Vindico has signed a five-year deal with Ice Arena Wales – home of the Cardiff Devils – which will see the ice rink renamed as Vindico Arena from Summer 2023We teased that we had big news to drop – and it doesn’t get much bigger than this! The ice rink has been Vindico’s Cardiff HQ for a few years, and now we’re putting our name on it! In Along with the name change, the ice rink’s website and social media handles will all adopt the new Vindico Arena name.  Visitors, skaters, and ice hockey fans can also expect to see plenty of Vindico’s signature purple branding – from the ice to the screens to the staff uniforms to the lounges – at the arena from Summer 2023. And the changes aren’t just visual ones. Vindico is already a sponsor and tech partner of the Cardiff Devils and the ice rink, and we’ll be enhancing their tech and digital offering from Summer 2023. We’ll be taking over all internal tech and installing cutting-edge digital changes to enhance both the staff and fan experience.  “This is more than just a business deal for us at Vindico. I’ve loved ice hockey since I first played the NHL game on the SEGA Mega Drive back in 1990,” says Jo Polson, Managing Director of Vindico.  “I don’t measure Vindico’s progress in the same way that many business owners do. For me, it’s always been about how much we can support the Cardiff Devils and the arena. We’ve been a sponsor for five years, but we started small with a player sponsorship. By last year we were supplying Wi-Fi, tech and digital signage for the arena, match night sponsors of the Devils, as well as the official partner of the team’s school and community programme.  “When Vindico exceeded 50% growth last year, I knew this could open an opportunity to do even more. When Todd [Kelman] mentioned that the arena deal was an option, I knew we couldn’t refuse.  “We’re long-time ice hockey fans and Devils supporters, and we work with many brands in the sport and stadia space, so it was an organic steppingstone for Vindico as a brand. We know we’ll be able to add so much value to the ice rink – and the overall arena experience – and we’re looking forward to calling it home.” Todd Kelman, Managing Director of the Cardiff Devils added:  “The Devils and the rink have been partners with Vindico for five years now. They’re not just a great business but great people too. When the deal came up, we knew that Vindico would be a perfect fit. They’ve constantly supported us as a team and a business over the past five seasons, adding more and more value each year. I’m looking forward to working together to transform Vindico Arena this summer.” A bit about the arena… The soon-to-be Vindico Arena is the official home of the Cardiff Devils Ice Hockey team who play in the professional British Elite Ice Hockey League – the top-level league in the UK.  Its a world-class facility with a capacity of 3,100 and houses an Olympic-sized ice pad that plays host to Cardiff Devils match nights. It’s also where the city’s figure skaters, junior ice hockey teams, and the public come to practice and skate.  The arena also houses a climbing area, corporate lounges, a gymnasium, a bar, office spaces, and a café – all in the heart of Cardiff Bay’s Sports Village.  We hope to see you all

Tech is the future of stadium safety – and Vindico is proud to be leading the way!  We have a long history of working with stadiums, event venues, and sporting arenas. But our relationships with stadia clients really ramped up during the pandemic, with our in-demand tailored tech platform playing a crucial role in bringing British sport back safely to our screens, and fans back into stadiums.  Our tailored tech platform, SWAPP (Smart Workplace Application), originally caught the attention of Principality Stadium and the WRU in October 2020. It was adopted to safely bring us the Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations during the pandemic. Following its success, it was later adopted by several teams and stadiums, including Scarlets Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Sale Sharks, and the Elite Ice Hockey League. Our tailored tech gives venues the simple tech they need to implement safety measures that keep staff, contractors, and visitors safe. And today it helps venues including Principality Stadium, Sixways Stadium, and Parc Y Scarlets to safely manage staff, teams, contractors, stewards, and visitors. It’s also been adopted by businesses including Andrew Scott and Transport for Wales. Click here to see the highlights of Vindico MD Jo Polson’s talk at the 2022 TheStadiumBusiness Summit. Stadium safety in one smart place  Our tailored tech platform brings all the necessary safety tools and protocols into on smart place.  It eliminates complicated, laborious safety and compliance tasks to give stadiums live information that supports management team with safety, staffing, and customer experience.  It also saves time and energy in organising and engaging with teams, contractors, and stewards – making for a simpler and better process.  A handy QR code scanner, contactless sign in / out access, valuable track and trace, and pre-registration features also make working with – and managing – stewards, contractors, and temporary staff easy and efficient.  It also monitors industry standards, workplace regulations, and industry accreditations to make sure that all members of staff and contractors are up-to-date and meet the current required guidelines. “What started as a product for a pandemic quickly became an essential tool for changing workforces in the stadia sector, and we’ve continuously updated features to stay one safety step ahead” says Vindico’s Head of Partnerships Rhys Perkins.  Features and updates for SWAPP include: Moreover, we purposely made our tailored tech easy to use, accessible to all levels, and with a focus on promoting digital knowledge transfer (which is more important now than ever before!).  SWAPP is now one of the most prominent safety platforms used in the UK sport and stadia sector. And with new updates and features constantly being added into the mix, we’re committed to keeping it one safe step ahead of the rest.  To find out more about SWAPP, and our tailored tech products for sports and stadia, click here to get

