Friends of Startacus

Startacus got where it is today thanks to ideas, perspiration, hard work and lots of coffee! But we also have to give credit to these guys - the Friends of Startacus, who each have helped us out in their own special way...all together now...aah!

Zoo Creative
The design maestros behind the creative wonder that is Startacus, Zoocreative is an award winning, ethical design studio based in Derry / Londonderry in Northern Ireland ... and has been since 2003. They design and develop websites, branding, print, illustration, collateral / signage and take photographs. However, in their line of duty they have designed jewellery, made Plasticine models, whittled wooden animals, sewn costumes and carried out a host of other unusual tasks. in fact, they see themselves as fearless adventurers exploring the great planet Creativity in their sleek, multi-coloured rocket ship. Regular clients include local (North West of Ireland), national and international companies, theatres, arts groups, schools and overseas development charities - and most recently Startacus! Twitter @zoocreative

Arts Council NI and DCAL
It’s all thanks to these guys that we got this little idea off the ground! Startacus received funding from the Creative industries Innovation Fund which is managed by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland with support from the DCAL (Department of Culture Arts and Leisure). CIIF provides assistance to lots of companies, including craft, design, software companies, publishing, film and music organisations.

Creative Barcode
Launched in September 2010 Creative Barcode provides entrepreneurs, creative people and innovators with a non-complex and low cost means to authenticate & protect and safely-disclose their concepts to third parties. Creative Barcode itself is the first innovation in the Intellectual Property (IP) sector for more than 3 decades, fit for the digital age. Creative Barcode opens-up innovation by reducing the vulnerability of disclosure of ideas, concepts, and designs, in both their written and visual formats, pre-commercialization. Creative Barcode is legally robust, non-complex protection system affordable to every individual Creator up to the largest company or University worldwide. Using digital barcodes, file transfer records and a trust charter agreement, Creative Barcode gives formal authentication, ownership and protection to concepts and establishes an evidential & measurable value to innovation journeys. Endorsed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and with users in over 19 Countries across 5 continents the Creative Barcode system has never been breached. Twitter @creativebarcode

Innovation Bank
Launched in June 2012 Innovation Bank is a safe-trading portal for all type and size of innovation-led firm. It encourages collaborative partnerships and the licensing, buying and selling of innovation concepts and IP. Account holders can also send innovation requests to each other singularly or to specific groups. All trading takes place within a secure, non-public area, where account holders are signed to the Creative Barcode Trust Charter. A front-end Innovation directory and news room is open to public view and is used by account holders as a PR and marketing facility. Twitter @innovationbank1

Marketest
Marketest is a leading online market research company, who primarily work with pre-startups, start-ups and companies launching a new product or service. The Marketest Team has a wealth of experience and expertise in helping clients test their target market. Twitter @marketest

The Employable
Our sister site - where the idea for Startacus first came about. The Employable is an online resource offering guidance, support, advice and inspiration to “employable” people everywhere - be they recently redundant, long term job seekers, recent graduates or simply disillusioned workers. Hail The Employable! Twitter @theemployable

If you’d like to be our friend why not drop us a little email to iam@startacus.net . We’re ever so nice...

DISCOUNTS N' THINGS

Hey ho fellow self starters! Here at Startacus we know that to get things off the ground you may need some stuff. We also know that stuff doesn’t come cheap. This is where we can hopefully help. We’ve made a few friends and these friends are offering discounts on stuff to all of us here in the self start society. Have a little browse at what’s on offer...

Marketest
Marketest are a leading online market research company, who primarily work with pre-startups, start-ups and companies launching a new product or service. In partnership with Startacus, Marketest are offering a 15% discount on their tailored market research services.