Tech Start-up Wins Funding to Support Creative Freelancers in Developing Their Careers

Welsh start-up iungo Solutions is breaking down barriers between the technology and creative industries with its new CreaTech project.

The project will bring together iungo’s unique career routing algorithm with new research into careers in the creative economy in Wales.

With the support of Clwstwr, the team will investigate the use of technology to support creative freelancers against the backdrop of the gig economy and ‘work from anywhere’ movement.

Clwstwr Programme Manager, Lee Walters, said “We are delighted to be working with iungo Solutions to support their CreaTech project. iungo are an innovative and ambitious Welsh Start-up and we are excited to see them bring their knowledge and skill to the creative sector.”

iungo is seeking to develop a platform that recognises and showcases creative skills, whilst also supporting freelancers to develop their confidence and work readiness. The career-enhancing platform will target graduates, early career workers, and parents/carers, enabling them to identify their transferable skills and development needs.

Tom de Vall, Executive Chair at iungo Solutions commented: “We’re thrilled to be working with Clwstwr on this exciting project. We’ve already been able to demonstrate the value of our new technology in the engineering and manufacturing sectors – but this application won’t be without its unique challenges.

“The creative sector is characterised by freelance work and the rules of career progression are quite different to what we have seen elsewhere. We’re passionate about this industry and we’re looking forward to the challenge!”

Simisola Bello, Graduate Marketing Executive at iungo Solutions added: “As an early-career media graduate, it’s exciting to be part of a project in the Screen and News industries. I’m looking forward to finding new and innovative ways of supporting creative freelancers to enhance their career progression.”

The Screen Work 2020 report highlighted that 86% of screen industries in the Cardiff Capital Region rely on word of mouth as a primary recruitment mechanism. Almost half (41.5%) of freelancers working in the industry are parents or carers.