Innovate UK helps Kaleider set the stage for sustainable growth

Exeter-based Kaleider is redefining how creativity drives commercial success with the launch of two scalable products - Absurdable, an aptly named board game, and Twist & Shine, a large, illuminated sculpture inspired by a Rubik’s Cube snake.

With tailored business growth support from Innovate UK Business Growth, delivered by Business West in the South West, Kaleider  has secured more than £62,000 in public funding, expanded internationally to the US, Germany, Finland and Saudi Arabia, and is now building new income streams to sustain long-term growth.                                            

The company is an international art production studio that makes and tours large-scale artworks and live experiences for audiences worldwide. Its installations span immersive performances, interactive games and thought-provoking public art that mixes play with purpose.                                                                        

Blurring the boundaries between performance, design and technology, the company’s work invites audiences to experience art in playful and unexpected ways - transforming public spaces into creative playgrounds

Katie Keeler, Executive Producer at Kaleider, says: “Our work combines creativity, technology and storytelling in ways that bring people together and spark shared experiences. We want our art to connect people in public spaces, wherever they are in the world.”

Kaleider first engaged with Innovate UK Business Growth in 2023, as it sought to move beyond a project-by-project delivery model and develop a more sustainable way to fund and grow its creative work. Working with Innovation and Growth Specialist, Angelo Spencer-Smith, the company set out to transform its approach from delivering individual commissions to creating scalable products and recurring income streams.    

Following a detailed needs assessment, Angelo co-developed a tailored action plan with the business, focused on three key priorities that would deliver the greatest impact. The first was to diversify Kaleider’s revenue stream by developing marketable creative products. The second was to secure funding to reach a crucial product development milestone. The third was to prepare for international growth by identifying the most promising markets for those products.

To achieve the first two priorities, Angelo supported the team to apply for a £50,000 Innovate UK Creative Catalyst grant, followed by £12,300 of additional funding.

Katie explains: “Thanks to the support from Innovate UK, we could allocate the team’s time to product development and buy in the advice and support we needed. That funding was an absolute lifeline to growth."

The funding allowed Kaleider to step away from delivery mode and dedicate time to developing  two new commercial offerings; chiefly, Absurdable, a board game that captures the company’s playful creative spirit. Twist and Shine, a large, illuminated sculpture described as “a Rubik’s Cube snake made big.”

These innovations marked a turning point for the company - a shiY from one-off commissions to scalable creative assets capable of generating ongoing revenue and building long-term resilience.    

Katie adds: “Angelo helped us to reframe our creative work in business terms. I might talk about an artwork that tours around city centres, and he’ll say, ‘oh, well, that’s hardware as a service.

The analogy, Katie explains, helped her see Kaleider’s installations as scalable assets rather than one- off commissions. “It’s illuminating to have someone ask you questions, challenge you and to give you examples from other industries.”

With product development milestones achieved, the next step was to explore the most promising international markets for Kaleider’s creative products.

Building on its strengthened commercial foundation, Angelo recommended that the company apply for Innovate UK’s Global Explorers - an initiative delivered by Innovate UK Business Growth that helps innovative companies build partnerships and access new markets overseas.
 
Through the programme, the team visited Berlin, Hamburg and Nuremberg, meeting with key experts in publishing, distribution and manufacturing. The experience provided vital market insight and opened doors to new commercial opportunities. 

As a direct result, Kaleider secured a publishing deal for Absurdable, which will see the game sold in shops across the US, Germany and the UK by Christmas 2026. The company is also preparing Twist and Shine for exhibition in Finland and Saudi Arabia, extending its global footprint.

Since working with Innovate UK Business Growth, Kaleider has gained the confidence and strategic support to grow its business sustainably. The tailored action plan and targeted funding have helped it embed commercial thinking into its creative process and establish long-term revenue streams.

Katie concludes: “We’ve now got a line of products that we can scale up - something we didn’t have before the grant and the assistance from Angelo and the team. The support has been vital, not just for us but for the creative industry as a whole. It lends a feeling of legitimacy to creative enterprises, which are such an important part of the UK economy.”  

Creative Catalyst allowed us to work with a games consultant who also brought an entrepreneurial mindset and coached us in product manufacturing with a view to big distribution and better margins.

Alongside wider conversations with Angelo about their business, Kaleider was able to see their broader practice differently and develop a more sophisticated, tiered business plan. That business plan has been really impactful in that it has sharpened our focus and priorities.    

The company has strengthened its team capacity to deliver new projects and drive commercial growth. Twist and Shine alone has seen a significant uplift in bookings, growing from five annual installations worth £5,000 each to a single £40,000 commission in 2025, alongside several additional opportunities in progress.

The installation is now expected to account for around 25 percent of Kaleider’s income over the next two years.