Member Article

Sunderland graduates boost North East enterprise

A university scheme to help improve enterprise growth in the North East is starting to pay dividends. Creativitiworks was set up by the University of Sunderland in 2004 to help graduates from the arts, design and the media wanting to set up businesses in the region.

The latest company to emerge from the project is Kino Media, created by Sunderland graduates Matt Smith and David Jones. Matt, from Great Ayton, North Yorkshire and David, from Birmingham, specialise in promotional films and DVDs for public sector organisations. The pair received a grant and help in setting up the business from Creativitiworks, which acts as a support mechanism for nurturing and developing creative businesses.

Despite only being operational for five months, the pair has created an impressive client base. They have completed work for Sunderland, North Tyneside and Gateshead councils, a limousine company in North Yorkshire, and the University of Sunderland. They recently completed an interactive DVD for use as a teaching aid for students aged 14-19 with learning difficulties. The DVD aims to inspire the students to use public transport in an effort to become more independent.

Tony Davey, principal finance officer at Sunderland City Council, who commissioned the work, said: “I was very impressed with the fact that they immediately understood what we were trying to achieve. They are a very efficient team who have played an important role in what we anticipate will be a successful project. “The resulting DVD is a quality product, exciting, very professional and has helped to transform a positive thought into action, which will benefit children and students in the future.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .