FEATURE
continued his close friendship with technology . “ It was what made most sense . My stereo and Commodore 64 were my surrogates – seeing how things worked came naturally .”
When his mother and stepfather left the area , Dom embarked on a Harrogate College IT course . Then , after finding work in NatWest ’ s IT department , he realised there was more to technology than fixing other people ’ s computers .
“ My family always said I could do more with my life than playing computer games , so I wanted to prove them wrong ,” he says .
He started a computer visualisation course at Teesside University , discovering how to add creative visual techniques to his detailed understanding of electronics . “ It was what I ’ d been searching for ,” he says .
Dom and his university housemates pledged to set up a business when the time was right , but first he worked for a company making PlayStation games , then a web agency .
In 2006 , using money inherited from his greatgrandmother , he teamed up with Sam Harrison , one of his university housemates , to launch Animmersion in Middlesbrough ’ s Victoria Building .
“ We empowered businesses to take charge of their digital future ,” he says . “ We took their digital assets and created a narrative that would engage with their audience .”
Those narratives were brought to life through video-based animation , interactive 3D web , augmented reality , virtual reality and holograms . Customers included Sainsbury ’ s , and Mondelez , which has Cadbury among its subsidiaries .
Ten years ago , with the company thriving , Animmersion became founding tenant of the Boho Zone , Middlesbrough ’ s digital hub . By 2019 , it had a £ 1m turnover , 20 staff and clients worldwide .
As well as being Animmersion ’ s managing director , Dom served on DigitalCity ’ s board and as an adviser with Creative Fuse – a partnership between Teesside , Newcastle ,
“ We desperately need more growth space for tech companies to expand and fuse with other sectors . Then we can create a proper cluster that replaces old industries and gives Middlesbrough real hope .”
Durham , Sunderland and Northumbria universities . Other responsibilities included guiding the Department for Digital , Culture , Media and Sport and Tees Valley mayor Ben
Houchen .
Though he remains a shareholder , he recently stepped down from being MD at Animmersion to concentrate on a role as ambassador for the area ’ s technology cluster , working mainly with Middlesbrough Council .
“ We desperately need more growth space for tech companies to expand and fuse with other sectors . Then we can create a proper cluster that replaces old industries and gives Middlesbrough real hope ,” he says .
Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston ’ s original solution was the £ 30m 260-ft Boho X tower at Middlehaven , complete with helipad . That now looks set to be shelved in favour of a plan B , with a series of smaller five and six-storey offices , albeit with a rooftop swimming pool and private orchard .
“ If we don ’ t create the space , we risk losing what we have . The plans may need refinements , but we ’ re getting there ,” adds Dom .
Although he works on Teesside , he lives in Harrogate with wife , Carmel , and daughters , Eva , seven , and Aria , five . “ I use technology with the girls at every opportunity because we have to end this culture where men do technology and women do emotion ,” he insists .
There is also a passionate swipe at the big technology brands . “ They ’ re holding us back for their own self-interest ,” he declares .
There ’ s still a long way to go for Dom Lusardi , but becoming Teesside ’ s tech ambassador , as well as an adviser on the national stage , has given him confidence that he ’ s on the right road . “ It feels like I ’ m building towards something big ,” he says . Something his entrepreneurial great-grandmother , whose inheritance set him on his way , would surely have been proud of .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 23