Data + technology + storytelling + design
Kiln is the company behind Flourish, a powerful platform for visualising and storytelling with data.
Kiln combines skills from web development, data analysis, mathematics, journalism, cartography and design to make complex information engaging, beautiful and interactive.
Since 2012 we have been offering high-end interactives, consultancy and training to a wide range of clients, from big companies to small charities.
Today we focus on Flourish, a platform that allows non-coders to quickly create agency-quality visuals and presentations from powerful and flexible templates.
Kiln was co-founded by Duncan Clark and Robin Houston. For the full team see here.
Duncan Clark is CEO. A data journalist, writer and publisher by background, he was a consultant editor at the Guardian, an honorary research associate at UCL and author of books including The Burning Question.
Robin Houston is CTO. A web developer and mathematician by background, he has worked at MySociety, the Sanger Institute, 10:10 and the Guardian. Robin has a PhD in computer science.
Selected awards
Startup for News Awards
Information Is Beautiful Awards
Data Journalism Awards
Webby Awards, Online Video
Digital Media Europe Awards
On Think Tanks Data Visualisation
Sheffield Doc/Fest Official Selection
Why ‘Kiln’?
Information is like clay: it exists in abundance but only becomes interesting when it’s been processed, shaped and glazed. A kiln is a furnace where materials and form come together to create something useful or beautiful.
So Kiln doesn’t stand for anything?
Not really. We could say ‘Knowledge, Ideas, Learning, News’, but that would be a backronym.
Where are you based?
In London. And no, we’re not Italian – even though a long time ago our web domain used to be kiln.it. (That was a play on words because kiln is also a verb – ‘to kiln it’ – and ‘kiln.it’ is a homophone for ‘killin’ it’, which means ‘to be doing something very well’.)