SME News- IT Awards 2025 IT Awards 2025 Website Traffic Generation Specialists of the Year 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 The Genius Group (TGG) is a one-stop-shop for full-service creative and digital marketing with a monumental dedication to lead generation, e-commerce marketing, crypto marketing, and Shopify development. Here we explore the company’s growth over the past decade as it is awarded with two accolades in our IT Awards 2025.
IT Awards 2025 Phone: 0203 970 0018 Website: smenews.digital Sofi Parry Senior Editor No information contained on or in this website constitutes investment advice or an offer to invest or to provide management services and is subject to correction, completion and amendment without notice. Neither AI nor any of its associated entities are authorised to give financial advice of any nature nor are they regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Prior to making any investment, AI recommends that any prospective investor should consult with its own investment, accounting, legal and tax advisers to evaluate independently the risks, consequences and suitability of that investment. AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. SME News is proud to announce the return of the IT Awards 2025, a celebration of the outstanding achievements, innovations, and contributions made by IT businesses across the UK. This prestigious awards program highlights the individuals, companies, and service providers at the forefront of the UK’s thriving IT industry, showcasing their role in driving technological progress and empowering businesses nationwide. The UK’s IT market is a dynamic and diverse ecosystem, encompassing everything from software development and cybersecurity to data analytics, cloud computing, and IT consultancy. As digital transformation continues to reshape business operations, IT products and service companies are poised for remarkable growth, with Information Technology quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing industries in the country. This has positioned the sector as an indispensable pillar of the economy, supporting countless other sectors with critical infrastructure and innovative solutions. Whether it’s enabling small businesses to embrace digital transformation or providing cutting-edge technologies to large enterprises, IT companies play a vital role in driving efficiency, security, and progress. In recent years, the UK IT industry has continued to evolve rapidly, adapting to emerging trends and meeting ever-changing customer demands. Key developments such as AI-powered tools, edge computing, and advanced automation are helping businesses operate smarter and faster. At the same time, the increasing focus on data privacy and cybersecurity has pushed IT firms to develop more robust and reliable solutions...
Contents 4. The Genius Group (TGG): Website Traffic Generation Specialists of the Year 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 8. Radicore Software Limited: Best Open Source App Development Solution 2025: RADICORE 10. H2K Solutions Ltd: Best Cloud Infrastructure Architecture Design Specialists 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 11. Reshepe: Most Innovative Web Performance Monitoring Company 2025 12. CloudNukes: Best Emerging Tech Skills Provider 2025 & Excellence Award for Career Support Services 2025 13. Kocho: Best Managed IT Services Company 2025 – Cardiff 14. Lantos Business Solutions Ltd: Most Client- Focused Data & Technology Delivery Partner 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 15. GOIA Technologies Ltd: Best AI-Driven Cybersecurity Provider 2025 16. 20i: Best Cloud Hosting Platform 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 17. Impact Early Years Ltd: Best Early Years Leadership Platform 2025 18. UpSlide: Best Document Automation & Content Enablement Platform 2025 19. Enigen UK Limited: Best Digital Transformation Technology Company 2025 – East of England 20. Nationwide Fleet Services Ltd: Best Fleet Maintenance Technology Company 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 21. Sumillion Limited: Best Sustainable IT Reseller 2025 & Social Impact Excellence Award 2025 22. Desynit Limited: Best CRM Implementation Partner 2025 & 2025 Pro- Bono Company of the Year 23. Fertile Frog Ltd: Best Full-Service Digital Agency 2025 – North West England & Client Service Excellence Award 2025
SME News IT Awards 2025/ 4 Website Traffic Generation Specialists of the Year 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 The Genius Group (TGG) is a one-stop-shop for full-service creative and digital marketing with a monumental dedication to lead generation, e-commerce marketing, crypto marketing, and Shopify development. Here we explore the company’s growth over the past decade as it is awarded with two accolades in our IT Awards 2025. It’s 2015 and Chris Niebel and Mark Shephard - both majorly successful in their fields - decide to create a business. It has to be close-knit. It must have a sense of humility, but, mixed in with monumental hard work, and no compromise on the goal. Fast forward to 2025 and you will see a bigger team, all with the same core values and shared vision. Serving a wide range of clients and customers, TGG has swiftly yet steadily established itself as a reliable partner for digital growth. Its lead generation, e-commerce marketing, crypto marketing, and Shopify development skills have truly pushed the company to the forefront of the all-important sector, and has resulted in high-profile partnerships – including brands of great global status such as TikTok, Google, and Meta. As a performance marketing specialist, the enterprise continues to positively impact, grow, and enrich its customers’ online presence – with monumental achievements going hand-in-hand with its dedication. For example, TGG generated over 6 million leads and 3.3 million cases for clients in the legal sector. This demonstrates that its team’s hard work is not only admirable but entirely successful. Its ability to enhance measurable business outcomes with its digital innovation and commitment to a brighter future for its partnerships has also solidified its position as a one-stop-shop for lead generation, e-commerce, and, of course, digital growth in every way. This full-service creative and digital marketing