Faretext was proud to receive funding through the Superfast South Yorkshire Connection Vouchers and Innovation Vouchers schemes — government-backed programmes designed to help businesses in the Sheffield City Region invest in digital infrastructure and innovation. The funding supported the development of our SMS API platform and helped accelerate the delivery of new features for our customers.
About the Superfast South Yorkshire Programme
Superfast South Yorkshire was a £27.4 million programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), and Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield councils. The programme aimed to bring superfast broadband to businesses and communities across the region and provide vouchers to help SMEs invest in digital technology.
The Connection Vouchers covered the cost of upgrading to high-speed broadband — essential infrastructure for a company like Faretext that processes millions of SMS messages through cloud-based systems.
Innovation Vouchers
The Innovation Vouchers scheme went further, providing funding for businesses to work with academic institutions and technology partners on research and development projects. For Faretext, this meant investing in:
- Platform scalability: Upgrading our infrastructure to handle higher message volumes with lower latency
- API development: Building new endpoints and improving developer documentation
- Security enhancements: Implementing additional layers of protection for customer data and message delivery
- Analytics capabilities: Developing real-time delivery reporting and campaign performance tools
Why Public Funding Matters for Tech SMEs
For growing technology companies, government innovation funding can be transformative. It allows businesses to invest in R&D that would otherwise be delayed by cash flow constraints. The Superfast South Yorkshire programme recognised that digital infrastructure isn't just about connectivity — it's about enabling businesses to build products and services that compete nationally and internationally.
Faretext has been based in Sheffield since our founding, and programmes like this have been instrumental in helping us grow from a local SMS provider to a platform serving businesses across the UK and internationally.
Sheffield's Growing Tech Scene
Sheffield has quietly built one of the UK's most vibrant tech communities. With two universities producing a steady stream of engineering and computer science graduates, competitive office costs compared to London, and excellent transport links, the city has become home to hundreds of technology businesses.
Faretext is proud to be part of this ecosystem. Our UK-based support team operates from Sheffield, providing the kind of personal, responsive service that larger London-based providers often can't match.
The Impact on Our Customers
The investment funded through these programmes directly benefited our customers. The platform improvements delivered:
- Faster message processing and delivery times
- More detailed API documentation for developers
- Improved uptime and reliability
- Better reporting through the SMS Command Centre
Today, Faretext processes millions of messages for businesses of all sizes — from local independents to national enterprises. Connect with us to see how our platform can support your business communication.
