New partnership heralds bright future for ExpoTees

A flourishing Teesside games company is throwing its weight behind an annual Teesside University event which helps talented final year students get their first foot on the career ladder.

Award-winning Double Eleven, which specialises in video game development exclusively for the PlayStation network, is the new lead sponsor of ExpoTees.

ExpoTees is an annual showcase and awards ceremony for final year students from the School of Computing, exhibiting a range of projects from computer science, web, games and animation. It is also an opportunity for businesses to come and meet students and recruit bright new talent to their organisations.

As the lead sponsor, Double Eleven, which is also a publisher, will offer support, guidance and advice to students, as well as give prizes in the games programming award and computer science and networking award.

Formed in early 2010, Double Eleven is based in Middlesbrough’s Boho One and also has an office in Leeds. It employs over 40 members of staff, with several Teesside University graduates working at the company, including Chief Executive Officer Lee Hutchinson.

Double Eleven has created games including Frozen Synapse: Tactics and LittleBigPlanet, which won TIGA Game of the Year in 2012. It has been involved in ExpoTees in the past but this will be the first time it has taken on such a leading role.

Chief of Operations Mark South said: 'We are delighted to be working so closely with Teesside University and ExpoTees. It is a really positive event which helps to showcase students’ work and enables talented students to meet directly with people from the industry.

'In the long-term, we want to be able to help shape ExpoTees and work in partnership to demonstrate that Teesside University is a fantastic place to study and graduates looking to get into areas such as computer games development can find some fantastic employment opportunities right here in the region.'

This year’s ExpoTees takes place on Wednesday 15 May at Teesside University’s Darlington campus – with the exhibition from 1.00pm to 5.00pm and the awards from 6.00pm to 7.00pm.

Event organiser Joanne Noble said: 'We are delighted to announce that Middlesbrough based games developers Double Eleven are this year's headline sponsors of ExpoTees 2013.

'Double Eleven recently had great success at the TIGA 2012 awards – winning prizes for leadership and game of the year with LittleBigPlanet, as well as being shortlisted for best debut game.

'We're really excited to have the support of a local business that has done so much to raise the profile of digital technology in Teesside.

'We are very proud of the links we have forged with industry nationwide, but take special pride in collaborating with local companies in endeavours which benefit our students, promote the region and help retain home grown digital talent.'

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