agency is truly making waves in terms of growth, both having steadily expanded over the past decade and in its future plans – both near and distant. TGG has recently committed itself to a new office space of 14,000 sq. ft nestled in Altrincham town centre, moving its headquarters to the well-known Foundation. The past three years has seen TGG drive over £2.3bn worth of sales for its clients, countless campaigns for charities, including one founded by Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, and £107 million in growth of its customer base. These huge landmarks are representative of the hard work the entire team put in on a daily basis, so that not only TGG can thrive but also so that its customers can reap the benefits. Aiding SMEs and Fortune500 companies to gain and connect with more online clients, TGG utilises its creative, strategic, and proven techniques to help others to flourish. Designing and managing strategic content, in
addition to social media marketing campaigns, the company helps others to target the best leads to close sales, form partnerships, and deliver business growth via digital means. TGG’s strong focus on sustainability – for the planet and its people – is reflected in its choice to re-establish its headquarters to Foundation, through a partnership between Bruntwood and Trafford Council. Having chosen an office with a diverse assortment of amenities designed to enrich both productivity and wellbeing, the company is sure to have all it needs to elevate its methods to the next level. Taking good care of its team, TGG has picked the perfect spot which includes wellness studios to encourage deeper levels of self-care, closer links to transportation for shorter commute times or issues, and a space sustainably balanced using biophilia. As the Foundation's structure is constructed of living walls, with natural light throughout, 36,000 plants grown by ‘I Want Plants’ in South Manchester, and more, both TGG’s team and our planet will benefit from this positive move. Atop this, in close quarters with TGG’s work for charities, the company takes pride in supporting the mental health of its team. To encourage even more healthy minds, the relocation to Foundation will be an exciting start to a new chapter of creativity, deeper happiness, and even more growth. As mentioned, TGG’s interaction with, and support of, Clarke’s charity SameYou stems from the team’s philanthropic drive. The company fully supports the charity which helps to enrich the lives of those in recovery treatment for survivors of brain injuries – aiding them in their steps towards living a happier and mentally healthier life again. In the same vein, TGG also works on a plethora of other philanthropic endeavours. Having donated over £100,000 to charities and having worked closely with Make-AWish Foundation – where the company had provided experiences for those the charity supports – the business’ values of partnership, support, and care are ultimately ingrained into all it does. Its daily work, with regards to crypto marketing, lead generation, e-commerce support and development, and more, continues to result in skyrocketing leads, deals, partnerships, and customer bases for its clients. TGG helps businesses to understand more, create more, and achieve more year upon year. Furthermore, with its guidance, businesses can develop their own strategies that are able to stand the test of time as TGG delivers all the tools necessary to enhance digital strategies, content creation and management, and higher conversion rates from lead to sale. Demonstrating the nature of the feedback TGG receives on a regular basis, American Express said: “TGG was formed less than a decade ago with a self-declared mission to "redefine digital marketing. Having already generated £3 billion in sales for its clients, the digital marketing agency has shown how a small team can make a big impact.”
SME News IT Awards 2025/ 6 Reverse Life summarised: “Our collagen company started out in lockdown with no customers. Fast forward five years, and we’re now the UK’s best-selling bottled collagen, selling one bottle every 60 seconds. None of this would have happened without TGG. That’s a fact.” Courmacs Legal commented: “As pioneers in our field, we needed a truly world-class company to help elevate us. Thanks to TGG, we surpassed our targets with ease. Over three million claims were generated, and over one million clients would not have been possible without their team’s help.” Valid8IP shared: “With the help of the TGG team, we streamlined our service and attracted new customers we didn’t even think of, enabling us to record our best years yet in terms of lead generation and expanding our clientele.” As the UK’s #1 full-service digital agency for website traffic generation, and for all the technical solutions needed to grow a business’ online presence, TGG has grown on a monumental scale throughout the past 10 years. Now, as the future beckons, TGG is soon to move to an even larger office in line with its expanding team and greater number of clients. This growth is set to impact countless businesses in their efforts to expand their online presence, while driving positive change for its deeply valued clients, and we’re sure to see TGG flourish for another decade – and beyond. Awarded with Website Traffic Generation Specialists of the Year 2025 and our Client Service Excellence Award 2025, TGG has not only been recognised for its solutions but we truly applaud its dedication to taking good care of its clients’ needs in any way it can. We are proud to showcase TGG’s prestigious titles and even more delighted to recommend partnering with the company for innovative solutions within the realms of website traffic generation. Contact: Claire Niebel Company: The Genius Group (TGG) Website: https://genius.co.uk/