Head of Partnerships Rhys Perkins looks back at a year of developing tech relationships at Vindico It’s been a whole year since Rhys joined the Vindico team to head up our tech partnerships – and one year on, the relationships pro reflects on a whirlwind 12 months and a whole lot of purple.  Vindico: How did you end up joining the purple side?  Rhys: It started as all things do – with a good steak and a chat! I’ve known Jo for many years and have always met up for coffee and events and watched the growth, culture and fun that he was creating at Vindico. Then, just over a year ago, Jo called to invite me to come on board. After explaining the journey the business was on, I jumped with two feet into the new role of Head of Partnerships.  Vindico: Seems like a typical ‘Jo’ onboarding approach! What exactly does the Head of Partnerships role involve? Rhys: I lead Vindico’s overall engagement strategy for the business. This involves supporting both internal and external projects, liaising with our wonderful existing clients, finding and engaging with new businesses who haven’t heard about Vindico yet and don’t currently ‘Think Purple’, and starting conversations that help businesses to better understand tech – and to show them how it can simplify and optimise each unique business scenario. Vindico: Sounds like there’s plenty of variety. What do clients have in common?   Rhys: The clients we work with come from all sectors and industries but have a few things in common. They want to grow their business, they’re passionate about what they do, they’ve come to a point where they have too many ‘productivity’ apps and systems that don’t talk to each other, and they need to create a better way of working. Essentially, they want to make their working lives simpler and better but don’t know how. Vindico: What tech trends are you seeing / using to help businesses achieve simpler and better ways of working?  Rhys: One of the biggest emerging trends of 2023 is the rise of AI, and how it can be used by businesses to help support business growth. Part of my role involves showing clients that it’s not something to fear, but a tool that lets us to ask better questions to deliver better, data-driven outcomes.  And, speaking data, that’s another big trend. Data is something every business has, but so many aren’t using it effectively to drive business growth. It’s not about tons of data, it’s about meaningful data that businesses can understand and utilise to help drive better business performance. Vindico: What does a typical workday look like?  Rhys: A normal day starts with walking my dog by the river, and normally get covered in mud before I start. I also have three kids, including a 14-week-old baby, so I try to make sure I get them ready and to school on time, and I make my wife a coffee in bed every morning before my Vindico duties begin. My workday is really varied and involves a mix of meeting clients and prospects remotely and in-person, engage with our team to understand where we are with projects and timelines, consuming lots of coffee, and trying to get someone to give me tickets to the NFL! Vindico: When you’re not working, how do you unwind?  Rhys: Unwind? I have three kids!  But seriously, I love to cook and feed people, and I love watching rugby, the NFL (the packers are my team, and ice hockey (of course I support the Cardiff Devils).  Vindico: Lastly, why is purple your favourite colour?  Rhys: Purple is something that defines our business at Vindico and it’s what we’re recognised for wherever we go. I’m known as the tall purple guy, and at events people talk about “those purple guys”. It’s a total conversation starter and it leads to people talking with us and wanting to get to know us.  You can find out more about Vindico’s lovely clients and tech partnerships here. Haven’t already started Thinking Purple? Click here to get in touch

