£3m investment to transform data centre business

AIMES Grid Services (AIMES), a Liverpool-based IT solutions and data centre services business, is set to accelerate revenue growth over the next two years and create 10 jobs, after securing credit facilities through Santander’s Breakthrough programme.

Established in 2003 as the AIMES Centre within the University of Liverpool by Professor Dennis Kehoe, AIMES became a standalone commercial operation in 2006, filling its first data centre in 2012 and going on to invest in a second data centre and the first phase of capacity later that year. AIMES specialises in the creation of bespoke cloud solutions across a range of sectors including healthcare, media, transport/logistics and financial services.

AIMES has secured £3 million in new funding from Santander, including £800,000 Growth Capital funding, to facilitate the fit out and extend the capacity of its second data centre. The funding will enable AIMES to meet the needs of new and existing customers and provide space for additional services such as disaster recovery.
The company currently employs 19 staff and estimates that the funding will create 10 jobs over the next two years.

Professor Dennis Kehoe, Chief Executive, AIMES Grid Services said: “This investment could not have been secured at a better time. Since 2008, we have built a diverse client base encompassing local and national relationships in both the public and private sectors. This funding package will provide us with the capital to expand our data centre capacity, and facilitate the creation of additional jobs within the company.”

Darren Hart, Head of Growth Capital at Santander UK, said: “AIMES is the first business to receive Breakthrough investment for Growth Capital in the North West. The reputation that AIMES has established and revenue growth achieved to date have provided the platform for our support. The funding provided from our Breakthrough programme will support AIMES in achieving the next phase of its growth aspirations, fulfilling a strong pipeline of demand for its services.”

Growth Capital funding is mezzanine-based finance at a low rate to help bridge the gap between debt and equity investment – in turn, helping to fill the investment funding gap for UK companies of less than £25 million turnover. Growth Capital is part of Santander’s Breakthrough programme which aims to support fast-growth small businesses to help them accelerate their growth potential. As well as funding, Breakthrough offers companies access to trade missions, business master classes, networking events and support in areas such as finance and marketing.