After 20 years in the electronics sector, he knew that products often suffered due to electronic flaws in their design.

The combination of shorter life cycles, reduced functionality and material costs add together to prove costly in the long run. So Fletcher set out to provide advice to other companies, starting with his East Midlands contacts.

From startup to sustainable growth

East Midlands Chamber Members Ignys navigated a skillset shortage in the engineering market and are still steering through the pandemic.

Sharing his advice for new startups, Fletcher said: “Planning a longer term growth strategy has helped us stay focused. As a business owner it’s very easy to become obsessed with the day to day runnings of your company without putting measures in place to add sustainability for the future.”

The Ignys Team have grown to a company of eight with five engineers and a new commercial team of three, with a sales and marketing function completed in June 2020. The company have saved a smart technology company $3.5m per year in production costs. Other sectors Ignys regularly work with include telecommunications, IoT and remote monitoring.

Ignys has also built up a network of partners and manufacturers to further help companies with their projects.

A purpose built lab

The new premises include a spacious lab with a 3D Printer, environmental chambers and a mini-SMT area. In addition, the space holds a separate electronics lab upstairs for debugging and inspection. This extra lab is an important element for keeping confidential projects separate. The downstairs area can then be used to work with clients in-house after the pandemic has subsided.

Remote communication techniques for customer engagement

Like many local businesses Ignys has had to adapt to remote working. Many companies in the East Midlands are looking to supply to the UK and beyond but have been hampered by travel costs and restrictions.

Ignys has utilised video calling, to network with nearby businesses and help customers further afield who can’t get to the office.

Fletcher commented on this: “Using a combination of fast internet and video conferencing can be a powerful way to build rapport with clients and business partners. Sharing your screen can also be a useful way to communicate ideas, as if you were meeting in person.”

Looking to the future

Ignys has ambitious plans for substantial growth, looking to almost double in size in the next year. They hope to help many more startups and established companies in the East Midlands and beyond.