BUSINESS NEWS
Eurosport invests £ 7m in Bath digital firm creating 150 jobs
150 new digital jobs are to be created at Bath-based sports media company , Play Sports Group , the firm behind market-leading cycling brands Global Cycling Network and Global Mountain Bike Network .
Play Sports Group has received major investment from the parent group of TV channel Eurosport . Discovery Communications , the global media and entertainment group and owner of Eurosport has led an investment round , taking a 20 % stake in the Bath headquartered company and a seat on its board .
In just four years , the business founded by ex-Future PLC Chief Operating Officer , Simon Wear has become an international digital media success . Publishing more than 1,100 videos a year , its channels are focused on creating compelling , entertaining and educational videos presented with passion by a team of former professional athletes .
Eurosport is the number one sport destination in Europe and new home of the Olympic Games , as well as leading rights holder in cycling and has an established position as the Home of Cycling , showing all three of the Grand Tours , including the Tour de France , and all five Monuments . This investment and commercial partnership with Eurosport enables Play Sports Group to rapidly scale its business , bringing its content to its cycling fans , wherever they are . The company will launch further channels in cycling and across other sports , hiring up to 150 people for newly created digital and creative roles over the next two years .
Simon Wear , Founder and CEO of Play Sports Group said : “ Passion for cycling is the biggest it ’ s ever been and as a lifelong fan , I know it ’ s one of the most robust and enduring sports that ’ s ever existed . I ’ m delighted to have Discovery Communications and its leading sports brand Eurosport join our incredible list of investors and advisors . It ’ s extremely clear how determined and smart they are in the development of their digital business , and we ’ re really looking forward to working with the team .
Thanks to our team of investors , we ’ re able to make our business ambitions possible . Their backing and financial support enables us to really turbo-charge the next phase of growth , bringing around 150 new people to digital and creative roles . There ’ s an audience of hundreds of millions of cycling fans around the world , and together we ’ ll get closer to them than ever before .”
For more info : www . playsportsnetwork . com jobs @ playsportnetwork . com
Rapid growth for Bath ’ s SelectScience ®
Corston-based online publisher SelectScience ® has grown 25 % in the past year . As one of the fastest-growing businesses in the city , it ’ s looking to be at the cutting-edge of scientific developments once again this year . Augmented reality , robotics and personalised health care are the big science stories to look out for this year .
That ’ s according to Arif Butt , CEO and president of SelectScience ®, a global online publisher where the editorial team is made up almost exclusively of highly qualified scientists , giving them unrivalled access to many of the world ’ s top laboratories .
In a new video interview , Arif speaks about the importance of enabling trust in a world full of disruption . Arif said : “ I believe the media have even more responsibility to ensure effective communication of scientific success to make the world a healthier place , we do this at SelectScience ® through reviews and moderation .” He also looks ahead to some of the big science trends : augmented reality and personalised health care among the top headlines .
According to Arif , 2017 will be the year “ where more dots are being joined in science , being able to report more on the contamination of our food and the environment , the effects this has on our genetics and the resulting increase in disease .”
Since it was founded by Arif in 1998 , SelectScience ® has brought dozens of high quality jobs to Bath . It is set to continue its expansion over the coming months , with around 12 vacancies currently on offer across the organisation .
As the number one trusted online publisher in the science industry , the company has exclusive access to many of the world ’ s leading scientists and their research . Among 2016 ’ s highlights was exclusive access to Prof . Francisco Radler ’ s WADA accredited anti-doping laboratory for the Olympic Games in Rio . The invitation gave SelectScience ® the chance to showcase the positive science behind the Games .
Scientists are becoming increasingly more proactive in having their voices heard . In 2016 more than 4,000 scientists got involved in the Scientists ’ Choice Awards ®, SelectScience ’ s annual recognition of the year ’ s success in technology and communication . The awards celebrate some of the amazing advancements in a wide range of scientific fields , pushing the boundaries of our understanding . Nominations and voting are already underway for 2017 ’ s awards .
Watch SelectScience ® CEO ’ s new video interview here : http :// ow . ly / 3meS309Q8Ie
Turn to page 29 to see how VR technology is being used by Airbus with the help of Rendermedia .
Bath Tourism
Leslie Redwood , Head of Business Development and Partnerships at VisitBath on keeping positive with a shared vision for the future of our city and region .
One of the comments I regularly hear as I work in our lovely city and region , to champion Bath with our many stakeholders and businesses , is that there is often a perceived lack of a shared plan , for our future direction and focus .
I can assure you that there are very many deeply passionate individuals , businesses and organisations around Bath that often all share more or less the same vision , aims and objectives – they just need to co-ordinate and communicate this in a much improved way between each other and to the outside world with a shared voice .
Part of the work that we have been doing at Visit Bath is to increase the ‘ face to face ’ communication with our 500 members on the ground and with our 100 strategic partners .
This work is yielding great success already in terms of new relationships , with organisations partnering with us for the benefit of our community and city , if you will , becoming ambassadors for the area . This is giving great mutual benefits to all involved and ultimately sustains our unique World Heritage Site . Our continuing ‘ Positive Projects ’ work for Bath ’ s independent businesses is also a manifestation of this direct support and partnership we provide .
In line with this - we have been instructed by the Local Authority to come up with a five year ‘ Destination Management Plan ’ for a future shared direction and vision for the city and surrounds . We have already had a steering group meeting for this initiative and will shortly be launching a full consultation to all stakeholders who wish to feed into this initiative , everyone is invited to comment , be they businesses , residents , visitors , councillors or council officers , all views are welcome , this is our shared city , after all . Please keep an eye on the Visit Bath website , on how to submit your views into the consultation .
For more info : www . visitbath . co . uk
Leslie _ Redwood @ bathtourism . co . uk
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