Games Without Frontiers inks India sales deal

The business, which counts Barclays among its clients, is forecasting turnover will reach £300,000 in the next financial year, thanks to widening its reach as it enters the international market.

Since establishing a reseller network in the UK, the firm is boosting earnings through its third-party agreements, with resellers in Scotland, the north-west of England and London, as well as continuing its direct sales.

GWOF has now struck its first overseas deal, in Pune, India, with industry veteran Paveen Maheshrawi, founding director of business consultancy Transcendi.

Maheshrawi will roll out initially Rocket to businesses in the western state of Maharashtra, with options to expand further into the entire Indian territory in the future, according to GWOF.

Pune has been dubbed the “Oxford of the East” thanks to its well established educational and training infrastructure.

Colin Gilchrist, head of marketing at GWOF, said: “Paveen came to us through our IT expert Mike Perrin and will take the game to the sub-continent as part of his plan to relocate and establish a national business there.

“It is our first overseas venture and will build on relationships we have already established in the UK to bring Rocket and GWOF’s services to the widest possible audience.”

Created by GWOF founder Tim Dew, Rocket is designed to help small teams achieve a deeper understanding of how a business can create scale through collaborative and cohesive working.

Dew, a “company doctor” and deal maker who specialised in helping businesses through sale, transition and mergers and acquisitions, developed the game with simulation expert Stuart Laing and Skyscanner’s former technical manager Mike Perrin.

He established GWOF last year after he became frustrated with traditional methods and approaches to learning.

Dew, who is also managing director of the business to business firm, said: “As companies recognise the need for improved productivity through internal training, GWOF has hit the ground running. From a team of two a year ago and now a team of eight, our first product, Rocket, has been launched in businesses across the UK and internationally.”

He said the company’s leadership experience was a key strength, adding: “The three directors all come from running successful businesses of their own, or are used to launching and designing products for enterprise-sized organisations.

“The vision is to introduce our brand of business simulations from classroom to boardroom and help transform the UK’s productivity gap.”

In its first year of operation, GWOF has built a high-profile client and partner portfolio, which includes Barclays Bank, the Law Society of Scotland, White Light, Age Scotland, Cala Homes and the Dentsu Aegis Network.