To follow on from our maiden Tech Invest event, we’ve profiled some of the most exciting technology companies in the UK.

GrowthBusiness has now produced a new 2014 version of Tech Innovators, where we have again profiled some of the best technology ventures in the UK through interviews with founding entrepreneurs.

nideo

Based in: Berkshire Founded in: 2012 No. of employees: 2 Company co-founder: Roy Kimani

Founder(s) profile:

Roy Kimani is the co-founder and CEO of nideo. Kimani’s role at nideo is to manage the running of the company as well as maintaining the overarching vision; to offer a video platform that businesses can use to communicate with like-minded viewers.

James Hakesley is the COO of nideo and is responsible for running operations at the company as well as dealing with clients and the media.

Background business profile:

Set up by two university dorm mates, nideo is an online destination for business videos. Whether the business is a large corporate or an SME, users have the ability to publish videos in nideo’s clutter-free environment, designed specific ally with businesses in mind. The SmartPlayer reacts to the bandwidth of the viewer as well as the browser and device format providing HD quality.

Inside track:

Young entrepreneurs Roy Kimani and James Hakesley became business partners while at university as dorm mates.

Using Hakesley’s access to cameras and video equipment, the duo started out with nightclub photography to make a bit of extra cash.

Soon the two realised they could do more with the free equipment, and came up with a video resource for students to be able to learn from others.

From their initial efforts, the nideo business was created to cater for a more corporate customer.

The start-up is now a year old and is a platform to connect businesses through video. The technology has been built from scratch in-house to fill a gap in the market which creates corporate videos for companies wanting to engage through video.

‘Early on we didn’t know what we were getting into, when we had Fidget Box we went to an event and it turned out the person who invited us wanted to acquire what we had built,’ Kimani says.

‘But we hardly knew what talent acquisition meant, so the biggest challenge so far has been a bit of naivety.’

‘When you start something at university you don’t consider the legal aspects of a business, so we have taken advice from someone we knew,’ Hakesley reveals.

Kimani and Hakesley’s business now has investors involved and has secured important partnerships with the likes of Microsoft.

Recent milestones:

• Securing investment from a commercially experienced group in late 2012
• Getting nideo to market after a six-month development period  

Upcoming milestones:

• At the end of first month, nideo is looking at 500+ new business sign-ups to the platform
• At the end of August, it’s hoping to reach 1000 business users

Alliances:

• The company it works with is a Microsoft Partner and the technology powering the platform uses Microsoft Technology

Investors:

• Commercially proven investor group

See also: 25 of the most exciting fast growing technology companies in the UK