Bath based animation studio Spud Gun Studios has been named Creative Tech Business of the Year at the SPARKies 2026 and shortlisted as a Small Business finalist at the upcoming EntreConf Awards.

Spud Gun Studios is the independent studio behind Mashed, one of the largest online animation channels in the world, with over 7 million followers and more than 2 billion lifetime views. The studio produces animated content for gaming and entertainment brands including Larian Studios, Devolver Digital, PlayStation, Ubisoft and HoYoverse, and is developing original IP including its first series Killer Princess and America’s Next Cryptid for Tubi.

The SPARKies award, presented at St George’s Bristol on 16 July, recognised the studio’s work at the intersection of animation, gaming and digital content. Spud Gun Studios was founded in Bath and has grown into one of the UK’s most watched animation producers, reaching approaching 500 million views annually across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

The EntreConf Awards nomination follows shortly after, with the ceremony taking place on 1 October at Aerospace Bristol. The awards celebrate entrepreneurial businesses across the South West and Spud Gun Studios has been named a finalist in the Small Business category.

Tom Payne, Managing Director and cofounder of Spud Gun Studios, said: “Winning Creative Tech Business of the Year at the SPARKies was a brilliant moment for the team. To then be shortlisted for the EntreConf Awards on top of that is a real vote of confidence in what we’re building here in Bath. We’ve always believed that world class animation can come from outside London and these nominations show that the wider business community is starting to see that too.”

Spud Gun Studios recently joined Bristol Creative Industries and is a member of the region’s growing creative and digital community.

About Spud Gun Studios

A story-driven independent animation studio creating content for young, digital viewers.