• Automotive video innovator, CitNOW, takes second place in the Thames Valley Business Awards SME of the Year category
• Advanced products, contribution to the business community and exponential growth named as reasons for success
• CEO, Alistair Horsburgh, attributed the achievement to dedicated staff and a growing global customer base

Automotive video expert CitNOW has grown its trophy cabinet once again, with the Thames Valley Business Awards awarding CitNOW second place for SME of the year, joining an extensive list of recent accolades.

The award, sponsored by James Cowper Kreston, recognises companies for their innovation in products and services as well as their contribution to the business community. CitNOW achieved second place based on these criteria but also on its current exponential growth and future prospects.

Shortlisted among six other SMEs in the Thames Valley region, CitNOW has exerted considerable influence on the automotive sector, changing the way retailers and the aftermarket communicate with their customers through app-based personalised video. Today, 31,000 personalised videos are sent every day to motorists via CitNOW’s servers around the world.

The news follows a highly successful year for Wokingham-based CitNOW, which was named in the top 20% of the fastest-growing companies in Europe by the Financial Times FT1000. CitNOW also ranked in the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 for the second year in a row, as one of the UK’s fastest-growing tech companies.

The success of CitNOW technology has allowed the business to expand from its base in Berkshire into 39 countries. The business now works with 37 vehicle manufacturers and 94 of the largest 100 vehicle retail groups in the UK. Globally, 100 individuals work for CitNOW, and in the UK office, a substantial number are based in the Thames Valley Region.

Andrew Howells, founder of CitNOW commented: “We are extremely proud to have been awarded second place for the SME of the Year award. This prestigious award highlights the success of the company but more importantly, the hard work and dedication of the global team.

“As we approach our tenth anniversary, accolades such as this allow us to reflect on the positive impact that our original idea has had on the automotive industry, but also how working in the Thames Valley region – with all that it has to offer – has helped us achieve what we have in just under a decade.”

Alistair Horsburgh, CEO of CitNOW, added: “It is a poignant time to add the Thames Valley Business Award to our list of achievements as a very successful year draws to a close, with exciting plans shaping up for 2018.

“CitNOW will continue to grow and develop new and innovative products for the automotive industry, bolstered by the hard work of our team, customers and valuable recognition like that of this award for which we are very grateful.”

CitNOW has published new research on consumer demand for personalised automotive video in the CitNOW Vision Report, which can be downloaded at: https://www.citnow.co.uk/citnow-vision-report-2017/