Gaming sector specialist relocates and grows its team after further NPIF boost

Airship Interactive, which provides art services for some of the world’s largest gaming companies including Disney, Microsoft, Blizzard, 2KGames and Sony Playstation Studios, has received a six-figure investment to support its significant growth with the opening of an 8,000 sq ft office at Bruntwood SciTech’s Glasshouse on Alderley Park in South Manchester.
The funding has been provided by NPIF II-FW Capital Debt Finance, which is managed by FW Capital as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
It has supported Airship Interactive’s relocation from its previous HQ in Lytham St Annes to a new, larger site at Alderley Park that accommodates the firm’s rapid growth and sees the creation of nine jobs.
Airship Interactive has earned a reputation as one of the leading art production studios for the games industry by being at the forefront of research and development into new design and production techniques.
It was set up in 2008 by CEO Joe Harford. This is the third round of investment the business has received from FW Capital, which provided backing in 2020 and 2022 from the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, to assist growth and job creation.
Joe Harford said: “When we first started working with FW Capital four years ago, we had 15 staff and sales of £1m. Today we’ve scaled the business to employ over 85 staff, 50 global contractors and sales of circa £9m.
“This is testament to the hard work and expertise of our team and the ongoing evolution of gaming systems and software.”
He said the increased demand for its services meant it needed to expand to larger premises.
The Glasshouse development at Alderley Park has been specifically designed for hi-tech, innovative and creative companies and he said it’s great to be part of a thriving tech community.
“We’re 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.”
Alistair Igo, FW Capital’s Portfolio Executive, said: “Airship Interactive is an impressive business that continues to record significant growth. I’m thrilled to support Joe and the team with this latest round of funding which has seen the business expand into a new office and create further new jobs.”
Sue Barnard, Senior Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “It’s brilliant to see businesses like Airship Interactive continue to scale, using NPIF II funding to support further team expansion, unlocking potential and driving forward innovation in the region.”