Rising businesswoman marks series of major milestones for Borders-based firm

About the business

ThermaFY will feature at next week’s London Tech Week 2019, where the company will launch its revolutionary software for the heating industry.

The latest coup is one of a number of recent successes that Kelso-based ThermaFY has marked within just four years after the business was set up in a cupboard at home.

ThermaFY has not only expanded across Europe but its founder, Amanda Pickford, has been appointed as an ambassador for Women’s Enterprise Scotland (WES) as well as being selected to join one of the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) programs of its kind run by Microsoft. The program is aimed at unlocking solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges on a global scale.

Amanda, who has also been named as one of the top 20 businesswomen to watch in 2019, hails national business advice service Business Gateway as being a key driving force behind her growth success.

How Business Gateway has helped

“Thermography spans such a vast number of sectors and areas that it was difficult defining my exact offering,” Amanda said. “I was trying to be all things to all people, but Business Gateway was very good at making me narrow my vision by stripping it back and being clear and concise about where I want to go.”

“I never dreamed that I would get where I am now. I have tapped into every resource Business Gateway has and my adviser, Sandra Campbell, is a great motivator. She has always believed in me and, after completing a strategy workshop through Scottish Development International, it was time to really focus on the business and move into an office.

“We managed to get a Make It To Market grant which allowed me to get someone to help with the work, we then started working more with Scottish Enterprise and, as a result, managed to get an innovation grant of £96,000.

“I wouldn’t be here without Business Gateway’s support. They have supported me throughout my business journey and gave me the confidence to believe in myself.”

Sandra Campbell, a growth business adviser at Business Gateway, said: “It has been a great opportunity working with ThermaFY, which has made the most of what Business Gateway has to offer in terms of defining their strategy, access to finance and specialist support for digital, innovation and internationalisation.

“The company is on the cusp of developing a global brand which will make a substantial contribution to energy efficiency within the plumbing and heating sector."

What’s next?

ThermaFY, which now has four employees, is focused on continuing to scale up and growing the business by developing intuitive software that analyses heat patterns to identify issues. ThermaFY turns the invisible into visible and measurable data.