While London often dominates the UK tech narrative, a quiet — and rapidly accelerating — revolution is unfolding further north. In towns like Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, and Billingham, a new generation of Black founders is building startups that combine cutting-edge technology with mission-driven purpose. Nowhere is this shift more visible than in Middlesbrough itself, which, according to the 2024 UK Tech Jobs Report, has cemented its status as the leading tech hub outside London.
Ranking sixth nationally with a tech score of 80.07, Middlesbrough is officially the UK’s fastest-growing tech destination, with a sector expansion rate of 13.79% — the highest in the country. While currently home to 165 tech firms, the town’s momentum and talent density are outpacing legacy regions, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most exciting places to build the future of UK innovation.
From AI in carbon management to geolocation-powered social platforms, Black entrepreneurs are playing a central role in shaping this new frontier — turning the Northeast into a quietly powerful engine of inclusive, data-led disruption.
Here are 3 startups—and the visionary minds behind them—leading that charge.
Carbonetrix – Powering Sustainable Design Through AI
📍 Billingham, UK
👤 Founder: Dr. Suhaib Arogundade
In the race toward decarbonisation, few sectors face as much complexity — or opportunity — as the built environment. Enter Carbonetrix, a Newcastle-based startup building AI-powered carbon management tools tailored for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry.
Founded by Dr. Suhaib Arogundade, a registered civil engineer and Commonwealth Scholar with a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carbonetrix is redefining how professionals interact with carbon data. The platform simplifies complex calculations, integrates real-time analytics, and empowers users to make carbon-conscious decisions — regardless of their prior knowledge.
“We want carbon intelligence to be as accessible as CAD,” says Dr. Arogundade. “Decarbonisation shouldn’t be a niche skill — it should be embedded into how we design, build, and operate.”
Dr. Arogundade, who has led carbon-related research across academia and industry, brings deep expertise in environmental engineering, waste management, and infrastructure sustainability. His leadership has helped Carbonetrix gain traction quickly — earning spots in the Tees Valley Lab Stable Accelerator and a Royal Academy of Engineering pre-accelerator.
Carbonetrix’s technology enables:
- Automated carbon assessments for building projects
- Machine learning-based insights for design and construction choices
- Compliance support aligned with PAS 2080 and other sustainability standards
In just under a year, the startup has grown to an eight-person team, secured its first client, and is quickly becoming a key player in the UK’s low-carbon future — from the heart of the North.
Innovarie – De-Risking Entrepreneurship with AI-Powered Business Intelligence
📍 Stockton-on-Tees, UK
👤 Founder: Yusuff Adeniyi Giwa
In a world where 90% of startups fail within their first three years, one platform is on a mission to flip that statistic. Meet Innovarie — an AI-powered business evaluation platform designed to help entrepreneurs validate, plan, and launch their ventures with data, not guesswork.
The platform is the brainchild of Yusuff Adeniyi Giwa, a UK-based data scientist, backend engineer, and tech entrepreneur with over eight years of experience in AI, cloud systems, and product-led innovation. Through Innovarie, Giwa is building a smart, end-to-end solution that takes founders from raw idea to investor-ready — all through automated market research, financial modeling, competitor analysis, and strategic planning tools.
Currently in development, Innovarie has already begun drawing a waiting list of early users and received support from top UK tech accelerators. It was selected for the Barclays Eagle Labs Product Builder Programme, the Barclays Funding Readiness Programme, and also received resources through Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub.
Built with a modular design, the platform offers:
- Business Idea Evaluation Reportsbased on market demand and viability
- AI-powered financial projectionsand break-even analyses
- Competitor and benchmarking toolsfor positioning
- Investor-ready business plan generators and pitch decks
- Location and network mappingto identify ideal markets and partnerships
- Regulatory and Compliance reportingand launch toolkits tailored for various industries
At the core of Innovarie is a mission to reduce the knowledge gap and failure rate for entrepreneurs — especially those operating without traditional startup support systems. It’s also a reflection of Giwa’s broader belief: that innovation should be democratized.
“I know what it means to build something out of nothing,” he says. “Innovarie is here to guide that process with clarity and confidence.”
With MSc in Artificial Intelligence & Data Analytics, Giwa is also the CTO of Japaflex and co-founder at The sixth Avis and a co-creator of EARWAC and, a climate resilience dashboard featured at COP26 and backed by the European Space Agency. His technical and leadership credentials have earned him recognition not only as a builder, but as a visionary.With MVP integration nearly complete, Giwa is preparing to launch Innovarie’s private beta in 2025 — while continuing to scale the platform’s capabilities and its team. For founders navigating a chaotic business landscape, Innovarie is shaping up to be the GPS.
Japaflex – Bridging Cultural Gaps Through Local Connection
www.japaflex.com
📍 Middlesbrough, UK
👤 Founder: Ajibola Agbaje
As urban migration and international travel continue to grow, loneliness and disconnection have become modern epidemics — especially for newcomers in unfamiliar places. That’s where Japaflex steps in.
Founded by Ajibola Agbaje, a data scientist and product strategist based in Middlesbrough, Japaflex is a social application that helps users connect based on location, shared cultural backgrounds, and mutual interests. Whether you’re a student, immigrant, or tourist, the platform enables meaningful relationships, localized discovery, and access to vital support systems — all within a few taps.
Japaflex uses geofencing and AI-driven community hubs to help users discover others in their vicinity who share similar identities or needs. Users can engage with location-based content, join interest groups, and even explore nearby businesses and events relevant to their background or lifestyle.
Agbaje brings deep experience in predictive analytics, business analysis, and product development. As a graduate of Teesside University’s MSc in Data Science and founder of multiple digital projects, he has led Japaflex through ideation, development, and market testing — all while bootstrapping operations and steering strategic growth.
The platform is already being tested in early rollout, and the team is refining features based on live user feedback. From building cultural bridges to helping new arrivals feel less isolated, Japaflex is a tool built on empathy — and powered by data.
With support from mentors at the Tony Elumelu Foundation and experience driving other tech-forward ventures, Agbaje is leading Japaflex into its next phase: full launch, community engagement, and partnerships across higher education, tourism, and urban development.
“We’re building a platform that makes human connection part of the infrastructure — as essential as transport or housing,” he says.
As Black-led innovation continues to grow in the UK’s Northeast, Japaflex stands out not just for its tech — but for its mission to make connection a right, not a privilege.
Why It Matters
These startups aren’t just building products—they’re solving real-world problems through tech, data, and design. And they’re doing it from towns not typically associated with venture capital or media attention. As innovation continues to decentralise, founders like Giwa, Arogundade, and Agbaje are proving that brilliance lives far beyond London.
