OES Group is a specialist engineering company delivering cathodic protection and marine growth prevention systems for offshore wind, marine vessels, and harbour infrastructure. Founded and headquartered in Gateshead, the company operates globally with facilities in the Netherlands, South Africa, and the UAE. The company designs, manufactures, and installs systems that protect critical offshore assets from corrosion and biofouling. Its systems extend operational lifespans, reduce maintenance costs, and support the long-term viability of offshore wind energy infrastructure. OES works with some of the world’s leading offshore wind developers and vessel operators and continues to expand its capabilities. The company has seen significant growth over the past four years, with EBITDA rising from £2m in 2021/22 to more than £14.4m in 2024/25.

Founded and located in South Shields, Ford Aerospace’s heritage dates back to 1910. The company specialises in machined aerospace components, working with clients across the globe. The company has seen 15.7% growth in the current financial year, with sales rising to £10.3m and continued growth forecast. Its investment plan has included a 30% increase in headcount, along with new equipment and specialist machinery. As a long-established North East business, Ford Aerospace has always been committed to supporting its local community, raising funds for good causes as well as supporting STEM activities. The Ford Aerospace Apprenticeship Academy is operated in partnership with Gateshead College and South Tyneside College, providing young people with nationally accredited manufacturing engineering qualifications and work experience.

Binding Solutions Ltd (BSL) was established in Middlesbrough with the vision of using innovative materials science to decarbonise iron and steelmaking. The company describes itself as a “proud representative of Teesside industry” and strives to provide a technology that is commercially attractive, environmentally sustainable, implementable at scale and backed by global industry leaders. BSL is engaging with strategic and financial investors as it advances towards construction of its first-of-a-kind plant, which will create 35 direct jobs and contribute to the growing green economy in the North East. It has secured Memorandums of Understanding covering two million tonnes of iron ore supply and two million tonnes of pellet offtake, illustrating the promise of its technology for some of the world’s leading players in the iron ore and steel markets.

Ian Shipley built his career at global strategy consultancy Oliver Wyman and then pursued his long-held ambition to help the North East thrive by building a billion-dollar business headquartered in Newcastle. As well as his role as founder of Neptune North, a rapidly growing tech consultancy, he has chair and trustee roles at Gentoo Group, the Capital Advisory Group and the Glasshouse. He is a founder of Adapt Your Home for Life, a building company specialising in home adaptations for the elderly and disabled. Mr Shipley’s career demonstrates a blend of international corporate leadership, localised economic impact, and dedication to the North East community. He serves as a positive role model, showcasing how world-class business success can directly translate into regional prosperity.

Andy Broadbent is principal and chief executive officer of New College Durham. He has more than 28 years’ experience in education and public sector leadership, and has been instrumental in strengthening the college’s financial stability and strategic development. Since taking up post in 2020, he has delivered sustained improvement in quality at the college, doubling turnover to £72m with more than £30m invested in capital projects. Mr Broadbent’s leadership has coincided with a shift towards a regionally devolved, employer-led skills system aligned to national industrial priorities. He aligned the college’s accountability agreement to national and regional priorities, ensuring curriculum intent reflected industrial strategy and economic plans.

Laura Edgar is the managing director and owner of Aura Infection Control Ltd, a specialist infection prevention, decontamination and compliance business serving the UK dental, healthcare, education and veterinary sectors. She joined the family business in 2009 following a career in banking, and assumed leadership following the death of her mother in 2016, followed by a management buyout in 2020. Under her leadership, Aura has grown into an award-winning organisation recognised as one of the UK's Best Workplaces for Development 2026. She combines commercial performance with a strong commitment to people, sustainability and industry improvement.

BURGER-DROP is one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent food brands, serving more than 1,000 customers every day and supporting 58 jobs across its network. The company has developed a franchise operation and says it wants to develop entrepreneurs, raise funds for humanitarian causes and create a brand that stands for far more than great food. Forecast revenues are expected to reach £5.5m in 2026 and further growth is being planned. The company’s long-term ambition is to establish BURGER-DROP as one of the UK’s leading modern food brands while maintaining its commitment to quality, customer experience, social impact and talent development.

A Star Attendance is transforming how schools tackle pupil attendance. Founded by former council attendance officer Jill Robson, it combines frontline expertise with innovative technology, empowering schools to identify concerns early and intervene so no child is left behind. The company supports more than 162,000 pupils across Britain, with 381 schools using its platform and a further 56 coming on board. Schools using the system have reported attendance improvements of up to 8%, creating thousands of additional learning hours and improving outcomes for children nationwide. Its plans for the next 12 months include doubling turnover and the number of schools using the platform. To support increasing demand, the company plans to expand its in-house software development and operations teams, creating skilled jobs and investing in regional talent.

