Black-led businesses and entrepreneurs from across the region gathered at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough for the Black Business & Tech Awards 2025 – Tees Valley, which returned for its second year to recognise achievement across a wide range of sectors and spotlight the growing impact of black-led businesses in the local economy.
Keynote speakers included Chris Cooke, mayor of Middlesbrough, who spoke about the town’s commitment to expanding opportunities for young people; Dr Sola Idowu, founder of Hexis Labs, on diversity in biotechnology and STEM leadership; and Michael Nicholas MBE of Northumbrian Water Group, on recruitment from the Black community.
The awards are organised by Sticks and Stones Studios. Founding director Kudakwashe Gumboreshumba Derera said the evening highlighted the strength, ambition and creativity within the black business community of Tees Valley.
Nippybot is building its robots and running its first tests in this same region, so it is good to see the Tees Valley technology community recognised on a night like this.