Fifteen years’ work with major clients such as Coca Cola and Saudi royal clinics highlighted a need for improved knowledge management in industry and academia.

Simultaneously the emergence of a new language processing technology called “text mining”, sometimes referred to as text analytics, provided the necessary tools.

By marrying up the newly available technology with customer-led ideas and challenges, an innovative business opportunity emerged and Text Mining Solutions (TMS), based at The Ron Cooke Hub, University of York, seized the moment.

Now director Steven Brewer is keen to showcase TMS’s achievement by entering the New Business Of The Year category at The Press Business Awards.

He explains: “TMS uses natural language processing technology and visualisation tools to help discover new ideas, concepts, and information which allows customers to fully exploit their own information assets and those in the wider public domain. This means they can access knowledge that is currently beyond the reach of the human reader.”

TMS was formed in April 2011 and started trading in January 2013. Steve says that the growth potential is truly staggering, as the business is not limited by market sector or geography.

He adds: “This is very good news indeed for our business prospects and for job and wealth creation in the region.

“Our spread of customers already includes clients in the UK, Sweden, USA, Germany and The Netherlands. And being based in the York Science Park offers additional benefits, with professionals on hand with other competencies to take care of the operational aspects of the business that are not core to delivery.

“In order to bring this idea to market a good deal of planning, many years’ experience, hard work, and some good fortune was required. So far our story is short yet rewarding and, most importantly, we are addressing customers’ needs through well designed new products and services.”