Airship to create 50 jobs with six-figure investment

Lytham St Annes-based artwork studio Airship Interactive has secured a £450,000 investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

The company, founded in 2008, serves the gaming industry with clients including Disney, EA, Microsoft, and Supermassive Games.

Airship first received backing from NPIF - FW Capital Debt Finance, which is managed by FW Capital and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, in 2020 when it received £350,000 investment for new job creation.

This latest round of funding will deliver £450,000 NPIF - FW Capital Debt Finance investment to support its significant growth plan. This includes the recruitment of 50 new staff, key strategic hires, securing a second office, alongside investment in research and new service lines.

Alistair Igo, FW Capital’s senior investment executive, said: "Airship Interactive is a fantastic local growth story and have continued to enjoy success during the pandemic. When we first started working with Airship Interactive, they had 15 staff and sales of £1m but in just two years they have grown to employ over 70 staff and £3.4m of sales. The business is forecast to grow further in the next 12 months to employ 100 staff and reach £6m sales. This is really impressive.

“NPIF is specifically designed to encourage job creation and we are pleased that we have been able to support Airship Interactive as they look to strengthen their team and grow the business."

Joe Harford, CEO of Airship Interactive, said: "The gaming industry has been very strong over the last few years, and we have been able to capitalise on this increased demand for our art services and increase our share of the market. Through continued investment we have built a highly skilled team of specialists complemented with the latest technology and equipment and this new investment will allow us to expand the business even further.

"We are working with major global gaming companies for some of the highest profile projects and thanks to this substantial investment we can continue to attract the best talent to join our team."