99Designs aims to provide small businesses with easy access to quality graphic design

99Designs has doubled its creative submissions in the UK to its online graphic design marketplace, with global payments to designers topping ?50m for the first time.

Since identifying Europe as a core growth area, the company has increased the number of UK designers offering graphics through the service to the extent that they now make up more than a quarter of 99Design's 850,000 strong contributor community.

"With half a million UK business launching every year, graphic design is playing a major role in connecting them with their customers – both on and offline," said Patrick Llewellyn, chief executive of 99designs. "SMEs need quality graphic design at an affordable price, and each connection we make brings them a step closer to success, and a designer a step forward in shaping their career."