Black Nova Designs becomes first sponsor of esports at Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology

One of Wiltshire’s leading website and IT specialists Black Nova Designs has become the first company to sponsor the esports team at the Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology.

This marks a pioneering partnership which goes beyond financial support. Through sponsorship, hands-on involvement in lessons and industry-specific mentoring, the team at Black Nova Designs is shaping how students gain real-world skills within the esports and technology sectors.

Since the partnership began last year, Black Nova has provided students with team jerseys, collaborated on the growth of esports and actively participated in classroom discussions.

Esports teacher, Chris Baxter, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration and thanked Black Nova Designs’ founders, Kyle and Danielle Holmes: “We are hugely grateful to have Black Nova Designs as a sponsor.

“From the very start, Danielle and Kyle have been a pleasure to work and collaborate with. Their enthusiasm and passion have been instrumental in providing my students with their very own jerseys, while also generating ideas on how esports can grow, not only within our college but in the wider community. We are excited to build on this partnership and create even greater opportunities for our learners.”

As part of the esports curriculum, Level 3 students have been working on esports events, which tasks them with planning and running their own event. This led to the creation of an in-person Valorant Tournament, which took place on Monday 17 March at the Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology on the New College site in the town.

Black Nova Designs sponsored the event, offering in-person support and providing trophies in collaboration with Tilia Craft, one of their clients.

Further strengthening the esports community, the college will be hosting an esports mixer networking event this week on Wednesday 26 March, from 9:00am to 12:00pm. The event will bring together educators, professionals and enthusiasts to discuss the growing role of esports in education and its role in developing key skills for students.

Beyond sponsorship, Black Nova has embedded itself in student learning, bridging the gap between education and the real-world tech industry. In recent months, Danielle and Kyle visited the college for an open discussion with T-Level Digital Support students about careers in IT, answering questions and providing insights into the industry. The company also hosted its own Christmas staff party with esports students, challenging them to a morning of gaming and reinforcing their commitment to being part of the students’ journey.

An upcoming ‘Build a PC’ event will see students assembling PCs from individual components under the guidance of Black Nova’s Kyle Holmes. The fastest students will have the opportunity to support a larger scale ‘Build a PC’ day later this year, raising funds for charity while honing their skills.

“I started teaching PC building to eight to 16-year-olds because I wanted to bridge the gap between using technology and truly understanding it,” Kyle explained. “Too often, people in IT don’t fully grasp what’s powering their systems. This partnership is all about giving students fundamental knowledge they can take into gaming, IT support or even future careers in the tech industry.”

With plans to expand the ‘Build a PC’ initiative and continued involvement in college-led Esports events, Black Nova Designs is demonstrating that it is a key player in shaping the future of Swindon and Wiltshire’s next generation of tech and gaming professionals.

Black Nova Designs is an IT, website design and hosting company founded in 2015 and based in Calne.

• Image shows Kyle Holmes of Black Nova Designs with Chris Baxter