One UK company leading the way helping others to embrace the revolution and be fit and future proofed is data engineering consultancy Bigspark.
A problem-solving powerhouse, it enables firms and organisations to integrate the right operational structures and then works with them to deliver better products and services to achieve efficient end-to-end solutions.
In real life terms this can mean apps and software for improved fraud detection protecting banks’ customers and gaining a deeper understanding of their needs, while MyNARA is a life-saving app that Bigspark has helped develop to empower abuse victims.
Growing fast since start up in 2019 the company has a team of 100 along with offices in Nottingham, Leeds and Scotland as well the US.
Ghana is a recent addition thanks to its well-educated workforce and compatible time zone. Turnover is forecast to reach £9.6 million this year, with further expansion on the way after Bigspark secured £750,000 of growth funding from enterprise specialist SME Capital this summer.
Clients span sectors ranging from banking (NatWest), insurance (eSure), asset management (including tracking) and healthcare to grid energy distribution, EV charging, retail and entertainment.
For all the projects, where charges start at £50,000 rising up to £2 million, engineering excellence is the foundation. “We look through a pure technology lens, igniting innovation by solving hard problems quicker and faster than competitors through better data, software engineering and management.
We create a base layer that can scale and clients are coached and supported to deliver better solutions themselves,” explains chief executive Robin Bradley who last year joined founders and former NatWest employees Christopher Finlayson, Richard Hay and Shaine Ismail.
“AI is the future, any business or board not looking at the technology now would be remiss,” declares Bradley. “We’re doing exciting projects with ChatGBT and Generative AI – machine learning and data expertise are a very powerful combination,
“To capitalise companies need to understand what it offers, what they have and what may need to change so they can use the latest tools and take the opportunities – otherwise they fall behind.
“Our job is to make the technology transparent, explainable and able to be implemented smoothly in an ethical, compliant way.”
The SME Capital deal was put together by Chris Searson of strategic funding consultancy Citizen, renowned for enabling clients to achieve their business growth plans through remodelling, fundraising and delivering above average market multiples on exit.
Ian Pottle of Cornerstone Commercial Finance acted as lead broker. Seen as a major turning point for Bigspark, the raise was complex and involved much due diligence in regard to cash flow pressures and overhead costs, with the company successfully vindicating both its high growth forecasts and ability to manage the fast expansion effectively.
A firm supporter of getting more females into engineering and technology, 38 percent of Bigspark’s staff are women in an industry where 20 percent is the norm.
Its acclaimed innovations for the MyNARA app hailed as tech “forcing cops to prosecute abuse cases” enable it to be disguised as another app so victims can upload evidence of narcissistic abuse secretly on their phone without a perpetrator able to access it.
The company worked with MyNARA founder Emma Davey on the breakthrough with its chatbot tool proving an unexpected success – victims of human cruelty in this instance found it easier to communicate with a both
And with Bigspark now laying plans to triple turnover, then raise £30 million ahead of a market listing, much more tech-for-good could be on its way.
Bigspark.dev smecapital.com mynara.app http://www.mycitizen.co.uk/
