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Home » Grow » Sector Growth » Ambitious Essex Tech 50 » Ambitious Essex Tech 50 – 2026 » Merlin Cloud
Merlin Cloud is an AI-powered retail analytics and experience platform that helps brands better understand how customers interact with physical environments. The platform combines smart devices, interactive experiences, and real-time analytics to give businesses clear visibility into performance, engagement, and optimisation opportunities across their stores.
Merlin Cloud was co-founded by Luke Brown and Joseph Methven, who together bring a mix of technical, commercial, and operational experience across digital platforms, enterprise delivery, and product-led growth. The platform is built and supported by its parent company, &Element – a Colchester-based digital and technology agency that has been operating for over 11 years. &Element specialises in designing and building bespoke digital platforms, AI solutions, automation tools, and complex business systems for UK and global clients.
2025 was a major growth year for Merlin Cloud. We expanded enterprise deployments with global brands including Meta, Samsung, Philips, and IQOS, while continuing to enhance our analytics, device management, and insight capabilities. A key milestone this year was the continuation of our £200,000+ Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the University of Essex, running over 26 months and focused on advancing our AI division. This programme enables us to combine academic research with real-world commercial application, accelerating innovation across predictive analytics, behavioural insights, and intelligent automation within the Merlin Cloud platform.
Alongside this, we strengthened our ongoing partnerships with the Essex Business School and the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, supporting collaboration between industry and academia. We are also proudly based at the Innovation Centre, Knowledge Gateway in Colchester, placing the business at the heart of the local tech and startup ecosystem.
In 2026, our focus is on scaling Merlin Cloud across the UK and Europe, expanding our AI-driven insights, and launching new experience formats for physical retail and customer environments. We also plan to continue growing our team locally in Essex, creating new roles across engineering, product, marketing, and support. Supporting local employment and retaining tech talent within the county remains a key priority for the business.
Our culture is built around trust, ownership, and transparency. Everyone understands how their work contributes to the wider mission and is encouraged to take responsibility for what they build. Being based at the Innovation Centre allows our team to collaborate closely with other founders, local businesses, and students, creating an environment where learning, shared ambition, and support come naturally.
Yes, absolutely. Supporting young people has always been a core part of our journey. Through our parent company &Element, we have supported young people entering the technology industry for over 11 years, offering placements, junior roles, mentoring, and hands-on project experience. Many individuals began their careers with us and have since gone on to build long-term careers in tech.
We work closely with the University of Essex, supporting students across both business and computer science disciplines, and actively look for opportunities to help young people transition into meaningful, real-world technology roles. We are also proud members of Colchester Ambassadors, reflecting our commitment to helping Colchester succeed together. Through this network, we aim to support local businesses, share knowledge, promote collaboration, and contribute positively to the town’s long-term economic and technological growth. For us, success is not just about building a strong company, but about helping the wider Colchester and Essex community grow alongside us.
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