Vindico has signed a new sponsorship deal with Pontypridd United  Vindico is excited to announce a brand-new partnership with Pontypridd United FC.  Pontypridd United are the only club in RCT to have played men’s and women’s football at the highest level for the past 25 years. It’s great news for the community, and the club is going from strength to strength – signing four local Welsh players to the men’s side this month. And with that came an opportunity for Vindico to sponsor the talented Ben Margetson. Margetson joins Pontypridd United from from Kidderminster Harriers FC, and will be available for selection from 11 February, when the team go up against Airbus UK Broughton.  “We are immensely proud to be supporting Pontypridd United FC,” says Vindico’s Head of Partnerships Rhys Perkins.  “The ethos and ambition of the club are truly inspiring, and they’re actively supporting young children to engage with sport, which is something we as an organisation are passionate about. “We wish Ben Margetson every success at the club and look forward to watching him play as our sponsored player.” We at Vindico are avid sports fans, and although sponsoring Pontypridd United is our first foray into the highest level of Welsh football, it’s not our first and only sports partnership. Vindico is also proud sponsors of Scarlets Rugby and the Cardiff Devils ice hockey club.  We’re also known for our tech partnerships with sports teams too, working with the likes of the WRU, Wheelchair Rugby, Sale Sharks, and Team GB ice hockey to name a few.  So, for now, when we’re not donning rugby shirts or hockey jerseys, you’ll catch us loudly cheering

Principality Stadium is using Vindico’s SWAPP app once again to keep fans, staff, and contractors safe this Six Nations  Following a string of successful sporting and music events, Principality Stadium is again turning to SWAPP to keep everyone safe during the upcoming Six Nations rugby tournament. SWAPP originally caught the attention of Principality Stadium and the WRU in October 2020. It was adopted to safely bring us the Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations during the pandemic. Following its success, it was later adopted by several teams and stadiums, including Scarlets Rugby, Cardiff Rugby, Sale Sharks, and the Elite Ice Hockey League. Today it helps venues including Principality Stadium, Sixways Stadium, and Parc Y Scarlets to safely manage staff, teams, contractors, and visitors. It’s also been adopted by businesses including Andrew Scott and Transport for Wales. And for this Six Nations campaign, SWAPP’s adding a whole new batch of improved features and updates to help optimise match days at Principality Stadium.  “Our SWAPP platform takes a process run by WhatsApp, email, and texts and bringing it all into on smart place,” says Vindico’s Head of Partnerships.  “The SWAPP platform then provides Principality Stadium with live information that supports the management team with safety, staffing, and customer experience. It also saves them time and energy in organising and engaging with their teams – making for a simpler and better process.” As we enter our third year of partnering with Principality Stadium and the WRU, we’re excited to be rolling out even more new features to help the venue optimise time, efficiency, accuracy, and experience.  “We are proud to be able to partner with Principality Stadium and the WRU to support yet another exciting Six Nations campaign,” adds Rhys.  “Vindico is all about tech for good. So, being able to support this incredible Welsh sporting event, while giving the stadium the tools to help keep fans, staff, contractors, and media teams safe is what we’re all about.”  For more information about SWAPP – and how it can help your team, business, or event stay safe and compliant – click here to get in touch with