SME News IT Awards 2025/ 8 The Radicore framework is the perfect tool for building web-based enterprise applications where business-critical data is involved. As an open source Rapid Application Development (RAD) framework, the Radicore solution continues to add value to businesses around the world. We caught up with Founder and Director Tony Marston who told us more about the innovative framework. As a RAD toolkit for seamless administrative web applications/enterprise applications, Radicore utilises its founder and director Tony Maston’s years of experience in database design, application creation, and software development. Tony told us: “The Radicore framework is based on similar frameworks which I wrote in other languages in the 1980s and the 1990s. I began writing it in 2002 and publishing articles about its design in 2003. “I released it as open source in 2006, and shortly after I was asked by a web design company to build a small back-office application with RBAC controls for one of their clients. This was so successful they asked if I could build similar applications for more of their clients, but instead of a separate bespoke application for each one they asked me to build a general-purpose package which could be used my multiple clients.” With a successful start to this open source application, Tony found himself taking on the challenge completely and wholeheartedly. He continued: “I began building this in 2007, and it went live with the first customer in May 2008 under the name TRANSIX. In 2014 I formed a partnership with Geoprise Technologies in order to market an enhanced version of the application to organisations all over the world using the brand name GM-X (https://geoprise. com/content/gm-x-application-suite).” Specifically created and used to build multi-user database applications in need of a Role Base Access Control (RBAC) system, Radicore supports businesses wherein each department has access to and can use only the parts of the system which they need to carry out their duties. Built with four core modules such as Menu and Security, Audit, Workflow, and Data Dictionary, and additional subsystems like Purchase Order Processing, Invoicing, Inventory, Shipments, and more, Radicore covers absolutely everything a business may need from their enterprise application. In addition, Tony shared: “As well as making the framework available to other developers so that they can build their own applications, either for personal or business use, Radicore offers a consultancy service for organisations whereby we can design and build their application for them, or even to train their developers how to use the framework themselves.” From delivering a fully developed program that a business can utilise to providing customisable content for developers, Radicore’s offerings are perfect for applications which have HTML pages at the front end, a relational database at the back end, and software in the middle to manage every business rule from within. Radicore introduces even more straightforward management into a business’ daily operations, especially as the database is specifically made for the needs of each user to achieve more by using this innovative Open Source Software (OSS). With such varied and ever-evolving business needs across the corporate landscape, Radicore’s software is able to aid every major and minor aspect of managing digital operations efficiently and easily – without the user needing to dive deep into complex coding themselves. Designed and created by Tony himself, Radicore is able to support users every step of the way. Tony’s commitment to the users of his software has pushed the company into the limelight, especially as his extra support via the framework keeps users able to optimise their experience. With regards to Radicore’s approach to trends and changes, as well as adaptations within its software and the industries it helps, Tony commented: “While new programming techniques appear occasionally I do not rush to adopt them just to be fashionable. Once I have built something that works I keep using it, and only change it if the benefits outweigh the costs. I only implement changes if they are practical and justifiable.” To begin with, the interface created by Radicore was set up to be both consistent and intuitive through its standard templates – which can be learned and understood to deliver peace of mind when using the entire system. Tony enthused: “I did change all my classic HTML screens to provide a responsive web interface so that the applications could run on devices with different screen sizes and resolutions. I managed to achieve this by creating a separate set of my small collection of XSL stylesheets which then enables this feature to be turned on or off at will. This small change was completed in one man-month, but it impacted over 4,000 HTML documents in my ERP application.” In the same vein, the company keeps its fingers directly on the pulse of its users’ needs and requirements to ensure that it can deliver responsive, efficient, progressive, and helpful services all rolled into one neat package. However, this arena does not come without its trials, Tony added: “Challenges can appear from several different quarters. Users of my open source framework can use my forum to ask a question. My answer may be to point them to the documentation, or to point to a working example in one of the prototype applications which is included in the framework download. Sometimes the only way to provide a solution is to amend the framework, such as being able to produce address labels in the PDF processor. Furthermore, Tony explained: “Users of the ERP application may request additional functionality which may require additional database tables or changes to existing Best Open Source App Development Solution 2025: RADICORE
database tables, and either of these can be implemented with ease due to the facilities which I have built into my Data Dictionary. Changes to screens are easily dealt with by amending the screen structure files.” Helping businesses everywhere to manage their databases and operations, Radicore’s work continues to improve our experience of web based database applications with its experienced enterprise application development for a more secure, flexible, and easier future in business ahead. In relation to the rest of this year, Tony said: “Most of my time is now spent on enhancing and maintaining my ERP application, and the challenge at the moment is to satisfy my users’ requirements in the most cost effective manner.” Ensuring that each user has all they need through its OSS, Radicore guarantees that database usage and management can be quick, effective, and to a high standard of quality. Providing its groundbreaking RAD software, this multi-award-winning enterprise is truly making waves that will consistently and positively impact businesses