Stepping up to the mark for small businesses

We're always excited to hear about the successes of the businesses based at the Crowthorne Enterprise Centre.

So we were happy to hear that Step Up Software, who build enterprise applications for businesses to create mobile solutions, has announced a new product.

Co-founders Jeff Antram and Paul Ryan have launched an exciting new product which could help small businesses launch their own affordable mobile app. www.stepupsoftware.co.uk  

Jeff explained:  “We have recently started offering a bespoke iPhone and iPad mobile apps development service for business clients and we are seeing high demand.”

In fact, they've already got their first customer - SofTools, a company associated with Henley School of Management and Thames Valley Innovation and Growth. They've created an app linked to a series of business books published by FT Prentice Hall. The app, Business Tips, is filled with useful tips and information for anyone looking to improve their knowledge.

Jeff also explained how Crowthorne Enterprise Centre has helped them along the way.

"Myself and Paul Ryan worked together at a small software company. We had a belief that we could do things better our own way and so left our old employer at the start of 2010.

Right at the start, we knew we would need meeting space, a postal address and a local phone number, not an "0845" number. It was important for us to have a professional profile, but equally as a start-up, we did not want to commit to long-term leases or to office space that we may not use every day.

We met up with Janet Humphrey, Centre Manager of the Crowthorne Enterprise Centre, and we were quickly sold on their 'Virtual Plus' package - this gave us the phone and postal services plus a number of hours use of a hot desk office each month.

As it turned out, Janet was a great source of useful introductions. She put us in touch with a local design agency "Gasp!" who came up with a great logo and brand identity for us.

Janet also put us in touch with Business Link, and they quickly passed us onto Susan Elliot of the Thames Valley Innovation and Growth Team. This was a pivotal moment as we then got access to training, seminars and a business mentor. The highlight being the chance to attend an Entrepreneur Accelerator course at the prestigious Henley School of management.

We must have been doing something right, as we have now delivered several projects to contacts we made through these channels.”

Clearly they have, as they've been highlighted as a company to watch for the second year running by the Thames Valley Business magazine.

If you're not sure about commissioning an app for your business, Jeff says  “Most people these days are familiar with the App Store concept and most people have heard of Angry Birds etc! But not many business owners realise that they can have their own Apps developed for their own corporate use.”