Streamline Your Training, Enhance Your Team’s Skills and Stay Ahead of the Competition with Digital Knowledge Transfer Digital knowledge transfer is all about sharing information and skills through the latest digital platforms and tools. And, in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment, it’s become essential for organisations to adopt digital knowledge transfer strategies to stay one step ahead.  One big benefit of digital knowledge transfer is that people can learn at their own pace and from anywhere. This is especially helpful for employees who work remotely or in different locations. Another advantage is that digital knowledge transfer allows businesses to reach a bigger audience. Instead of only teaching a small group of people, companies can use tailored tech to teach everyone at once – which, in turn, saves businesses time, too.  Digital tools also make it easy for leaders and managers to keep track of how well employees are learning and to give them personalised feedback. This not only helps companies make sure their training programmes and processes are working well but can also lead to greater employee performance and satisfaction, too.   It goes without saying in 2023 that it’s important for companies and employees to stay on top of the latest industry trends and tech. As digital technology and business practices change rapidly, it is essential for businesses to keep their employees informed and skilled in the latest practices. Digital knowledge transfer allows organisations to quickly and easily share new information and skills with employees, keeping them informed and up-to-date. Finally, using digital methods to teach employees can help build a culture of continuous learning and development (CPD). When people have access to training materials and resources all the time, they’re more likely to take ownership of their own learning and development. This helps add to a culture of continuous learning, where employees are motivated to learn new skills and advance their careers.  All in all, digital knowledge transfer is important for companies to stay competitive and help their employees grow. It’s faster, easier, and reaches more people than traditional methods. If you’re not already making the most of digital knowledge transfer, the good news is it’s not too late. Vindico’s diagnostics are designed to help you recognise tech and digital gaps so you can implement the simple, tailored tech you need to stop your business falling behind in the digital age.  No matter what industry or sector you’re in, Vindico can provide you with the tools and resources you need to improve your employees’ performance and drive your business forward. Get in touch to find out more about how we can help you take your digital knowledge transfer efforts to the

Ready, Set, Tech! See your business thrive with new tech in 2023  2023 is here – and new tech and automation are taking over!  Although you don’t need to be scared, you do need to be prepared – especially if you want your business to proactively get ahead this year.  That’s right – we said ‘proactively’. After a few years of reactively using tech and automation to navigate the changing business landscape, 2023 is the time to take charge. Embracing the latest tech and automation in 2023 can help you optimise your business processes, boost productivity, minimise errors, maximise time, and stay ahead of the game.  Sound good?  Good. Because not embracing it means you face getting left behind.  One of the biggest challenges businesses will face in the coming months is keeping up with all the new tech platforms popping up. It’s hard to keep track of the latest and greatest, especially if you’re not tech-savvy or don’t have a tech partner. And this can lead to delays, errors, and plenty of lost opportunities. But don’t worry, that’s where Vindico comes in. Our dedicated Vindico AI team have done the deep work, so you don’t have to. And we’re here to help you hit the ground running. Another tech challenge businesses will face in 2023 is the shift to being data-driven. In the age of big data, businesses need to know how to collect, analyse, and use data to make better decisions and stay ahead of the competition. But not all data is created equal. It’s not about lots of data but meaningful data that will help you drive better decisions. How do you know which data really matters? Again, Vindico’s got you covered. You can click here to find out more about optimising your tech and data.  But whether it’s the latest AI tools, automating processes, or optimising your data, our team of experts (or Purple Vinjas, if you will), are here to help you and your business stay up to date with all the new tech and AI in 2023. We’ve also enhanced our client training and support to help businesses build the skills they need to grasp the opportunities and thrive in this highly competitive market. 2023 is the year to embrace change and take control of your business’s tech. And with Vindico by your side, you’ll be well-prepared to face the challenges and take advantage of the tech opportunities that 2023 brings. Ready to take charge in 2023? Click here to drop us a

From high peaks to high temperatures – what a year 2022 has been for Vindico We kicked off the year by expanding our tech partnerships with the wonderful Walters Group, Ministry of Furniture, OOMPH! Wellness, and CK Foodstores. These tech partnerships add to a client base that includes the likes of Welsh Rugby Union, Principality Stadium, Transport for Wales, Ministry of Defence, and Accxel.  We also expanded our work with Coleg Sir Gar and are working with the Royal Veterinary College to help eliminate BVD from all cattle in Wales. And remarkable work needs a remarkable team. And we’re excited to have been able to grow our team and provide job opportunities in the tech sector in Wales in 2022.  We’re also proud to be leading the way for women in tech – with Alice and Emily joining developer Emilie this year, too.  When we weren’t creating tech for good, we were doing good things for the community. From supporting the fantastic Small Business Saturday campaign for the third year running to paying it forward by sponsoring Innovation Business of the Year (the award we took home in 2021) at this year’s Cardiff Business Awards. And then there was that wee walk that took Vindico MD Jo Polson across the Jordan desert to raise money for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.  Now, as we look ahead to 2023, we can’t wait to unveil even more projects that our team of Purple Vinjas has been working on as we take our “simple and better” approach up a notch again.  To our team, our clients, our collaborators, and our lovely business community –