across any sector or industry. Not only building his software from scratch but also constructing a team of likeminded individuals who each understand the OSS in full, Tony works hard to keep his philosophy at the heart of Radicore’s business. By starting with the initial logic of the framework’s design, including every component’s role and interaction with others, Tony’s team members are guided from the beginning to ensure that their work truly creates a positive outcome. From learning through extensive documentation, online tutorials, videos, and several prototype subsystems available to download, team members are onboarded with care and plenty of training. Tony confirmed: “Potential additions to my team must understand the logic of the framework’s design, must understand the responsibilities of each component, and must understand how to augment the standard code with custom code. “My team is able to follow my philosophy of designing the database first, then building the code to follow the database design. My framework provides a series of reusable components which allow the data to flow from the front end to the back end, and back again, in a series of logical steps.” Radicore was uniquely designed and is expertly adapted when needed to ensure that the company, and all of its users, can benefit from a seamless program which handles all business rules in one place. With the ability to customise business rules, users can make the software their own – altering the trajectory of their daily operations for easier workload management, freeing up time to do the things that aids their own customers and their desired business expansion. Awarded Best Open Source App Development Solution 2025: RADICORE in this year’s IT Awards, Radicore has earned itself in the Contact: Tony Marston Website: https://radicore.org/ spotlight once again. The company won the title of Best Open Source Rapid Application Development Toolkit 2024 in The Developer Awards last year, and we are sure that, with its ongoing success and dedication, Radicore will continue to thrive.
SME News IT Awards 2025/ 10 Best Cloud Infrastructure Architecture Design Specialists 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 Based in Leicester, bespoke IT consultancy H2K Solutions Ltd delivers a range of services relating to its mission of enhancing business efficiency and transforming operations through a blend of modern technology and expert leadership. By focusing on the unique needs of businesses and advising them on the best IT solutions, the company helps clients stay ahead through a combination of security and reliability. Hiral Kala, the technical director of H2K Solutions Ltd, was on hand to tell us more. One of the biggest challenges faced by non-tech founders looking to drive their start-ups is understanding what tech stack they need to get up and running. Luckily for these struggling entrepreneurs, helping them establish a scalable tech stack, develop a basic minimum viable product (MVP), and navigate the complexities of IT as they grow are all specialties of H2K Solutions Ltd. With start-ups only on the rise, these services are becoming increasingly sought after in the world of UK SMEs. From a foundation of technical experience and operational insight, H2K Solutions Ltd has built relationships based on trust, handson support, and quick turnaround times – relationships which are especially important for SMEs in the process of navigating digital change. Behind this success is the dedicated duo, Hema Kala and Hiral Kala. As the director and technical director of the company, Hema and Hiral consistently support the growth of the business as well as its myriad of clients. Whilst Hema leads strategy and oversees the design and implementation of data-driven solutions, working closely with clients to help them unlock their full potential, Hiral specialises in translating business processes and technical requirements into blueprints for cloud solutions. Combined, the knowledge of these two experts encompasses everything from assessing vulnerabilities and designing robust security frameworks to developing clear, results-driven solutions tailored to specific needs. This experience is complemented by the adaptable, personal approach inherent within H2K Solutions Ltd, which has been bringing its IT skill and proficiency to start-ups, enterprises, and organisations in the public sector alike for 12 years. The company’s services are the best showcase of this expertise, especially its premier offering: cloud infrastructure architecture design and implementation. Ultimately, the company’s efforts to improve its clients’ experience of cloud operations so that more businesses can truly thrive. As well as its flagship service, H2K Solutions Ltd also delivers cloud security assessments (spanning implementation, governance, and compliance), business intelligence solutions, AI-driven transformation, Website/ Mobile Application development, marketing strategies and management, online design services, business process automation, and more. Such a comprehensive service suite underpins the company’s multifaceted success and status as a trusted partner to its clients and their businesses. Exploring exactly how the couple behind this cloud solutions provider achieve this, Hema and Hiral have utilised the outsource model to create an expansive network of IT professionals from which to draw. The result, apart from an ability to cater to the specific IT requirements of every client, is an entirely remote working environment. This has allowed H2K Solutions Ltd to go international, seen through recent attempts to expand its network across the US and South Africa – especially concerning its AI-based services. “With the rapid emergence of AI tech, we had to review our services this year. The best approach was to get AI-savvy. We had to give a considerable amount of our time to embrace AI services and learn about its impacts and its future. This area still is very challenging and constantly evolving, so will need a lot of our attention.” Coming off the back of a rebrand earlier this year to better align its operation with the slew of opportunities the emerging AI sector is offering, H2K Solutions Ltd is proud to announce it is now a Microsoft AI Cloud Partner. Thus, moving forwards, the company’s main focus will be on cloud security and business intelligence, such as how AI will shape the future of these environments and how clients can embrace these changes. As it continues down this path, this bespoke IT consultancy remains committed to affordable solutions. A cloud-security solutions provider specialising in both competitive IT and AI solutions development services for SMEs, H2K Solutions Ltd is more than deserving of being named a two-time winner in our IT Enterprise Awards 2025. Contact: [email protected] Company: H2K Solutions Ltd Web Address: https://www.h2kitsolutions.com/ Hema Kala Hiral Kala
