Veeqo, a Swansea-based tech company, was acquired by Amazon in 2021, and its shipping and inventory management software is available for free to the 85,000 small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) selling on Amazon in the UK, as well as the nearly 500,000 Amazon sellers based in the US.
With support from Amazon, Veeqo has hired 50 new people in the last year, growing its team to more than 100 strong. The new jobs created include highly-skilled tech roles such as software development engineers, technical product managers, and knowledge engineers, as well as UX designers, and business analysts.
Veeqo will continue to work closely with nearby universities, including the University of Swansea and The University of Wales Trinity Saint David, to provide placements for software and engineering students.
We chatted to the Veeqo employees who build the tools, as well as the Amazon sellers using them to thrive and scale their businesses.
A “Swiss army knife” of software tools for small business owners
“Veeqo is a software Swiss army knife - as an early adopter of the product I’ve seen how it has evolved into a must have tool for any serious ecommerce business,” said Huw Morgan, founder of Walrus Apparel, an online golf apparel retailer based in Swansea.
“As the brand owner and director of Walrus Apparel, multiple other online businesses, and the director of an Amazon agency, it could be difficult for me to handle numerous fulfilment options, sales reporting and inventory management all at once, but Veeqo makes it easy.”
Naissance, a beauty and wellness retailer based in Neath, specialises in naturally-produced oils, ingredients and beauty products. Jem Skelding started the business in 2005 inspired by a childhood spent in Africa where it was commonplace for people to use natural ingredients to make their own products.
“Working with Amazon and Veeqo has really helped our business grow,” said Jem. “Amazon’s global sales platform and Veeqo’s e-commerce technology make it possible for us to create products here in South Wales that are then exported to customers around the world.”
From its base in South Wales, the company sells to customers all over the world, thanks to partnerships with Amazon and Veeqo. Naissance uses a range of Amazon’s seller services, Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), alongside Veeqo’s technology to reach customers globally.
Developing a pool of exceptional talent in Swansea
Ian Johnson-Cole relocated from London to Swansea to join the Veeqo team as a global support manager. Bringing a wealth of customer service experience from his background in hospitality software management for global brands, Ian will lead Veeqo’s growing customer support team.
“When the opportunity to take on a role at Veeqo was presented to me it seemed too good to be true,” said Ian. “I was in the process of searching for the right kind of expansive role to facilitate a move from London when Amazon approached me, and the support they’ve given since I accepted the job has been second to none. I’m looking forward to working with the stellar Veeqo team to develop the pool of exceptional talent in Swansea and widen Veeqo’s reach globally.”
Software development engineer Jordan Price joined Veeqo as a full-time employee following completion of a software engineering degree at Swansea University. Having spent time working at Veeqo both on a placement year and part-time basis during his studies, Jordan was drawn to the company as a friendly, local employer that would give him the tools needed to succeed and progress in his career.
“I can’t wait to be part of Veeqo’s growth in Swansea,” said Jordan. “The company already has an excellent relationship with Swansea University and local students, but with Amazon’s investment, we have even more potential to become a leading employer in the area for new and emerging tech talent. I would love the city to be known as one of the biggest tech development hubs in Wales.”
Magdalena Motyl joined Veeqo in Swansea last year in pursuit of a new career in software engineering. Magdalena had an interest in software engineering throughout her career as a project manager for start-ups, but it wasn’t until 2021 that she decided to make the switch to find a full-time position in the industry following a period of freelancing.
Magdalena said: “At Veeqo, we have the unique opportunity to have the look and feel of a start-up, combined with the ample educational resources available to us through Amazon. It’s been a pleasure to get to know the team in Swansea and I’m excited to develop my skills as we pursue great things together.”
Since 2010, Amazon has invested £1.7 billion in Wales and created 2,000 jobs across the country, according to its Economic Impact Hub. In addition, Amazon’s investment has contributed an estimated £1.7 billion to the region’s GDP since 2010 through the production of goods and services.
Learn more about Amazon’s investment in Wales and other regions.
