A specialist website development company which received D2N2 grant funding has merged with a leading East Midlands video production company.
Purpose Media is based in South Normanton, Derbyshire, and received an Unlocking Investment for Growth (UI4G) grant of £85,000 from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) last summer (2015), enabling it to triple existing office space and create ten new jobs. It went on to announce excellent end of year results last December.
Purpose Media has now merged with Mansfield-based A-Star Media (pictured) which has worked with the D2N2 LEP and its Growth Hub on various projects over the past two years.
The D2N2 LEP is a partnership of businesses, local authorities, skills and training providers and community and voluntary organisations which works to grow the economies of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Purpose Media’s grant came from D2N2’s Unlocking Investment for Growth (UI4G) programme, set up to help businesses bridge funding gaps in expansion projects. UI4G was funded by the UK’s Regional Growth Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, and awarded through D2N2’s Investment Panel, with the aim of creating long term sustainable jobs.
Projects that A-Star Media have worked with the LEP on are:
- Exhibiting its ‘Slo Mo Lab’ at the D2N2 Growth Hub’s first anniversary event (December 2015).
- D2N2 LEP 2014/15 Annual Review Video (Jul 2015) (A still from which is pictured)
- D2N2 Annual Conference Film 2013-14 (Jul 2014)
- D2N2 2014 Strategic Plan with Peter Richardson (Feb 2014)
- D2N2 Strategic Plan Film (Feb 2014)
- D2N2 Low Carbon Action Plan (Nov 2013)
- D2N2 – Innovation is in our DNA (Jul 2013)
Since it was set-up in 2008, A-Star Media has worked with major clients including UK Trade and Investment, the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, Speedo and the BBC.
Katrina Atherton, Business Director at A-Star, is also a business representative on the D2N2 Growth Hub’s Project Board, which oversees its operations and future direction. Since the D2N2 Growth Hub was set up it has supported and advised over 1500 businesses.
Matt Wheatcroft, Managing Director at Purpose Media, said: “Given the demand for video content it was vital that we had an in-house resource to offer this service.
“A-Star Media is a leader in their field and I am delighted that they have agreed to join forces with Purpose Media, as it offers growth and development opportunities to both companies and our respective clients.”
For more information on Purpose Media, click here , and to learn more about A-Star Media, click here.
Further information on the D2N2 Growth Hub can be found on its website here
Media wanting more information about D2N2’s work can contact Sam Burbage, D2N2 Social Media and Marketing Officer, on 0115 9578254, or by email sam.burbage@d2n2lep.org.