As SaaS tools evolve, the most effective do not only deliver data, but also clarity. Yet for many developers and teams, diagnosing and improving site features still feels like guesswork. Today, professionals need platforms that integrate seamlessly into their workflows, offer actionable insights, and respect user privacy. Reshepe is built with that exact mindset – changing the game with solutions designed to enhance overall web operations, especially for developers and businesses relying on performance for prosperity. Founder Layla Tichy told us more. Most Innovative Web Performance Monitoring Company 2025 Specialising in web application performance optimisation, Reshepe is a SaaS company dedicated to delivering high quality user experiences and actionable insights. Since its founding in 2024, the company has been on a mission to facilitate a better digital experience for website users and owners alike. To this end, Reshepe’s primary work involves providing tools and services that assist businesses and developers in enhancing website performance to improve user experience and search engine rankings. Its comprehensive offerings include Speed Insights, a service that provides detailed analytics of website performance metrics and identifies areas for improvement; RUM data, monitoring real user experience and key Web Vitals data – based on actual user interactions; and TTFB Pulse, a feature that enables the scanning of Time to First Bite metrics from multiple global regions, providing insights into a website’s initial response times from various geographical locations. “We understand that the IT industry can be vast and complex,” said Layla, “and our approach is to simplify processes for our clients by ensuring a seamless, human-centric experience from the very first interaction. Our commitment to simplicity and client success is integrated into every stage of the client journey.” Indeed, Reshepe’s meticulously developed client service model demonstrates its unfaltering dedication to simplification through a human-first approach. Every element is shaped by personal, responsive service – from initial onboarding calls tailored to individual needs, to direct Teams support that offers immediate, empathetic assistance when challenges arise. The live chat system, staffed exclusively by knowledgeable human experts, reinforces the community’s belief in authentic connection over automated response. Coupled with intuitive product design and seamless integration, Reshepe ensures clients can adopt and optimise their tools with minimal friction. This effective approach is masterfully delivered by Reshepe’s expert team, consisting of a dedicated developer, a talented content writer, and Layla, overseeing product vision and strategy. The team is driven by a significant strength – their longstanding relationship; the three have known each other for approximately 10 years. This decade of shared history forms the bedrock of their collaboration, fostering deep trust, mutual understanding, and highly efficient communication to propel Reshepe to success. “We operate with a high degree of autonomy and shared responsibility,” Layla explained. “Our long history together means we anticipate each other’s needs, streamline decisionmaking, and can tackle challenges in a cohesive and unified approach. This synergy allows us to be highly productive and agile, even as a lean team. We don’t let challenges fester; we face them head-on, prioritising based on urgency and strategic importance.” Operating within a small, cohesive team has been a major asset for Reshepe when the company is faced with adversity. The company’s approach to overcoming obstacles is direct and proactive; as soon as a challenge is identified, the team engage in focused discussions for rapid resolution. Their long history means that the team possess a shared language and trust that facilitates efficient brainstorming and decision making, allowing them to leverage their collective experience to find the most effective solutions. Looking ahead, the future will bring significant innovation and strategic expansion for Reshepe, as the company gears up for a number of core product enhancements and evolutions. Its upcoming developments include integrating advanced AI helper and insights into its features, as well as expanding its developercentric ecosystem through two core initiatives: developing and launching the Reshepe Command Line Interface tool and implementing comprehensive Git integrations to complement the CLI tool. These plans are designed to amplify actionable insights, enhance developer workflow, and expand Reshepe’s market reach. “We are actively building upon our current success by rolling out powerful new features that will further empower our clients and solidify our position as leaders in web performance optimisation,” Layla concluded. “The remainder of 2025 promises to be a transformative period for Reshepe, marked by significant product innovations that will further solidify our mission of making the web faster, more efficient, and a better experience for everyone.” Company: Reshepe Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.reshepe.dev
