A FAST-GROWING Stockton cloud computing company has tripled its turnover in just 12 months.

Circle Cloud was launched in 2014 from Teesside University’s startup incubator Launchpad, and has since gone on to work with a raft of clients and secured Microsoft partner status.

In the last year, the firm – led by 26-year-old Tomas Roberton and business partner Michael Povey, 44 – has increased turnover from £120,000 to £440,000.

The pair have also grown their team by three, and moved into specialist office space in Stockton’s Fusion Hive.

Tomas, who met Michael when they both worked at Darlington Northgate Vehicle Hire, said: "Part of our strategy this year was to bring more large companies into our portfolio. Fusion Hive has enabled us to attract these clients with the modern, purpose built facilities here.

"We’ve continued to work with clients such as the North East England Chamber of Commerce and brought new clients on such as NWH Group, a large waste and construction services company based in Edinburgh, as well as expanding our customer base of local Credit Unions as far as Ipswich.

"There is so much on offer in Stockton, from fantastic facilities like Fusion Hive, where we get access to superfast broadband, to the skills coming out of Teesside University and the funding available from organisations like Tees Valley Business Compass."

Circle Cloud specialises in implementing, migrating and managing client’s IT infrastructures in Microsoft Azure and Office 365.

Microsoft approached Circle Cloud to become one of its managed cloud partners, an accreditation awarded to companies who have proved themselves extensively with the Microsoft Cloud products.

Tomas added: "With the Microsoft Cloud Partner status behind us, and the range of opportunities in the Tees Valley, we’re really confident of being able to grow Circle Cloud further.

"Doing business from Stockton – and particularly Fusion Hive – has been a key ingredient in our success so far."