Scots technology firm Cloud Cover IT has been awarded a total of £324,000 in funding to further the company’s development.

The funding comes from Scottish Enterprise, UK Steel and Business Loans Scotland.

Cloud Cover IT offers infrastructure management and cloud services to more than 150 clients across the globe, including Kenya, Norway and Ireland. The funding will be channelled into Cloud Cover IT’s development of its SharePoint solutions and to expand the company.

Scottish Enterprise has awarded a total of £154,069 in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) and Innovation Grant funding. In addition, UK Steel and Business Loans Scotland have contributed £85,000 each in funding.

Based in Glasgow, Cloud Cover IT is a Microsoft Gold Cloud Partner specialising in the development of unique SharePoint-based software solutions.

The company specialised primarily in infrastructure support initially but has now moved very significantly into software development, with the infrastructure part of the business remaining a core revenue stream. Clients include the Forth Bridge Crossing Project, Together Energy and DPS Group, Emtec Group and Apex Scotland.

Since 2012, Cloud Cover has grown from three employees, servicing 40 clients to 26 employees and 150 clients worldwide. The funding will bring jobs and opportunities to Glasgow and the surrounding area. It has already allowed the company to fill three roles through the innovation grant, and eight roles through the RSA funding. This will help Cloud Cover IT reach its goal of a 30-person workforce by the end of the year.

Along with increasing employees, the funding will also help Clyde Gateway, Scotland’s most ambitious regeneration programme, reach its goal of making the east end of Glasgow a thriving business hub.

Clyde Gateway, in partnership with Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire Council and Scottish Enterprise, develops office space and provides support to local businesses. Cloud Cover IT occupies one of the Clyde Gateway office spaces in the Bridgeton area of Glasgow, and the funding will also help secure the company’s future and bring more jobs to the area. Shortly, Cloud Cover IT will begin its recruitment drive, with a focus on attracting recent graduates and apprentices to fill software development and IT engineering roles.

Scottish Enterprise’s Innovation Grant will help Cloud Cover IT to develop its SharePoint technology and contribute towards Scotland achieving Industry 4.0 – the fourth ‘industrial revolution’. Characterised by the use of intelligent, connected computers, Industry 4.0 is enabling digital technology to make decisions without human involvement.

Already, Cloud Cover IT’s clients benefit from its Smart Applications that enable them to analyse production data, make efficiency gains and reduce production costs. The Innovation Grant will help Cloud Cover IT to invest in IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) to link their software development with SharePoint using its own infrastructure specialists to link data sensors into cloud solutions accessible over mobile apps that Cloud Cover IT will design. This will empower companies to collaborate on projects across the globe and give manufacturers a clear advantage over their non-digital rivals.

Lance Gauld, Cloud Cover IT director, said: “We are obviously over the moon to have secured investment funding from Scottish Enterprise to bring our Smart Factory technology to life. Industry 4.0 is already having a transformative effect across many industries. We’re at the forefront of this space and recognise the huge potential that exists for manufacturers. We have a very close relationship with Clyde Gateway, and we’re pleased to be able to create a notable number of new jobs in the local area to push forward with their economic regeneration remit.”

Mark Newlands, Scottish Enterprise’s Regional Head of Partnerships for Glasgow and the West, said: “The development of industry 4.0 and smart factory technology is of increasing importance to ensure Scotland’s businesses are fit for the future, so I’m pleased that with our funding support, Cloud Cover IT is continuing to make strides in this area.”

Innovation Minister Ivan McKee said: “Projects like Cloud Cover are a great example of how innovation can bring new benefits to our communities, and I am pleased that the Scottish Enterprise grant will deliver new jobs and opportunities for the East End of Glasgow and for Scotland.

“The digital technology sector is forecast to be Scotland’s fastest-growing sector by 2024. That is why we are committed to supporting businesses and encouraging the wider public to develop their digital skills and capabilities, to make the most of the opportunities that new and changing technology will bring.”