SME News IT Awards 2025/ 12 Best Emerging Tech Skills Provider 2025 & Excellence Award for Career Support Services 2025 The East London town of Ilford is home to CloudNukes, an EdTech company striving to democratise access to cloud and DevOps skills – two of the most underrepresented and yet in-demand talents sought after today. Through its industry-aligned training and mentorship programmes, CloudNukes empowers career-switching professionals with no prior tech experience to break into six-figure roles in this space. For more on this, we caught up with Smith Egharevba, the founder of CloudNukes. In a world powered by technology, one surefire way for people to future-proof their careers and face financial success is to embrace the digital sphere, learn its secrets, and make it work for them. CloudNukes helps its clients do exactly that, taking aspiring technologists and professionals from non-tech careers, such as teaching and retail, and supporting them in landing jobs at some of the world’s foremost tech firms. “We measure success not just by enrolments, but by real job offers, salary increases, and career fulfilment. Many of our alumni had no tech background and are now building infrastructure for billion-dollar companies.” At the heart of CloudNukes’ hands-on cloud training for beginners is the Cloud DevOps Mastery Bootcamp, a 15-week, projectbased cloud DevOps bootcamp comprising an intensive, mentorship-driven curriculum. The origins of this programme stem from the team here realising that existing platforms could not deliver the kind of immersive learning experience they envisioned. So, they created their own – one complete with features such as cloud labs, AI-led coaching, micro-wins, and badges. Alongside the best online platform for cloud engineering, the team also run foundational courses, offer opportunities across real-world projects, assist with interview prep, and deliver tailored career support services to bridge the gap between learning environments and the more specific challenges of employment. Every element of this service suite revolves around this ultimate aim of a career change to tech without experience. As this demonstrates, CloudNukes’ projectbased approach to learning has been carefully designed to replicate the type of work that its learners will do once they enter into their real-world tech roles. Rather than its students just sitting and consuming content, the guidance they are provided in everything from actively building and deploying cloud infrastructure to setting up pipelines simulates actual jobs they will be tasked with. Exploring this learn-by-doing ethos further, Smith told us: “Rather than overwhelm learners with theory, we guide them through building real cloud infrastructure, deploying apps with CI/CD, automating pipelines, and more, all whist explaining the ‘why’ behind each step.” This keeps things simple in an increasingly complex industry and provides people with the confidence they need to break into tech, as well as the skills. However, what really sets the company apart is how it uses an AI-powered tech career platform, its AI Learning Assistant, to measurably enhance learning outcomes by providing students with real-time feedback on their projects, delivering guided troubleshooting during workshops, and building bespoke learning paths based on personal performance. As Smith explained: “This layer of smart automation allows us to deliver personalised support at scale and is one of the biggest reasons behind our high job placement rate.” Equally as important in the success of the CloudNukes is its lean, passionate team of engineers, mentors, career coaches, and content creators – all of whom are aligned with the company-wide mission of being focused, collaborative, and continuously improving. The hybrid nature of CloudNukes sees the best of both worlds delivered to its staff, who remain connected through a combination of async tools and agile sprints. Fuelled by the welcome burden of having the ability to change people’s lives for the better, the rest of the year is about three things for the company: scale, automation, and impact. For example, it is launching the CloudNukes AI-Powered Career Assistant, designed to help students better navigate the likes of job searches and salary negotiations. Other initiatives include expanding into corporate upskilling and making the transition from a course-only model to a membership, offering events and community support. Because tech careers are not a sprint, but a journey, CloudNukes has positioned itself as the premier provider for those in search of hands-on training cloud training for beginners. Be it the disruptive force that is its project-based cloud DevOps bootcamp or its harnessing of AI to empower its learners to thrive in an AI-powered future, CloudNukes is proudly changing the very face of the tech industry – one story at a time. Contact: Smith Egharevba | Founder/CEO Company: CloudNukes Web Address: https://cloudnukes.com/
The word Kocho is Japanese for ‘butterfly’, a theme close to the heart of the company as a result of the epic transformation it has been on over the past two decades. Kocho was born out of a merger between TiG Data Intelligence (formerly The Internet Group) and ThirdSpace (formerly the Oxford Computer Group), which were formed in 2001 and 2002, respectively. The result is that Kocho today operates atop a wealth of expertise stemming from the industry’s brightest minds. With a unique blend of IT solutions to its name, Kocho excels in providing companies with the tools they need to succeed in a cloud-first world. From protecting identities to securing data, the company’s more than 400-strong team of highly skilled IT specialists serve over 650 clients – including giants such as Such as, Welsh Water, Viking, and BT – ensuring they can operate as efficiently and securely as possible. This is reflected in the company’s mission, which is to keep technology simple – even as it gets increasingly complex. It is clear these efforts are paying off, as Kocho is today an eighttime Microsoft Partner of the Year, a feat achieved on the back of the company having been an identity and security Microsoft partner for more than 25 years across its various iterations. Kocho also holds all of Microsoft’s security accreditation and is a member of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association, positioning it as one of the brand’s most decorated partners. All of this makes its managed services, which encompass everything from IT support and security operations to networking, unrivalled when it comes to both asset fortification and cost reduction. One of the best examples of its work in this space was seen just last year, when the company launched a managed XDR. This AI-driven security operations service offers everything from easy onboarding to real-time reporting. Beyond its offerings to clients, Kocho embodies a similar excellence within. This is seen through its recognition in The Sunday Times’ list of the Best Places to Work 2025, a testament to the collaborative, people-first culture it prides itself on nurturing. Other cornerstones of this internal environment are doing the right thing, thinking greater, and recognising that it is better together. These three components comprise the Kocho Way – the set of core values its immensely talented people strive to uphold every day. