Duke of York meets Teesside graduate entrepreneurs and opens new University Gateway

The Duke of York will meet graduates who have set up their own businesses on the campus when he visits the University of Teesside, including two Canadians who came to Middlesbrough to study computer graphics and stayed on to set up their own computer games company, Onisoft.

The new business start-ups are part of a growing trend on Teesside of students deciding to stay put when they graduate and use their skills and expertise to help create a cluster of digital–based companies in the area. Since 2000, over 60 companies have been established, thanks to help from the University’s Upgrade2 Graduate Enterprise initiative.

The three companies the Duke will meet are based in the newly renovated Victoria Building, which was redeveloped thanks to support from the European Regional Development Fund and One NorthEast.

During his visit to the former Victoria Road School building, the Duke will also find out about Middlesbrough’s exciting DigitalCity initiative from the project’s director, Janice Webster. The Duke will complete his visit to the campus by officially opening the new Gateway project.

The University of Teesside’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Henderson said: "I am delighted to welcome His Royal Highness the Duke of York to the University today. It is a particular pleasure that a senior member of the Royal Family has been able to join us in our 75th anniversary year and that we have been able to share with him the work we are doing to support the development of new companies on the campus and also the DigitalCity regeneration project. I am sure the Duke has gained an excellent picture of the work of both the University and the wider Tees Valley".

Background on the three companies the Duke will meet:

Onisoft UK Limited Canadians’ Doug Wolff and Paul Dolhai came to study on the MSc Computer Graphics course at the University of Teesside on the course after graduating with BSc degrees in Computer Science from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

Originally they intended returning to Canada to set up a video game development company there, but were lured to stay in Middlesbrough by the support offered by the University of Teesside’s graduate enterprise initiative.

Onisoft seeks to make next generation Japanese-style fantasy role-playing video games through their ‘Fate of Ages’ project. One of the pillars for founding Onisoft is to offer opportunities to students who have creative drive and ambition to work in the video games environment.

Onisoft became a Limited Company on November 8, 2002 and currently has three full-time employees, four part-time and ten commission-based employees.

Their successes so far include securing £50,000 in grant funding to develop the ‘Fate of Ages’ project and acceptance into the Xbox Incubator Program, which provides further support towards the goal of getting their game published.

Fake Believe Studios Fake Believe was established in September 2003 by Sara Waters from Middlesbrough, Matt Sibley from Stockton and Richard Hemsworth from East Cleveland. Sara and Richard are on a four year BA course in Creative Visualisation and Matt is doing the Computer Animation course, all at the University of Teesside.

The business was started during the third year on their ‘sandwich’ courses, their placement year, during which students are expected to get industry experience. However, securing such placements in the animation industry, particularly in the North-East, can be difficult so the trio decided to establish their own business instead.

Specialising in 2D and 3D animation Fake Believe Studios have gained a presence amongst leading creative industries within the UK and maintain close contact with the local community. Their aim is to expand this reputation within the animation industry worldwide.

Strange Agency Managing Director Clive Fencott is a PhD graduate and Senior Lecturer in Computer Games Design at the University of Teesside. He founded Strange Agency in September 2004 as a spin out company from the University with co-directors Oliver Davies, Jo Clay and Paul van Schaik.

Strange Agency provides specialist ‘proof of content’ services to the computer games industry by focusing on reducing both the cost and risk of developing computer games.

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