Colewood Digital is an independent full-service digital agency which has 26 years of experience delivering digital growth for clients across the UK. With a team of 22 specialists, Colewood’s integrated digital services include SEO, PPC, web design and development, e-commerce, branding, content, and media production. The company aims to combine the strategic expertise and technical capability of a larger agency with the agility and personalised service of an independent business. Managing director Helen Stewart also helps shape future digital talent in the Teesside area by supporting the Young Enterprise and Assist Women’s Network. She mentors young professionals and advocates for greater female representation in digital roles.

Husain Ayoob is the 23-year-old founder and CEO of AyoobAI Ltd, a Newcastle-based, full-code AI engineering company. The business was founded by Husain following his graduation from Northumbria University and has since grown at a remarkable pace. It has achieved Government supplier status, attained internationally recognised security certifications, filed five UK patent applications, and established a growing client base across multiple sectors. Husain also mentors two early-stage companies, providing technical and commercial guidance to help them navigate the challenges of building a business in the AI space. He speaks to international students at Northumbria University to outline his journey from graduate to founder.

Ryan Bolton is the founder of a premium boutique fitness brand based in Newcastle, PhysiquePro. The model combines a premium open gym with small group personal training, delivering a far more personal and elevated experience than traditional gyms. Since launching the company it has opened three sites, all of which have quickly reached capacity. Ryan has also built a sense of community at the gyms, and more than £15,000 has been raised for local causes, alongside ongoing volunteering efforts involving both staff and members. He said the business is about “building something with long term impact, and proving that with the right mindset and execution, you can create something meaningful at a young age”.

Luke Henderson is a 23-year-old Cramlington based founder, full-stack developer and current MSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence student at Newcastle University. During his undergraduate degree at Northumbria University, he combined his business background, technical skills and lived experience of ADHD to create NeuroMoney, a fintech startup helping neurodivergent adults manage their money. Luke is open about the lived experience behind the company, demonstrating that neurodivergence can be a source of insight, creativity and strategic thinking. He is working to develop the company alongside his university studies, and aims to grow it into a sustainable North East technology business.

Henrietta Newble is the founder of AnFiTest, a North East animal health technology startup developing rapid point of care diagnostics and data analytics to prevent major equine and livestock diseases. A mechanical engineering student at Newcastle University, Henrietta first raised venture capital at 19 and has taken AnFiTest from an A-level idea into a funded company. She is building a company that combines engineering, chemistry, agriculture and software, with the ambition to transform how grazing animal health is managed in the UK and globally. She is now working on plans to take AnFiTest from prototype stage towards commercial readiness ahead of launch next year. Longer-term, she wants to build the company into a North East built animal health technology company with global potential.

OnlyCat is a North East–based consumer technology company behind the world’s first AI-powered microchip cat flap with real-time prey detection. The company has developed an innovative solution to a problem affecting millions of cat owners worldwide. Founded by brothers Martin and Tomas Rosinski, OnlyCat was designed, engineered, and commercialised entirely from the North East. Following a successful crowdfunding launch raising over £750,000, the company has experienced rapid growth and secured investment from Steven Bartlett following an appearance on Dragons’ Den. Over the next 12 months, OnlyCat plans to build upon the success of its flagship product by expanding into additional smart pet technology product lines. It also hopes to continue scaling its manufacturing and international distribution operations to support growing demand in North America and Europe.

Everflow is a fastest-growing water retailer that is aiming to disrupt the UK utilities market. Innovation is at the heart of the company’s mission to “make utilities simple” for businesses. That includes Project Merlin, an initiative that has transformed the way the company supports its customers and scales its business. Developed during a period of rapid growth and diversification into waste management and connectivity services, Merlin was designed to solve the critical challenge of how to maintain exceptional customer service as operational complexity increased. Staff teams have developed a centralised knowledge platform that acts as a single source of truth across the business. It provides instant responses to employee queries while following approved brand guidelines and communication standards. The company describes its impact as “transformational”.

Salesfire is a SaaS company that provides data-led tools to eCommerce retailers and helps them maximise revenue across key marketing touchpoints. The company is committed to continued innovation and development of solutions that will enhance efficiency for retailers. Its AI Connect platform integrates with the popular email platform Klaviyo to allow retailers to improve the data they have on customers while retaining their existing email flows and setup. The next year will see the company continue to invest in AI innovation, as well as leveraging AI to generate deeper insights from customer behaviour, enabling retailers to better understand their audiences and respond to changing buying patterns in real time.