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without the fantastically talented, passionate, and motivated people that we have.” – Nicola Rees, Kocho’s People Director Whilst Kocho is a wholly collaborative effort, the team at its Cardiff base – or its Security Operations Centre (SOC) – deserve a special mention, with these individuals operating from a state-of-the-art, restricted-access facility in the heart of the city. This level of security ensures businesses receive the highest levels of threat detection and incident response, as well as round-the-clock security monitoring. The SOC is currently one of Kocho’s main areas of focus, with ambitious plans in place for its growth in coming years. Diving deeper into this, Lewis told us: “By expanding both our SOC team and cyber security expertise, we are able to ensure businesses can modernise their infrastructure and data strategies, all whilst maintaining robust security.” It is ultimately the combination of this forward-looking approach with a client-first mindset that sees solutions provided to more than meet real businesses’ security needs – a path it continues to walk. In short, when it comes to everything from secure cloud transformation to managed IT services and securing data and AI, few companies possess the blend of expertise and a client-first ethos that sets Kocho – a multiaward-winning Microsoft Partner – apart. As a result, the company is a fitting recipient of this award and a place in the programme. Contact: Lewis Coburn Company: Kocho Web Address: https://kocho.co.uk/ Based out of Cardiff and London, Kocho is a Microsoft partner with a focus on identity, security, and cloud-based solutions. The company delivers a number of managed IT and professional services to clients, all of which are geared towards helping their businesses modernise and secure their IT infrastructure. We caught up with the company’s own Lewis Coburn on the back of its recognition in this programme, hoping to find out more about how clients from across the UK benefit from these services. Best Managed IT Services Company 2025 – Cardiff
SME News IT Awards 2025/ 14 Most ClientFocused Data & Technology Delivery Partner 2025 & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 Founded 19 years ago with a single aim – to deliver technical and project management services to the central government – Lantos Business Solutions Ltd today serves local governments, the private and education sectors, the third sector, and international clients. Even as it has evolved, the company’s focus has remained the same, and it is as dedicated as ever to being a trusted digital, technology delivery and assurance partner to its clients. With a professional ethos and a drive to empower to boot, Lantos strives to deliver the best outcomes every time to its clients – resulting in its recognition in this programme. Lantos is a digital, data, and technology (DDaT) management consultancy practice committed to delivering value for both private and public-sector clients. When the company was established in 2006, its aim was to deliver high-quality technical and project management services to central government, particularly concerning criminal justice. Since this time, the company has developed and expanded, and today provides its services to many government departments, as well as private sector and international clients. Regardless of which sector they are working in, the aim of Lantos’ team is to be recognised as trusted delivery partners who provide value-added services to develop confident and successful working relationships with their clients. All of this stems from a focus on taking a people-first approach to their work, utilising the right mix of digital, technology, data, and humanity to succeed, irrespective of the size or scope they cover. On the back of this approach, Lantos has significant experience providing DDaT senior delivery services, with a proven track-record of national and international programme and project management across several IT areas – including infrastructure (WAN, LAN, telephony, video, Unified Comms, and cloud services), digital service, and application delivery. This array of services has resulted in Lantos designing and delivering a number of influential programmes, projects, and services over the last two decades. Exploring just one of these in more detail, a recent project for Lantos in the field of delivery management was a digital and technology savings and efficiency project for the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) of the government. Carrying out this project in early 2023, the company delivered specialist project management, data analysis, and financial assurances to manage and deliver the savings project for the 21/22 financial year, which was needed to publish the Cabinet Office’s annual savings and efficiency report. The project necessitated an initial deep dive to review and evaluation of the digital and technology spending to have taken place over the course of the year so as to identify suitable spending cases with acknowledged types of savings and efficiency benefits. This required the team to work with the CDDO Performance and Assurance Senior DDaT advisors to review, scrutinise, and evaluate a range of spending cases, before passing them to the GIAA for an independent and external audit to verify the savings and the figures. This project is a fantastic example of the collaborative, joined-up approach that Lantos prides itself on when it comes to working with clients – including their organisational teams, stakeholders, and variety of third-party suppliers. Essentially, its ability to do this is seen through the company selecting and providing only the most highly experienced consultants for its clients’ projects, ensuring both their needs and priorities are met. In addition to its delivery management services, Lantos also offers strategy and change