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Cytix was ready to find its first dedicated space following multiple hires and several moves in a shared workspace. Level found the right solution.
The company bridges the gap between automation and manual testing by identifying what actions are needed at any time and carrying them out as a sequence of tasks. By doing so, they identify vulnerabilities as quickly as possible and provide the information you need to resolve them efficiently.
As a fast growing start-up, Cytix started with a four-person office but had moved twice already, to a six-person and then an eight-person space. That final office was the largest space they could take in their previous location, but it soon became too small for the company.
Moving every time you hire someone isn’t a viable long-term plan, so Cytix got in touch with Level to finally find the dedicated office space that could become home for more than just the short term.
The biggest requirement Cytix had was the company needed a natural separation between the technical and sales teams. They needed a technical floor and a sales floor to enable the teams to have meetings and make calls without disturbing each other’s work.
However, they also didn’t want to lose the collaborative spaces that bring the company together. An open-plan office that was packed with desks wouldn’t do. The team wanted their own kitchen, a pool table, and a spot to relax with sofas – in other words, a space that felt bigger and more open to encourage creativity.
The Cytix team were also prepared to wait for the ideal space and make do in the meantime. That gave Level a clear brief, but also an expectation to find something that was more than simply adequate – it had to be perfect.
It also needed to be within a start-up budget and on a flexible contract. Cytix did not want to commit to a long-term lease that would tie them down and cause the same headcount problems in the future that they were moving to escape from now.
The Level team got to work by equipping the Cytix team with a good understanding of the different types of workspace across the city: leased, managed and serviced offices.
We then organised viewings at potential workspaces within a week of Cytix reaching out, including options in the Northern Quarter and MediaCityUK. However, it was the managed workspace at Eagle Buildings on Cross Street in Manchester city centre that quickly captured their attention.
Managed workspace is a fairly new addition to Manchester’s office scene which combines the benefits of both serviced offices and leased offices.
It offers private space, dedicated meeting rooms and higher space ratios than serviced offices, but still has all the benefits of a serviced office with one monthly payment covering everything (rent, rates, service charge, cleaning, utilities, telcom) and flexible lease terms.
That makes it an extremely appealing choice for high-growth firms like Cytix. Our full guide to managed workspace can be seen here and includes everything you need to know about this new office type.
The space had been recently refurbished and was an instant hit with the Cytix team. In particular, the technical team immediately saw the potential of the space and how it could be perfect for their needs.
Ben Armstrong, co-founder of Cytix, said: “There isn’t really anything like it. It’s a managed space, but it has a traditional feel to it which was exactly what we needed. We’re the only business in there, with three floors, but when we first viewed it all three floors were empty.”
Ben continued, saying: “The team pretty much fell in love with it right away, which made it hard to consider any other options once they saw the space.”
“Right now, we’re still the only ones, which actually gives us a nice sense of privacy. As other businesses move in, it’ll be nice to say, 'Welcome to our space’. ”
Cytix has just completed a £1.6m raise from a round co-led by the NPIF II – Praetura Equity Finance, which is managed by Praetura Ventures and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.
The business plans to use the funding to double its client base within the next 12 months and further develop its product offering for the enterprise market, with plans to target the banking sector, financial services and fast-growing software businesses.
That means the company’s new office space had to align with those growth plans. Level’s track record of sourcing strategic workspaces that support growth that meant we were ideally positioned to help Cytix.
The workspace at Eagle Buildings provided everything Cytix needed in one place. On one hand, the workspace layout means that each team can work separately when needed.
The technical team can now have their team meetings and standups without disrupting the work of the sales team. Similarly, the sales team can have their whiteboard sessions and discussions about opportunities without interference and without disturbing the technical team.
Both teams can also make use of facilities like phone booths, meeting rooms and a board room when privacy is required.
On the other hand, having the pool table, dining area, and chill-out space in the middle of the two areas is a great feature. It allows the teams at Cytix to come together, share meals and have conversations.
Ben Armstrong said: “It’s all about that balance, and having confidence that it will remain, even as we expand and hire more people.”
Cytix had a strict brief and the team were very firm on only moving to a space that met all their specifications. That’s a challenge our office experts accepted eagerly as we only ever want to place a client in a workspace that is perfect for them, rather than somewhere that is only adequate.
Ben Armstrong said: “A lot of the properties just didn’t quite meet the specifications and expectations we were looking for, so it made the process a bit challenging. We made it harder on the LEVEL team with how picky we were, but we weren’t in a rush.
“It was really important to us that we didn’t settle for something that wouldn’t meet our needs, especially since where we were at the time was fine. We didn’t want to move to a space that could turn out to be worse than what we had.
“The LEVEL team was incredibly patient and proactive. They listened to our feedback and made sure to show us options that better aligned with our requirements.”
Once we had found the perfect new home for Cytix, we negotiated with the landlord on their behalf.
Overall, a deal was struck which saved Cytix 35% on their annual rent and secured a flexible one-year deal. That allowed the company to spend less and have a bigger space that suited their exact specifications, but without tying them down for the long term.
Sam Harris, Workspace Advisor at Level, said: “There were definitely some challenges when searching the right space for Cytix, but we found exactly what they wanted at Eagle Buildings.
“Right from the initial contact it was a pleasure helping Cytix and handling everything on their behalf. Being able to secure them such agreat deal through negotiation with the landlord was just another added bonus for us!”
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