business

Choosing your university friends wisely could prove to be a profitable business

[Posted on 20 October 2006]

When you set off for university, you expect an education, possibly a great social life and definately to meet new friends. However, you may find you graduate with a great deal more than a degree.

Two highly successful new media companies, recently based in the University's SETsquared Business Acceleration Centre in Bristol, were formed from collaboration of friends at the University of Bristol.

Team Rubber evolved from the political satire websie spinon.co.uk set up by three graduates living together in Bristol's St Michael's Hill, during the 2001 general election. With a clutch of awards already under their belts, including winning the BBC New Film Makers Award 2005, Audience Award at the Toronto World of Comedy Festival 2006 and the Cannes 24 Hour Film Challenge 3006 they have grown and diversified into three distinct areas:

Andy Parkhouse, one of the three directors still based in Bristol says, "None of us studied media at university; the company just grew from our shared hobby. We were lucky to be able to continue with the company after graduating and have been able to experiment and diversify, due in part to the flexibility and support we've received from mentors and peers at the University's SETsquared Business Acceleration Centre."

Having successfully grown the company from three to 15 people, Team Rubber expects to be in their own premises by the end of the year and, as one of only three e-democracy companies in the UK, intends to build on their reputation for innovation to become a UK and world leader in e-democracy.

Started by Bristol University graduates James Cook and Dan Hancock, SpiderGroup was formed to unlock the vast potential of internet-based applications. Their vision was to stretch the web, to energise IT for business advantage and to provide the interface between business and technology; designing and developing bespoke advanced software solutions to support the business needs of organisations worldwide. Having been joined in 2004 by two other friends who also graduated from Bristol, Ben Nichols and Chris Falconer, SpiderGroup developed a particular focus on small-to-medium companies providing a complete solution to businesses who often have neither the experience nor the current know-how to unlock and effectively use the technology.

SpiderGroup offers many solutions to the SMEs and corporates including advanced e-mail virus and spam protection, websites, intranets and extranets, and even IP management software. However, their real passion is in providing Business Portals, which gives users easy access to all business critical information, from anywhere in the world. It instantly creates a cost-effective, secure, web-based environment where you can centralise everything from your key business applications and customer files, to financial reports and calendars. The business has now grown to 14 full-time staff, including a number of other graduates form the University of Bristol, and has recently moved to new premises in Orchard Street in Bristol.

Commenting on the future of the business, James Cook says, "Our strength lies in being a customer focused and driven company, always willing to go the extra mile. We already have a proven track record, and having completed the move to new premises, our goal is to double our turnover, continue to increase our highly skilled workforce and open a London office within the year."

Both companies have been members of the SETsquared Business Acceleration Centre at University Gate East. The SETsquared Partnership is the enterprise collaboration of the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Southampton and Surrey which provide support to early-stage, potential high-growth technology ventures, both from within and outside the universities, to accelerate the development of their businesses. Each Centre provides entrepreneurs with business mentoring, guidance, routes to funding and access to industry specialists, as well as affordable office space. To date, the Partnership has helped new external ventures to raise more than £25 million of early stage funding.

So while you're at university, keep your friends close and think about exploiting the opportunities that may present themselves.

Notes for editors:

Team Rubber

For more information about the services Team Rubber offer, please see: www.teamrubber.co.uk

SpiderGroup

For more information about the services SpiderGroup offer, please see: www.stretchingtheweb.com or www.spidergroup.co.uk

For further information, please contact:

Clare Wyatt
Press Officer, SETsquared Partnership
Tel: +44 (0)23 8059 5686, mob: +44 (0) 7795 304 430, e-mail: clare.wyatt@setsquared.co.uk
www.setsquaredpartnership.co.uk