Neptune North is a fast-growing technology consultancy headquartered in Newcastle’s Pilgrim Quarter. A joint venture between Rokos Capital Management and Oliver Wyman, it brings together brilliant minds across financial markets, defence technology and AI to serve some of the world's most sophisticated clients. In two years the business has grown to 180 employees, with offices in Champaign, Madrid and Vilnius and teams operating across Australia and New Zealand. But it remains proudly rooted in the North East, investing in educational partnerships, graduate and degree apprenticeship programmes, and structured training to build world-class professionals. Neptune North closed its 2026 financial year with £16.7m in revenue and a team of 141 people; it is hoping to achieve £32.5m in revenue next year and reach 250 employees by the end of 2026.

eQuality Solutions Group (eQS) is a Hebburn-headquartered national specialist in disability support, helping to improve access, retention and achievement for more than 30,000 students across UK higher education. The company has scaled through inspirational leadership, strategic acquisitions, major contract wins and service innovation. Turnover has grown from £12.8m in 2023 to £22.4m in 2025, driven by national expansion, growth of acquired businesses and securing a significant position on a Government framework for disabled student support. Future plans focus on deepening university partnerships and diversifying into adjacent markets, including Scotland and workplace support. Rooted in a mission to be a “good business that does good”, eQS places equal importance on combining commercial growth with measurable social impact, helping people thrive in education, work and life.

B A Joinery is a leading bespoke joinery manufacturer, delivering high quality craftsmanship and innovative solutions across sectors including commercial, education, hospitality, heritage and retail. Operating from a 40,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Stockton-on-Tees, it combines traditional craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing technologies to deliver prestigious projects throughout the UK. Over the last 12 months, the business has achieved significant growth, increasing turnover from £14.6m to a forecast of £18.1m, with projected revenues of £19m next year. The company’s growth has been supported by strategic investment in digital technologies, manufacturing capabilities, employee development and operational efficiency. It has also acquired a neighbouring facility that will support future expansion, create new employment opportunities and strengthen its position as a major North East manufacturer.

GT3 is an award-winning architectural practice with studios in Newcastle, Nottingham, London and Belfast. Over the last decade, the practice has grown headcount by 168%, expanded from two studios to four and achieved sustained turnover growth of around 10% year on year. The company’s people architecture approach shapes its work and culture, putting people rather than buildings at the heart of every decision. For employees, this creates a workplace where people are trusted, supported, developed and encouraged. Policies include flexible working, a focus on wellbeing and good mental health, continuous professional development and social events. The company is planning to use its 10th anniversary to create new opportunities for employees to contribute to wellbeing, social value, inclusive design and sustainability work.

Muckle is a commercial law firm based in Newcastle, with offices in Teesside and Cumbria. It employs 207 people, including 50 partners. The company aims to recruit, develop and retain the best people to drive its growth and its people-first approach has seen it achieve B Corp status and the Investors in People Platinum award. Muckle has bespoke training programmes for staff and invests heavily in their wellbeing. It is passionate about addressing social and financial barriers to law and making it a more accessible career path for young people through its legal apprenticeship programme. Other initiatives have included a multi-faith prayer space, an area for breastfeeding and a group to support working parents.

William Smith Group 1832 is one of the UK’s leading specialist suppliers of vinyl films and materials to the sign, graphics, and building interiors industries. The business combines deep industry expertise with a forward-looking approach to support its customers and partners. The company’s family ethos runs through everything it does, and aims to treat all employees like family. It recently invested £75,000 to ensure staff were at the forefront of its business, giving them a platform to share feedback and suggest cultural improvements. The company’s employee rewards and benefits include the option to purchase additional holidays, long service awards, enhanced maternity pay and a company-wide profit share scheme that distributes 10% of pre-tax profits.

Aura Infection Control is a family-run business helping dental practices across the UK protect their patients and teams through trusted infection control products, expert guidance and ongoing compliance support. The company believes its people are its greatest asset and has invested heavily in employee development and training. It has achieved Great Place to Work Certification and has been named one of the UK's Best Workplaces for Development. The company has encouraged improvements aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals that come directly from its team, including a healthy snack club providing fruit and nutritious snacks, shopping local, cutting energy use and improving insulation of its warehouse.

AyoobAI Ltd is a Newcastle-based, full-code AI engineering company founded in 2024 by Husain Ayoob after his graduation from Northumbria University. In less than two years, it has gained a UK Government framework appointment, filed five UK patent applications and built a client base across a number of sectors. The company - whose success has come without any external investment - builds and trains AI models entirely from the ground up, then embeds them into production software for enterprise and Government clients. Its capabilities include computer vision, document intelligence, video analysis, cybersecurity, multi-model architectures, and forecasting. The company is planning to more than double revenues in the next year, as well as growing its in-house team.

