The company Industry on Internet Ltd (IOI) was started by David Sandercock and John Spanton in 1996. Dave and John spent most of their careers in Research and Development in British Telecom. After leaving British Telecom they ran the West Midlands Regional Technology Centre (originally a DTI funded initiative to provide small and medium sized enterprises with technology support services ). Industry on Internet was created in 1996 and specialised in web sites - primarily for Industry and Technol