Case Study

Apexl Studios

- Dec 02, 2025
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About the client

Apexl Studios is an award-winning web-design and development company, specialising in the creation of complex web applications and immersive technology for brand activations and large-scale interactive experiences, such as festivals and film premieres.

The team work with a variety of small and largescale business to enhance brand experiences, boost social media performance and to help create engaging, shareable content in a range of digital formats.

The Process

Apexl Studios highlighted that throughout their R&D claim with Leyton, the whole process was “smooth” with particular importance placed on the constant communication that the business had with Connor French, Financial Consultant at Leyton UK.

“Most of the communication was carried out via video call, which was a time saver for us, rather than filtering through emails. This meant that the pace was maintained throughout and we could discuss any questions and queries with the team at Leyton in real-time.”

The benefit of working with Leyton

“The biggest thing for us was the proactivity. With other firms, we were constantly chasing for updates. This time, the team kept in touch, followed up when needed, and even chased me when I hadn’t sent something over, which, honestly, I need because I’m so time-poor. The experience was night and day.

For us, Leyton made the whole process pretty simple. I could just have a conversation with the team about what we’d done, without having to go through reams of paperwork. I just don’t have time for that. Their knowledge and flexibility saved us a huge amount of time.

It’s nice to be able to work with a team that knows what they’re doing. They’re responsive and proactive, and if they’re ever unsure about something, they go and find out the information.”

About the claim

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“We claimed for three individual projects, with our main project being Cygnus – a software-as-a-service (SaaS) framework that is designed for rapid prototyping and R&D of individual pieces of software. It’s a huge project and one that will probably never-end, so it will always be on our R&D claims.”

Toby New – Managing Director at Apexl Studios

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“The project has had more than £500,000 worth of investment put into it, maybe even double now! As a platform it gives us a distinct advantage but is one we are continuously looking to improve.”

Toby New – Managing Director at Apexl Studios

The impact of the claim

“The claim gives us an extra bit of cash to reinvest. It always goes straight back into the business, whether that’s new equipment, people, or covering R&D project costs. It’s all about supporting growth and keeping the business healthy.

We assign a bunch of our projects to R&D and absorb these costs internally, knowing we can then claim these back as R&D later in the year. This allows us to have more flexibility in balancing project costs and supports further innovation.”

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