Investment gives Aycliffe digital firm the edge

A Newton Aycliffe tech firm is looking to apply its new e-commerce solution in markets around the world after securing a five-figure investment.

Digital Edge specialise in the Wix web platform and provide a full range of digital marketing services, including web design, marketing solutions and software solutions, and has a particular specialism in utilising the Wix Velo web development platform.

Headquartered on Aycliffe Business Park, and with a satellite office in Gloucestershire, the business has recently completed the development of a point-of-sale solution for global sales solution specialist Epos Now which allows it to be integrated within the Wix platform.

The management team has now worked with regional fund management firm NEL Fund Managers to bring in a £50,000 investment, from the North East Small Loan Fund Supported by The European Regional Development Fund.

The cash will be used to increase the company’s business development and marketing activity around its new solution, as well as others that are currently in development.

Digital Edge is also one of the first firms to work on the newly-released Wix Blocks software solution and is helping to lead its adoption by clients around the world.

Digital Edge was set up in 2021 after the merger of two successful digital consultancies which offered complementary services and expertise.

It now has an eight-strong team, which is expected to grow as the new solution enters new markets, and is aiming to reach an annual turnover of £500,000 this year.

Digital Edge was introduced to NEL Fund Managers by Allan Jeff, innovation and growth specialist at RTC North.

Sales director Ian Proctor, pictured above, said: “Our Epos Now integration and our early adoption of Wix Blocks allows for Digital Edge to create an ever-increasing residual income by creating solutions on the Wix platform for businesses across the world.

“We spent well over a year developing the Epos Now integration, with our understanding of Wix enabling us to complete this work where bigger competitors had failed, and it is now fully operational on the Epos Now website.

“It’s suitable for any type and size of business that uses the Wix platform and has opened the way for us to build more products and services that are based around it.

“We’re seeing growing numbers of new business opportunities coming in not just from North East England, but from right around the world, including from Spain, France, the US, Canada, UAE, Singapore and Australasia.

“After the introduction from RTC North, we had amazing support from the NEL team to complete the investment process and we’ve now got the resources in place to grow the business quickly.”

Jonathan Armitage, investment executive at NEL Fund Managers, added: “The expertise that Digital Edge has brought to bear on a significant market opportunity is already bearing fruit and we’re excited at the potential for growth that the business is now set to start realising.”

Part of the £130m North East Fund and aimed predominantly at smaller SMEs, the £9m North East Small Loan Fund typically offers loans of up to £100,000 to businesses in Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland.

It is designed to assist with the creation of over 1,200 new regional jobs in more than 320 SMEs over the life of the fund.

The overarching £120m North East Fund will provide financial support for more than 600 businesses, creating around 2,500 jobs and delivering a legacy of up to £80m for further investment into the region.

NEL Fund Managers is also responsible for managing the £18m North East Growth Capital Fund, which offers unsecured investments of up to £500,000 to established businesses looking to realise their growth potential.