BROTHERS who used technology to transform pub quizzes are in the running for The Press Family Business of the Year Award.

Alan and John Leach turned their past-time into a business ten years ago with the launch of quiz tech company SpeedQuizzing.

After overcoming major challenges imposed by Covid-19, their York-based business is now in its strongest ever position.

Innovations over the past year have supported sectors hit by the pandemic and made a difference to the lives of thousands of people.

The business is now a contender for a Press business award as we celebrate 30 years of shining a light on entrepreneurship and innovation in our region.

The Awards are open for entries, and the deadline is August 15.

Find details about the categories here, and enter your business here.

SpeedQuizzing was born after John and Alan, both keen pub quizzers, became frustrated by people using mobile phones to cheat

They created a digital quiz platform for hosting quiz games, with an app which teams download to a mobile or tablet device to play. The tech (SpeedQuizzing Pro) took the hassle out of hosting and playing fast-paced pub quizzes: with scoring managed by the software.

The business has nine full-time employees. Six family members are involved with roles ranging from strategy to finance, events, tech development and social media.

Since 2011, sales of SpeedQuizzing Pro licences have grown by 30 per cent annually, with the platform used to host more than 1,800 quizzes weekly before the pandemic. The software is being used in more than 40 countries.

During lockdown, the team created a free-to-use app and online hosting platform to facilitate virtual quizzes.

The team has since added new features to SpeedQuizzing Live including a group feature enabling people in different locations to play as part of the same team.

SpeedQuizzing Live has since been used to host more than 100,000 events, involving an estimated one million players over the last year, helping hospitality operators and entertainment professionals generate income.

In January 2021, the team launched a new online version, SchoolQuizzing, to support remote and classroom-based learning, with dozens of schools using the technology in lessons.

In February, in the third lockdown, SpeedQuizzing teamed up with Paul Sinha enabling quizzers to take on The Chase star in ongoing virtual quizzes in a timely morale boost.

With pubs back open, demand for SpeedQuizzing Pro licences has risen, with more than 900 venue-based Speedquizzes taking place each week.

The SpeedQuizzing team has also run free quizzes on behalf of local schools to support subject learning objectives and inject some fun and excitement into the school day, while both Alan and John run quizzes on behalf of local schools and Parent Teacher Associations.