Learning technology company increases in size

Interactive training by Innovation Birmingham Campus-based e-learning company rolled out across 42 countries.

Learning technology specialist GuyKat Solutions has moved into a larger office at the Innovation Birmingham Campus in order to double the size of its team to 12.

The company – established at the Innovation Birmingham Campus five years ago – produces tailored corporate training for delivery online. The training is animated, interactive, self-paced and blends gaming elements with voice-led instruction and video.

The rapid expansion of the team is being driven by major new contracts from four blue-chip multi-nationals. More than 50 per cent of GuyKat’s revenue is from overseas business.

Guy McEvoy, Managing Director of GuyKat Solutions said: “We popped up on the industry radar when our work with Mondelez’ European marketing team was shortlisted for ‘best eLearning Project in The Private Sector’ at the eLearning Awards, late last year. The timing was great; online training delivery is booming, and more and more global companies are seeing how our technology can slash learning and development budgets, compress roll-out schedules, and free-up employee time without any compromise to people development objectives. We’re trying to redefine people’s reaction to eLearning, and the feedback is great – people enjoy our training.

“Within five years of establishing our business at the Innovation Birmingham Campus, many of our programmes are being rolled out across Europe and beyond – to a total of 42 countries in the last year. Without seeking to be so, we have become a small ‘multi-national’, as more than 50 per cent of our revenue comes from overseas. Revenues were up 101 per cent in 2014 and we’re on course to repeat that percentage growth in 2015.

“We’re really excited about doubling the size of our team this year to meet demand. As well as continuing to expand our portfolio of global customers, we’d also love to win some work closer to home. We’re actively seeking interested Midlands based companies. Most companies probably grow the other way around!”

GuyKat’s approach to all projects is to work alongside the client’s in-house subject experts as an instructional design and technology partner. Its focus is on rapid production without compromise to quality. The job opportunities that the company will create before the end of 2015 are in digital media, web technology and instructional design.

David Hardman MBE, CEO of Innovation Birmingham said: “It can be very challenging for start-ups to win contracts from large companies, so for GuyKat to be working with four major multi-nationals in its fifth year of trading is very impressive. It is also very pleasing to see the team continuing to expand.

“The calibre of its clients and the global reach of many of its bespoke e-learning solutions is a reflection of the high quality of GuyKat’s work. It’s also an indication that the company is delivering more effective results than perhaps other more established competitors. The innovative approach that a young SME can deliver can far exceed that of a large corporate.”