Barnsley’s Digital Media Centre (DMC) is celebrating two years of The Furnace Incubator – Enterprising Barnsley’s innovative six-month tech and digital startup incubation programme.
The programme brings together a community of like-minded entrepreneurs in Barnsley – the UK’s first Tech Town – to collaborate as they navigate the early stages of developing and launching their business.
Participating businesses each receive support worth over £6,000, providing a significant boost to accelerate their growth.
A celebratory event at the DMC provided an opportunity to hear from The Furnace alumni, including speakers from the past, present and future of the programme.
Furnace alumni in attendance included Ria Jackson (Inclusive Minds UK), Matthew Roberts (Binary Forge Solutions), Stevan Parkin (MiniVox) and James Cuthbert (Sphere Advisory), who shared details of the support received, challenges overcome, successes and ambitions for the future.
To date, the fully funded six-month residency has supported over 20 entrepreneurs with access to dedicated co-working space along with the use of its MakerLab and CreatorLab facilities. Each business going through the programme also receives support from a sector specialist and key account manager, with weekly standups, workshops, and 1-2-1 support.
Jackson used her time on The Furnace programme to strengthen and scale her organisation’s neuroinclusion work, developing the IMHub community and expanding specialist training for employers.
Since taking part, she has built partnerships across public, private and third-sector organisations, including parts of the NHS, global companies such as TTEC, and charities including Walking With The Wounded.
Her work has since received multiple awards and international recognition for advancing neuroinclusive practice.
“The DMC is for people who are serious about business and serious about providing a shared neuroinclusive space,” said Jackson. “We bring together lived experience, expertise and practical action so organisations can access support that works in real life, not just on paper.”
Roberts, co-founder of Binary Forge Solutions, enrolled on The Furnace to support its service pushfusion – a smart building compliance reporting platform – and advance the commercial proposition.
He has since landed new clients in the UK and as far away as Chile – and also created a startup community in Barnsley – ‘Barnsley StartUp MeetUp’.
“My time on The Furnace was enlightening,” he said. “I developed skills that have transformed the way I present pushfusion and Binary Forge to the world. This has delivered tangible results with respect to new opportunities and business, both nationally and internationally.”
Parkin, from MiniVox, is completing his Furnace residency. He developed a platform to help children build confidence, communication skills and digital literacy through safe and creative creation.
It gives schools and families a child-safe alternative to social media, where children create videos, podcasts and digital stories in a closed environment – without likes, algorithms or comments.
The approach MiniVox takes is education first and safeguarding-led. It is designed to support in developing confident, expressive and digitally literate learners whilst reducing their online risk. The platform shares its core values with governmental ambitions around online safety.
Through his time in the programme, Stevan has gained sustained traction including international interest.
Parkin said: “Being part of The Furnace Incubator has been incredibly valuable for both MiniVox and me personally. The support around marketing, positioning and operational insight has helped me grow as a founder and has played a real role in driving MiniVox forward.
“Since joining, we’ve gained stronger traction, including launching pilots across South Yorkshire as well as in the US and France. MiniVox is on an exciting journey, and I’m genuinely proud that The Furnace and Barnsley, as an emerging UK tech town, have been part of that story.”
James Cuthbert, from Sphere Advisory, is four months into the programme. The Furnace is helping Sphere to turn its extensive experience in health and social care economics into living neighbour maps. Sphere’s platform, whatsinaplace.com, is designed to help local public services address two intractable problems: low productivity and high demand.
Sphere hopes whatsinaplace will help local services improve quality and value for money at a time when funding is scarce.
He said: “I find The Furnace invaluable. The enthusiasm, experience, knowledge, contacts and honesty of staff and participants have improved my conception of the platform and, crucially, my understanding of the challenges Sphere must overcome to bring it to market. The programme has already yielded a potential client and a partner.”
Councillor Robin Franklin, Barnsley Council’s Cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, said: “As the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town, bringing through new homegrown businesses into the tech and digital sectors in Barnsley is vital.
“The Furnace helps us to promote a vibrant culture of entrepreneurialism and deliver on a key mission of our Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy to support all of our communities to thrive.
“There are already so many successes to have come through programme in its first two years, and it’s fantastic to hear the benefits the holistic support package has provided as part of those stories.
“The facilities and support we have here are first-class, so I would encourage any budding entrepreneur in Barnsley and beyond to forge their ideas at The Furnace and see what it can do for them.”
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