Bristol-based Time Machine Designs is combining cutting-edge digital technology with the latest archaeological and historical research to bring the past to life in immersive and interactive ways. With tailored business growth support from Innovate UK, the company has won a £100,000 contract, co-funded eight freelance roles and grown its customer base internationally across Europe and North America.
Founded in 2023, Time Machine Designs is transforming how people experience history through its digitally reconstructed and explorable landscapes. Its first commercial release, Hadrian’s Wall 180, is the world’s first digital reconstruction of the 73-mile Roman landmark – now viewable through Microsoft Flight Simulator. The platform is being used by universities, heritage organisations and aviation enthusiasts to explore the structure’s original form in the wider landscape.
Richard Blows, Founder of Time Machine Designs, says: “With Hadrian’s Wall 180, we’ve created something truly unique – a fully explorable version of one of Britain’s most iconic historical sites. It’s exciting to see it used not just by flight simulator fans, but also by academics and heritage teams to test ideas and bring history to life in new ways.”
Targeted support turns vision into value
Time Machine Designs began working with Innovate UK Business Growth in June 2024. Innovation and Growth Specialist, Sinclair Brown, developed a tailored action plan with the business to help it define its customer focus, sharpen its messaging and build a comprehensive strategy for growth.
Richard adds: “The opportunities for a technology like ours really are endless. Sinclair first helped me focus on defining our core customer base, then worked on refining the messaging for that audience. For instance, we came up with the question: ‘What would you do if you had a time machine?’ – which helps to establish an emotional connection and builds intrigue.”
This refined messaging helped it secure a £100,000 grant from Bristol City Council, working in partnership with Boomsatsuma – a Bristol-based organisation that develops creative talent through industry-focused education. The funds will be used to hire ten trainees who will be tasked with building new flight simulator products.
Sinclair also provided funding support, guiding the company in setting targets, identifying new opportunities and developing a robust three-year financial plan.
Time Machine Designs is also applying for a significant Heritage Lottery Fund grant in partnership with Portsmouth University to reconstruct nineteenth-century Gosport. Its innovation has resulted in an invitation to join a selected group of international developers in the “tech alpha” testing phase of a brand-new simulation platform which will open up new opportunities to create digital products for the heritage sector.
IP Audit safeguards commercial potential
To strengthen the company’s intellectual property (IP) foundations, Sinclair connected Time Machine Designs with the IP Audit – a part-funded assessment delivered by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and available to Innovate UK Business Growth clients. The audit provided a roadmap for protecting the company’s growing catalogue of digital assets and helped the team quickly address a potential vulnerability to safeguard a valuable trade secret.
That IP structure has already opened new commercial opportunities. The Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site management team has commissioned the company to produce four promotional films using flight footage from Hadrian’s Wall 180. The company’s “build once, use many times” approach is now enabling cost-effective adaptation of its models for museums and heritage organisations across the UK.
Richard explains: “The support from Innovate UK Business Growth has been instrumental in strengthening our IP protection, developing a structured funding roadmap, refining our messaging and securing new client engagements.”
Time Machine Designs has also strengthened its creative workforce, creating the equivalent of 1.6 full-time roles and supporting eight freelance positions with Boomsatsuma.
Heritage innovation meets international growth
Time Machine Designs has reached a global customer base from day one. Its payware content has been purchased by users in the US, Canada, France and the Netherlands, tapping into a potential international market of 15 million flight simulation users.
Innovate UK Business Growth support has since helped the company explore how its globally scalable digital products can be tailored for UK cultural institutions.
Richard concludes: “It may seem counterintuitive, but we started with an international market. The guidance we received from Innovate UK Business Growth helped us explore how that same work could be adapted for museums and heritage organisations here in the UK.”
Next, the company will continue its collaboration with Innovate UK Business Growth through its Invest-Ability Intensive Training – a rigorous, structured programme that builds investment readiness through targeted training and constructive feedback from active investors.
The support from Innovate UK Business Growth has been instrumental in strengthening our IP protection, developing a structured funding roadmap, refining our messaging and securing new client engagements.
Richard Blows, Founder of Time Machine Designs