Numiko, which claims to be Leeds’ longest-running independent digital agency, is celebrating 25 years of being at the forefront of technological change.
Started by six Bradford University graduates in a bedroom in 2000, Numiko has since grown to 44 people based in central Leeds.
“Great digital for good isn’t just a tagline – it’s been in our soul from day one,” said co-founder and managing director David Eccles. “We’ve always chosen our clients as much as they’ve chosen us. We work with organisations doing something good and important.”
This philosophy creates what they call a “positive spiral”. When you work on projects that matter for clients that count – like the British Museum, University of Oxford, MOSI, Channel 4, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation – you attract brilliant people who want to make a difference claims Eccles. Those people then do their best work because they care about the outcome.
“Pouring your heart into selling trainers doesn’t feel worth it,” he added. “But it does when it’s The Children’s Society.”
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The approach has earned them recognition as one of the country’s most experienced Drupal specialists. The last quarter-century has seen them rack up a whole host of awards, from Webbys to winning pitches at Cannes.
Eccles said that what he’s most proud of is It’s the culture the agency has built, however.
“We can look in on Slack channels we’ve not been involved in and they’re full of people collaborating on brilliant solutions,” says David. “Literally hundreds of problems a day get solved by our team in a really effective way.”
For innovation director and fellow co-founder Jaron Ghani, the secret ingredient is curiosity: “It’s such a valuable trait,” he explained. “It lets you question requirements, uncover the root issues, and solve them in the best way. We really think there are no stupid questions at Numiko.”
Looking ahead, the pair are excited about exploring new ways to use technology to amplify the great work of their clients. “The team thrives on trying new stuff,” said Ghani. “Tinkering to get an idea out of your imagination and into a quick prototype is so fun and exciting.”
After 25 years, they say the formula remains unchanged: stay curious, work with brilliant people doing important things, and keep asking better questions.
