Creative England names country’s 50 most creative companies

The country’s most creative businesses, including games studios, film companies and app developers, have been named in Creative England’s 50 (CE50) report – the annual index which “shines a light” on the creative sector.

The CE50 recognises businesses and individuals from across the country producing innovative, creative content or products that help to inspire other creative people in or outside the sector.

Startups 100 company Seenit – a finalist at the prestigious 2015 Startups Awards – a video collaboration platform that allows companies to turn employees into mobile film crews, was named in the index alongside MakerClub; a business developing the world’s first e-learning platform for 3D printing.

A panel of judges were also asked to select 10 companies from the final 50 that have demonstrated exceptional creativity and growth.

These ten “future leaders” included Braci; a West Midlands firm that makes an anti-snoring app and Treehouse Digital; a family entertainment production company behind upcoming kids film Litterbugs The Movie.

The report also revealed that England’s creative sector generates an estimated £76.9bn for the economy, employs over 1.7 million people and has experienced year-on-year growth of almost 6%.

The index coincides with Creative England’s launch of its Creative Nation programme which will look to find and invest in the country’s most entrepreneurial creative start-ups and small businesses.

Yesterday, MP Ed Vaizey called for a corporate partner to join with the programme and match Creative England’s £250,000 pledge. The total development fund available to small creative companies will initially be £450,000 with up to 10 ‘proof of concept’ grants of £5,000 initially awarded to every successful business that applies.

The news coincides with the launch of the government-backed Creative Entrepreneurs website today; which will bring together relevant resources from sites such as Startups.co.uk to help creative businesses.

Caroline Norbury, Creative England’s chief executive, commented:

“In last year’s inaugural CE50 report we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of the creative and entrepreneurial brilliance of England. Looking back at some of the individuals and businesses featured, there’s been some extraordinary successes in just the last twelve months.

“The CE50 recognises outstanding creativity across the country and gives a focus and profile it deserves. We are all looking forward to seeing what the “Class of 2016” can achieve in the months and years ahead.”

The full list of CE50 companies are:

• 3 Sided Cube
• Alice Birch
• Anagram
• Andrew Haigh
• Archer’s Mark
• AppInstitute
• Braci
• Brown Bag Films
• Dark Pictures
• Delaval Films
• Duck Soup Films
• GameCity
• Hebe Works
• Hello Games
• Hook Pictures
• Hurricane Films
• IronBird Aerial Cinematography
• Jeanie Finlay
• Katapult
• Lightbox
• Lockwood Publishing
• Mad Fellows
• MakerClub
• Mihaibao
• Nine Lives Media
• Nourish
• OKIDO
• Openshadow
• Optinsta
• Opposable games
• Orange Bus
• Pixel Blimp
• Pixoneye
• Playtonic
• Riverhorse
• RouteShoot
• Seenit
• Shark Infested Custard Limited
• Sixty Six Pictures
• Sponge UK
• StashMetrics
• The Gate Films
• Thumbfood
• Treehouse Digital
• Unmade
• Wakelet
• We Are The Tonic
• Wellington Films
• Whispering Gibbon
• Yamination Studios