The Wellbeing Lead Academy is a specialist education provider transforming how organisations approach workplace mental health and wellbeing. Founded by Emily Pearson, it equips HR professionals, wellbeing leads and people managers with accredited training and qualifications, consultancy and practical tools to move wellbeing from reactive activity to evidence-based strategy. Its purpose is ambitious to professionalise the role of companies’ wellbeing leads and help organisations create sustainable and healthy workplaces. Plans for the coming year include scaling up its commercial activities to double turnover and build the foundations for national and international growth. There are also plans to publish a book and launch a new digital platform.

Cognitive HealthTech is a clinical-stage AI health technology company that is developing a smartphone platform for the early detection and continuous monitoring of cognitive function. Co-founders Victoria Burnip and Prof Christian Morgner bring both personal and professional experience of supporting adults with neurodevelopmental and neurological conditions to this mission. They have secured £176,000 in funding across UKRI, Innovate UK and angel investment, prioritising grant income at every stage to protect equity and maintain their independence. The founders aim to take the platform from validation into deployment over the next 12 months, as well as deepening their NHS pipeline. Their vision is a world where people feel empowered through AI and technology to optimise their brain health and prevent cognitive decline.

Port of Blyth is a key driver of economic, social and environmental value in the North East. It has four terminals on the River Blyth and supports the offshore energy sector while handling a diverse range of cargo. Being a force for good is embedded in its business model, working as a trust port to reinvest all of its profits into its people, infrastructure and the local community. As well as providing a key base for the region’s growing low-carbon economy, it is decarbonising itself as part of its Net Zero 2040 roadmap. The port’s commitment to its workforce has been recognised through the North East mayor’s Shine employer accreditation scheme, and it has played a key part in the development of Blyth’s Energy Central Campus.

Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors is the North East's largest outlet shopping destination, home to more than 65 stores, restaurants, a supermarket and a cinema. The centre welcomes 4.6m visitors annually and has grown sales by 42% since 2019, supporting 1,500 jobs on site and contributing significantly to the economies of both County Durham and the wider North East. Its commercial performance enables continuous investment in sustainability, accessibility, inclusivity and community initiatives. Sustainability has been part of Dalton Park's DNA since its creation, with former colliery spoil transformed into 55 acres of landscaped parkland featuring woodland. It has invested in 850 solar panels, and both water use reduction and sustainable transport have been prioritised.

Binding Solutions Ltd was established in Middlesbrough with the vision of using innovative materials science to enable the decarbonisation of the iron and steelmaking industries. The company’s technology has the potential to significantly reduce the emissions from the iron ore and steel industry, which is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions. It engages in wider work within the steel and iron ore industry to drive the conversation on decarbonisation. Binding Solutions also does educational outreach with the local community on Teesside, partnering with a local primary school on a STEM-focused career learning programme. It supports the Teesside Hospice through fundraising initiatives.

Transmission Dynamics is a Northumberland-based business with an international reputation and footprint and a story almost 30 years in the making. Founded in 1996, the company has evolved from a specialist engineering consultancy and low-volume sensor provider into a global cutting-edge technology business serving customers in more than 80 countries. It develops advanced AI-powered, edge-processing monitoring and analytics solutions for some of the world’s harshest industrial environments, working across a range of sectors. The last financial year has been the company's strongest to date, with revenue growing by around 50% and net profit tripling, driven by international demand and growing adoption of the company's technology across critical industries.

Everflow is the UK’s fastest-growing water retailer and a disruptor in the utilities market. It was founded with a clear mission: to make business utilities simple. Since launching in 2015, the company has grown from an ambitious challenger brand into one of the UK's fastest-growing utilities providers. It supports more than 120,000 business customers and has seen turnover grow from £156.8m to £255m over the last two years. The company says its success is based on a long-term strategy of investing in its people, innovating relentlessly and creating genuine value for customers. In the coming year it plans to strengthen its market leadership, deliver environmental and customer benefits, and provide a platform for sustained commercial growth.

ProPharma is a leading life sciences services organisation with a long-established medical information operation. It supports pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies with compliant, high-quality services that improve patient health and safety worldwide. The company has grown from a specialist UK provider into a global partner trusted by major pharma organisations for multilingual customer contact, commercial support and patient-facing services. It combines scientific expertise and innovation with a people-first culture that aims to deliver measurable value for clients, patients, healthcare professionals and the region. The company invests heavily in recruitment, retention, training and career development, and has plotted a strategy to grow responsibly by maintaining industry-leading quality and developing new services.