Perth app firm on top form with breakthrough Ayrshire council deal

A Perth-based app developer whose software is already used in hundreds of schools has signed a “milestone” agreement with East Ayrshire Council, marking its first local authority partner.

Mick Empson: firm growing even faster than projected. Picture: Shaun Ward Photography

Apps Central said the deal would see the company provide 65 tailored smartphone and smartpad apps for use in all the local authority’s primary, secondary and nursery schools.

The firm expects to have formed partnerships with 750 schools across the UK by end of 2019.

Apps Central was founded in 2014 by former marketing executive Mick Empson and developed with £1 million of private investment. It is chaired by the former Noble Group director and venture capitalist Charles McMicking. The company’s products have been developed in partnership with Stirling-based Vidatec.

Empson said: “It’s a great boost to have secured this agreement with East Ayrshire Council, building on the excellent relationship that we already have with many individual schools across Ayrshire. Apps Central is growing even faster than projected. As well as this milestone agreement, we are also celebrating signing up our 500th Scottish school partner, and we are confident of doubling our turnover this year.”

He added: “We hope that this wider partnership will allow us to demonstrate the benefits of efficient communications, increased parental involvement, and strengthening of the all-important school communities.”

Linda McAulay-Griffiths, head of education at East Ayrshire Council, said: “The digital world is moving and changing at an incredible pace, offering more efficient, smarter and better connected ways to keep in touch. It made perfect sense to become involved with Apps Central.”