Vindico has teamed up with Wheelchair Rugby to deliver a digital platform ahead of the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship  Vindico’s latest partnership has seen our creative team bring Wheelchair Rugby’s Euro 2023 website to life.  From 3 – 7 May 2023, Cardiff’s iconic Principality Stadium will play host to the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship. And it’s a big deal. Europe’s top eight teams will battle it out over five days for a chance to take home the gold – and a place in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. But an important event needs a dedicated website. So, when Wheelchair Rugby wanted an online presence that would shine a light on the event, they knew our team at Vindico would have the solution.  “We first began with pencil designs and digital wireframes,” says Vindico Creative Shaun.  “The website is the main point of contact for general interest in the event. It needs to house all the key information about Euro 2023 Wheelchair Rugby – from ticketing info and hospitality packages to team stats and merchandise. A ticketing system and fixtures list would also need to be factored into the mix for a later phase, too.  “But, perhaps most importantly, the website needed to have a simple CMS so that Wheelchair Rugby had the independence to manage and update content as and when they needed to. “Once these were approved, we began building the website over the course of few months.”  And the Vindico creative team went above and beyond to deliver.   “A stand-out feature of the website is the enticing homepage slider with a pop-out effect. On the more technical side, we also created an easy-to-use fixture system, which we built in-house from scratch. It lets the client simply click “Add Fixture” in the back end of the website to bring up a selection of text boxes and image sections to fill out and make live. It’s really that simple.”  “Simper and better” shapes everything we do at Vindico – and this website project for Wheelchair Rugby’s Euro 2023 Championship got the treatment from start to finish.  “We built the website pages to be editable on a bespoke front end, which lets the client change out imagery and content without needing to dig into complicated code,” says Shaun.  “We used a similar system for the news articles, too. Wheelchair Rugby only needs to type into a standard text box, and our system will do the heavy lifting of formatting the page, creating the article, and linking everything up to the news grid featured on the news page.”  Our “Simpler and better” ethos really does drive everything we create!  “It’s been an exciting opportunity to build something for such an interesting sport – especially where they come to us looking for bespoke systems that let us deliver simple solutions and create unique digital experiences that drive better outcomes. I’m just looking forward to seeing how the team GB gets on in the Euro 2023 Championship now!”  Looking for a site that’s simpler and better but still delivers unique user experiences and results? Drop us a line to see how hassle-free it

Jo’s taking on the Wadi Rum Challenge to raise money for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Next week, Vindico MD Jo Polson will be in a hot desert somewhere in Jordan. No, this isn’t an extreme stag night prank a la The Hangover. Jo’s embarking on a once in a lifetime trek in the magnificent Wadi Rum to raise money for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. As part of the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Wadi Rum Challenge Team, Jo’s “wee walk” will see him trekking between 22 – 25km each day through Jordan’s majestic World Heritage. The journey on foot will take Jo through dramatic backdrops (think sandstone domes, rock formations, and granite and basalt striated mountains). He’ll also be camping out in the wild beneath the desert skies, and summiting Um Dami, Jordan’s highest mountain as part of the challenge. Though it sounds spectacular, the purpose of the trip is to raise vital funds so that all soldiers, veterans, and their immediate families can have the opportunity to avoid hardship and enjoy independence and dignity. ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s range of support is vast. They help very young serving families cope with a sudden bereavement or traumatic loss. They also provide wide-ranging support to wounded soldiers, many of whom will need increasing financial assistance for decades to come. On top of that, the charity also provides help with housing, education, and employment training for soldiers and veterans of all ages, and they’re known for being there for older veterans and their widows or widowers when they find themselves lonely or isolated, too. “I’m doing it for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and all the wonderful work they do for the families of our armed forces,” says Jo. “But Five days walking in the desert and climbing North Africa’s highest peak feels a lot bigger now that I’ve done the Metres to Feet calculation properly – joy!” Vindico is covering the cost of Jo’s trip, so every donation raised on Jo’s JustGiving page goes directly to the charity. You can support Jo and his trek across the desert in aid of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity by clicking here to donate and/or share