37. Tech and Print Solutions

Founder: Liam Barry
Founded: November 2012 (launched May 2013)
Website: www.techandprint.co.uk

Liam Barry started Yorkshire-based Tech and Print Solutions after identifying that touchscreen technology was set to be the ‘next big thing’ (after interactive whiteboards) for the education and business sector, creating his business as a forward-looking IT vendor in an old and rigid marketplace. An experienced salesman, having grown the previous company he worked for from a £2.5m turnover to an £8.5m turnover, Tech and Print was created with above-and-beyond customer service at its core, with salespeople given specialist IT training and a strong focus on adding value inherent in all its activities.

In just 10 months of trading, the start-up achieved preferred vendor status with Cisco, Microsoft, Dell and a whole host of other household-name suppliers, amassing 259 customers in total and a turnover of £759,000 in 2013. Already profitable, the next 12 months will prove pivotal for the business, as it grows turnover to £3.5m in 2014 and sets the stage for a second targeted phase of growth.