Episodes

  • 7: Special: Scale up your marketing - with VIOOH, Genasys & Volt

    7: Special: Scale up your marketing - with VIOOH, Genasys & Volt
    Apr 1 2024
    The latest episode of TechBlast’s webinar series Launchpad focuses on marketing strategies for tech scaleup companies.

    Launchpad, brought to you in association with Tyto PR, reveals what it takes to scale a successful technology startup via honest conversations with entrepreneurs, investors & other key industry players who have a story to tell.

    Co-hosts Jonathan Symcox, editor at TechBlast and BusinessCloud, and Tyto PR MD Nick Taylor are joined by three marketing leaders at fast-growth UK firms to discuss their approach to both brand awareness and demand generation.

    Helen Miall is CMO at VIOOH, a tech platform born within out-of-home advertising giant JCDecaux which connects programmatic buyers and sellers via a marketplace; Gavin Peters is VP marketing at modular cloud insurance platform Genasys; and Charlie Gilbert is VP marketing communications at real-time payments network Volt.

    The episode covers:

    • Differences & synergies between brand awareness & demand generation
    • The increasing number of people in the buyer journey
    • The rise of account-based marketing; breaking down silos
    • Sweating assets & the importance of use-cases
    • 'Doing more with less' in a challenging economic environment
    • How marketing helps with recruitment & retention
    • Practical tips for tech companies looking to scale up their marketing - 'Rocket Fuel'
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    54 mins
  • 6: Crafting a knockout newsletter - with Martin SFP Bryant

    6: Crafting a knockout newsletter - with Martin SFP Bryant
    Jan 29 2024
    This episode of Launchpad features Martin SFP Bryant, founder of PreSeed Now.

    Martin is a technology journalist with long experience covering startups. A former editor at The Next Web, he also served as community editor at Tech North before founding business and marketing consultancy Big Revolution and the PreSeed Now newsletter.

    He is also the editor of social media consultant Matt Navarra’s weekly Geekout newsletter.

    The episode covers:

    • Martin's background & career (00:58)
    • How to make your newsletter stand out (02:58)
    • Why Martin loves reporting on early-stage startups (05:25)
    • The essential ingredients for a successful newsletter (08:39)
    • Pros & cons of various newsletter platforms (25:49)
    • Practical tips for building a newsletter - 'Rocket Fuel' (30:28)
    • Why Martin added SFP into his name... (32:22)
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    36 mins
  • 5: Scaling your tech in the US - with Tom Dunlop

    5: Scaling your tech in the US - with Tom Dunlop
    Nov 27 2023
    This episode of Launchpad features Tom Dunlop, CEO of Summize.

    Tom is a former corporate lawyer who founded Summize in 2019 to improve legal contract management through technology. Its software integrates into other tech platforms to digitalise and automate a sector which remains bogged down in traditional manual processes.

    In 2023 the Manchester company reported triple-digit percentage revenue growth for the third consecutive year and it is scaling rapidly in the United States.

    The episode covers:

    • How Summize solves headaches around pre-signature contracts (01:11)
    • The secrets to its success amid an economic downturn (07:48)
    • Why it expanded to the United States so quickly (10:03)
    • The difference between the UK and US markets (13:40)
    • Why Summize raised from UK VCs rather than US investors (15:32)
    • Why it launched a US subsidiary (21:22)
    • Practical tips for launching in the US - 'Rocket Fuel' (24:02)
    • How Tom has taken his international sports experience into business (26:51)
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    32 mins
  • 4: Succeed in the games industry - with PlayStation VR creator Simon Benson

    4: Succeed in the games industry - with PlayStation VR creator Simon Benson
    Oct 30 2023
    This episode of Launchpad features Simon Benson, director of immersive technology at IN4 Group, operator of HOST.

    Simon began his career as an immersive simulation engineer at BAE Systems before entering the world of videogames at Evolution Studios and leading development of PlayStation 3 launch title MotorStorm. After Sony acquired Evolution, he pioneered stereoscopic 3D on PS3 before pitching and bringing to life PlayStation VR on the PS4 - the world's most popular virtual reality platform.

    Striking out as a consultant across industries, he joined IN4 Group - operator of innovation hub HOST - as director of immersive technology. After helping to cement a Unity centre of excellence  at MediaCity, they are now launching Gametech365, an immersive campus and community to support the video game industry in the North of England. 

    The episode covers:

    • The evolution of videogames into a multi-billion-pound industry (01:40)
    • Simon's career, including the story behind PlayStation VR (12:42)
    • Linking up with IN4 Group & their plans for Gametech365 (30:27)
    • Practical tips for aspiring videogame entrepreneurs - 'Rocket Fuel' (39:47)
    • A bit of healthy sibling rivalry! (41:22)
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    44 mins
  • 3: Pillars for podcasting success - with Colin Gray

    3: Pillars for podcasting success - with Colin Gray
    Oct 2 2023
    This episode of Launchpad features Colin Gray, founder of The Podcast Host and Alitu.

    The Podcast Host is a business which helps podcasts to launch, grow and run their own show.

    Technology platform Alitu is a simple tool for recording, editing and publishing podcasts. The all-in-one podcast maker is used by 2,600+ ambitious podcasters to ship their show – including Logitech, Harvard and Stanford Universities, Intuit, Workday and the NHS.

    The episode covers:

    • The evolution of podcasting as a medium (01:13)
    • Why podcasts are so effective at connecting businesses with listeners (08:08)
    • How he has built The Podcast Host & Alitu (11:48)
    • The dos and don'ts of business podcasting (14:55)
    • Practical tips for making a success of your podcast - 'Rocket Fuel' (21:53)
    • How Colin likes to take off in his spare time... (26:00)
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    29 mins
  • 2: Creating a positive company culture - with Dawn Duggan

    2: Creating a positive company culture - with Dawn Duggan
    Aug 28 2023
    This episode of Launchpad features Dawn Duggan, head of people, skills & talent at GC Business Growth Hub.

    Duggan's organisation seeks to unlock the potential of businesses across Greater Manchester via a variety of support services including technology, finance, enterprise, leadership development, social impact and a pathway to Net Zero. Culture is at the forefront of everything it does.

    Duggan is responsible for the continuous design, delivery and evaluation of its People, Skills & Talent programme, which includes executive development and workforce development - and building a positive culture into businesses.

    The episode covers:

    • Defining company culture (00:49)
    • How COVID challenged the traditional methods of building culture into a business (01:30)
    • GC Business Growth Hub's own culture and how it helps companies to develop their own (06:41)
    • Reader questions (18:55)
    • Practical tips for creating a positive company culture - 'Rocket Fuel' (20:55)
    • Dawn's passion for scuba diving, plus her disability (22:49)
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    26 mins
  • 1: Building a flexible workforce – with Beckie Taylor

    1: Building a flexible workforce – with Beckie Taylor
    Jul 30 2023
    The opening episode of Launchpad features Tech Returners CEO Beckie Taylor.

    Taylor scaled her business alongside co-founder James Heggs over five years whilst raising two very young children. Specialising in the training and placing of mid-senior level professionals looking to re-enter the workplace after a career break in the tech sector, it was inspired by Taylor’s own experience when she returned to a high-flying HR role following maternity leave.

    The episode covers:

    • Defining a flexible workforce (00:42)
    • The opportunities & challenges around building a flexible workforce (03:44)
    • The purpose and journey of Tech Returners, acquired by Northcoders in February (12:45)
    • Reader questions (29:43)
    • Practical tips for building a flexible workforce – ‘Rocket Fuel’ (37:10)
    • A personal challenge Beckie has overcome since childhood (38:48)
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    43 mins