Shetland social enterprise grows to meet green demand
A social enterprise in Lerwick is putting the finishing touches on a major expansion project.
Elgin based Hunted Cow Studios is creating innovative new games and is currently searching for new talent to join the existing team of 24 people. A £45,707 grant was secured from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) last year for the expansion project and it expects to increase its annual turnover by 80%.
Hunted Cow Studios has also seen demand for its games jump as the COVID-19 lockdown forced more people to stay at home.
The firm started out in 2003 by Andrew Mulholland and Glenn Murphy and has grown steadily over the years. It is unlocking further growth potential to increase its customer base as it expands its popular game offering. Posts being advertised include 2D and 3D artists, an assistant producer and unity developers to help provide world-class support to its game players across the world.
Since its inception, Hunted Cow Studios has launched many ambitious massive multi-player online (MMO) games, which can support hundreds of simultaneous players in one world. It welcomed over five million players across various games such as Fallen Sword, Eldevin and Operation New Earth on PC, Mac and mobile devices.
The funding from HIE enabled the company to invest in advanced IT equipment and staff training, which will support its ambitious plans to develop and build new games.
HIE has previously provided funding for its new premises, support for ScotGrad placements and consultancy.
Angie Smith, account manager at HIE’s Moray area team, said: “Hunted Cow is a valuable employer in Elgin and contributes to the area’s creative industries economy. The latest development will take the company to the next stage in its growth plan, creating more valuable jobs in Elgin and increasing its economic impact. We are very pleased to provide support and will continue to work with the company as it grows."
Andrew Mulholland, director of Hunted Cow, said: “We were delighted to secure the funding from HIE to help us expand our business and we look forward to welcoming new staff to our team. While the current situation is challenging for everyone, we are in a strong position and are pressing ahead with our growth plans. ”
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