Dare to dream...A 17-year journey from childhood ambition to building a leading provider of server hosting, internet connectivity and data centre colocation.
How many of us aspire to take our childhood passion and turn it into a successful business?
Craig Messer, the founder and Managing Director of VeloxServ, has done just that…and as the business celebrates its 17th anniversary, fittingly on 17th February 2025, Craig has taken the time to reflect on how far he and VeloxServ have come and shares his exciting vision for the future.
“I have been fascinated by IT since I was around 11 years old,” said Craig.
“I had always hoped to build a large business and starting VeloxServ at 17 meant I had a lot to learn. Working with different businesses and people was an exciting learning curve.”
In its earliest days VeloxServ focused on designing and hosting websites, but as a reseller using another provider, it was frustration with poor after-sales support that provided the spark and inspiration for the next growth opportunity.
“The business grew quickly, prompting me to acquire our own server, in a London data centre. From there, I introduced further services such as dedicated servers and colocation and within a few years we expanded to multiple racks, eventually establishing our own data centres and network,” explained Craig.
The upward trajectory of the business came at a time of surging demand for data consumption driven by the rapid growth of online services.
“When we started, broadband speeds were extremely low and, even back in 2008, there was already some demand for remote working, virtual desktops, and VoIP. However, the infrastructure just wasn’t sufficient to make full use of data centres without leased lines and other premium connectivity. With the advent of Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) products, it has become far easier and more cost-effective to take full advantage of data centre services,” added Craig.
After VeloxServ finished its first data centre in 2015/2016 it was capable of housing sixty racks, but the business only had around ten racks of live equipment at the time. It felt like a monumental task to fill, yet within three years VeloxServ had done just that and went on to build a second data centre in 2019 and a third in 2022.
From day one, the success of the business has been built on a foundation of delivering exceptional customer service. Karl Bellingham, Director of 2LOGIC, one of VeloxServ’s longest standing customers, said: “We have been using VeloxServ for nearly a decade for our colocation services and connectivity, and their service has been nothing short of exceptional. Their personalised and responsive support sets them apart, ensuring we always have the assistance we need when it matters most. The service itself has been rock solid, with no issues throughout our time with them. On the rare occasion we've required remote hands, VeloxServ has responded promptly and efficiently. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and well-managed colocation partner.”
So, having already come on such a monumental journey, what advice would Craig give to his younger self and others dreaming of starting out on a similar path?
“I’d say not to be too hard on yourself—it’s easy to become too self-critical when you’re so young in an industry full of experienced professionals. One thing I’m proud of is sticking to our core values of service, reliability, and value. Establishing these early on gave us a clear sense of identity and direction,” advises Craig.
In the last year, the business has continued its exciting growth curve, developing its own leading independent wholesale connectivity services to ISPs across the UK and bringing in a new Head of Sales and Head of Marketing to help spearhead this exciting expansion.
“I’m really proud of building the business from the ground up, surrounding myself with like-minded people to drive the business forward with our customer’s best interests at the forefront of everything we do,” said Craig.
“Looking forward to the next 17 years, I hope the business will have further expanded its datacentres and connectivity offerings, all while maintaining our commitment to exceptional service and reliability. It’s equally important to remember where we started and uphold the core values that have guided us from the very beginning.”
If you’d like to speak to VeloxServ about how it can support your business, feel free to contact its service and support team: https://www.veloxserv.co.uk/contact