consultancy, which makes sure any transformation or transition IT strategic directions align seamlessly with a business and underpin its policies, priorities, and needs. A representative for the company told us: “This includes the provision of programme strategy development and assurance, business case assurance, and change management services.” With Lantos having spent the past few years effectively managing assurances across digital, technology, and commercial spending with increasingly reduced annual budgets – as seen in the case study above – its belief that a robust, structured portfolio is a key factor in governmental and private sector organisations maximising confidence and minimising risk is clearly paying off. And it is this which ultimately sets it apart in this space. Empowering the best decisions and delivering successful outcomes, Lantos Business Solutions Ltd is more than a service provider – it is a partner to its clients in every sense of the word. For more information on the full range of services and insights it can offer its partners – as well as case studies – simply follow the link down below. Contact: Chris Johnston Email: [email protected] Company: Lantos Business Solutions Ltd
Cyber threats are on the rise, with UK businesses standing as prime targets. According to the UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025, 42% of small businesses have experienced a cyberattack or breach in the past year, equating to approximately 612,000 UK-based SMEs. This sector is particularly vulnerable, as many SMEs lack the means to effectively protect themselves against the growing threat. This is where GOIA Technologies steps in, a company providing AI-powered cybersecurity solutions to train, protect, and empower clients and their businesses in the rapidly evolving cyber space. We spoke with Gerard Ouattara below, Co-Founder and CEO of GOIA Technologies, as the company places in the IT Awards 2025. Best AI-Driven Cybersecurity Provider 2025 Located in London, GOIA Technologies is a next-gen cybersecurity firm heling small and medium-sized businesses defend their digital frontlines. Since its inception in 2025, the firm has dedicated itself to simplifying businesses without IT teams, working alongside their MSP to cover the gaps they were simply not built to handle. At its core, GOIA Technologies believes security should be smart, adaptive, and humanfriendly, operating with the goal of making protection a force for growth, not a blocker. Specialising in AI-driven protection, compliance, and threat intelligence, GOIA Technologies works with a range of SMEs within healthcare, retail, and finance – and more increasingly, education and traditional sectors such as haulage. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of services, including AI-powered phishing detection and email protection; endpoint protection and device monitoring; compliance automation, such as GDPR and ISO 27001; threat monitoring, dark web scanning, and forensics; and simulations and staff training to reduce human risk. Today, cybersecurity stands in the same position as websites and IT networking stood 10-20 years go. Back then, having a network and website felt an optional and expensive choice. They were elements that only the big industry players needed. Initially, websites were viewed as “nice to have” and are now the front door to millions of businesses; IT networks were once thought costly and complex and are now the backbone of any successful business. “Try running a business without either. You’d be invisible or inoperable,” stated Gerard. “Cybersecurity is next. It is still seen as optional by many SMEs. But it is not. Today’s threats do not care about your size; they care about your gaps. That’s why GOIA Technologies exits: to protect businesses like yours before the crisis hits.” “Today’s threats do not care about your size; they care about your gaps.” Unfortunately, many SMEs are attempting to navigate the landscape without a map – either using old tools, alerts, and strategies or having no firewalls, backups, staff training, or monitoring in place. In response to this rising problem, GOIA Technologies offers a plugand-protect solution featuring smart AI that evolves with threats; clear, human insights and expert advice; fast, frictionless setups – no installs or jargon; and UK-based support that responds. By combining these offerings, GOIA Technologies acts as more than just another dashboard; it becomes its client’s expert cybersecurity partner, working behind the scenes to keep their company safe, compliant, and confident. With GOIA Technologies, cybersecurity does not have to be scary or slow. The firm strives to simplify cybersecurity for its clientele, stripping out the complexity and speaking to them like humans. To this end, GOA Technologies has developed its offerings to ensure that they streamline and simplify cybersecurity with initiatives that include mitigating tech dumps by providing visual risk reports; click-to-fix insights from real scans; alerts that provide clear, actionable steps – not panic; and providing free scans and trials to prove value first. None of this would be possible without the highly motivated team driving GOIA Technologies – a small, sharp team of cybersecurity specialists, ethical hackers, and ex-forensics professionalisms. Bound together by trust, purpose, and clarity, the GOIA team keeps things lean and remote, but tightly connected through weekly threat roundups, shared playbooks, and an emphasis on continuous learning to retain agility. GOIA Technologies continues to grow and scale in alignment with the team’s sustained success, though has no plans to build the team throughout 2025. Instead, the remainder of 2025 will see the firm focused on an array of forward-thinking initiatives, including developing AI-powered phishing prevention for Cloud SSO, Microsoft 365 (M365), and Google; raising awareness of the cyber risks that threaten SME growth; making cybersecurity the number one priority for SME survival – no longer a luxury; and, ultimately, establishing GOIA Technologies as the trusted partner for SMEs navigating the cybersecurity field. Contact: Gerard Ouattara Company: GOIA Technologies Ltd Tel: 07976988472 E: [email protected] Web Address: www.goiatechnologies.com
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