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‘There’s a definite sense right now that the tech sector in Middlesbrough is maturing,’ says Iain McPherson [MSc Digital Applied Media, 2010], co-founder and CEO of Big Bite Creative. to return to the office for at least part of the week to see each other and be able to have face-to-face contact.’ And, with a large proportion of the company’s workforce recruited from the alumni community, it is clear why the company sees the University as an ongoing partner.

Like a number of other businesses founded by Teesside University graduates, such as Behaviour UK (Formerly SockMonkey Studios) and Double Eleven, Big Bite has moved well beyond the start-up stage to become a cornerstone of the Tees Valley digital economy.

As the only agency in the UK to hold the prestigious WordPress VIP Gold status, Big Bite works with major brands including News Corp, Gumtree and Amnesty International to improve how they publish digital content, covering everything from editorial workflows to end-user experience. Indeed, the company’s offices at Albert Road are testament to its continued success. The large, glass-fronted, high-tech, open-plan facility is a far cry from the company’s more humble beginnings in 2011 on the top floor of the Phoenix Building at the University’s Middlesbrough campus.

The company moved into its new offices just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. ('Maybe that was a bit of a mistake timing wise, but it actually worked out really well for us,' notes Iain Wryly.) Nevertheless, as other companies in the tech sector used lockdown as an excuse to downsize their facilities and encourage their employees to work remotely, Big Bite has taken a different tack.

Operating a hybrid model, with its approximately 33 staff working a minimum of two days a week in the office, the company has invested heavily in developing a workplace culture that attracts and, perhaps more importantly, retains staff.

‘We don’t have a single person working fully remotely,’ says Chief Operating Officer Sarah McCormick [BA (Hons) Marketing and Public Relations, 2009] proudly. ‘We gave the team the choice to work from home following the pandemic, but it was a unanimous decision that we all wanted to return to the office for at least part of the week to see each other and be able to have face-to-face contact.’

Businesses founded by Teesside University students have some of the highest turnover in the country, bringing millions of pounds of revenue into the North East region and beyond. £94 MILLION turnover of current Teesside University graduate businesses. 7th highest in the UK

to return to the office for at least part of the week to see each other and be able to have face-to-face contact.

As Iain explains, Big Bite embraces the truisms that staff are a business’s number-

As lain explains, Big Bite embraces the truisms that staff are a business's number-one asset and it is easier and cheaper to retain good employees than to recruit new ones.

‘We’ve implemented quite a few new initiatives in the past two years, such as hybrid working, increased pension contributions, flexible hours, personal development budgets and mental health support. All of these have been implemented as a result of continuous engagement and dialogue with staff to discern what they really need rather than being imposed by management,’ says Sarah. And, with a large proportion of the company’s workforce recruited from the alumni community, it is clear why the company sees the University as an ongoing partner.

To help bridge the gap between university and the workplace, Big Bite has employed a mentor to help graduates as they adapt to life at Big Bite, and it is anticipated that this person will work closely with Teesside University on areas such as bootcamps and curriculum development to ease the transition from university to employment.

It is this approach that has seen Big Bite recognised recently by the Sunday Times as being one of the best places in the UK to work, ranking in the top 10 nationally for small businesses, while also being highly commended in the Best Place to Work for Employee Wellbeing award with an engagement score of 98%.

lain and Sarah, together with Chief Technical Officer Jason Agnew [BSc (Hons) Computer Programming, 2009], and Chief Engineering Officer Mark Goodyear [BA (Hons) Graphic Design, 2009], form a C-Suite at Big Bite dominated by Teesside University graduates. As a maturing Tees Valley business, lain recognises the important role Big Bite plays supporting the region's economy and is keen to continue engaging with new and upcoming companies through events such as Refresh Teesside and ExpoTees.

£94 MILLION turnover of current Teesside University graduate businesses. 7th highest in the UK

As a maturing Tees Valley business, Iain recognises the important role Big Bite plays supporting the region's economy and is keen to continue engaging with new and upcoming companies through events such as Refresh Teesside and ExpoTees.

Ultimately, this links to his ambition to keep Big Bite as a company which retains and attracts people to come and live and work in the region.

'For me it's all about the quality of the work,' he says. 'I'm not interested in scaling to a ridiculous size. I want to continue doing work which is really fun and exciting with interesting clients. 'That's what drives me.'

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graduate enterprises trading after three years. 1st in the North East.

*Academic Year 2021/22 - HESA Intellectual property: Spin-off activities by HE provider 2014/15 to 2021/22 table, sourced from Higher Education - Business and Community Interaction survey data. Find out more at tees.ac.uk/source.