TEES TECH AWARDS 2024
TECH FOR GOOD AWARD
SPONSORED BY TEESSIDE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Happy – Pocket Sergeant founder Paul Cooper receives the Tech for Good Award from Rachel Teate , of category sponsor Teesside University School of Arts and Creative Industries .
WINNER
POCKET SERGEANT
He ’ s walked in their shoes – and now the developer of an app that makes police officers ’ lives easier is celebrating a Tees Tech Award .
Forner Cleveland Police officer Paul Cooper is the brains behind Pocket Sergeant – a mobile app that gives police access to an extensive library of information , and which has now earned its creator the Tech For Good prize at the fifth Tees Tech Awards .
By using the app , officers can access legal guidelines , paperwork , contact information and more – without the hassle of constantly returning to their stations . There ’ s now even an AI-powered chatbot for law-related queries . But after receiving his award , Paul revealed there ’ s more to come . He told Tees Business : “ We ’ ve got a really exciting feature coming later this summer called App Incubator , which we ’ re going to push even further . “ We ’ re going to ask for police officers ’ ideas – screenshots of sketches of what they want and what they need for their daily duties to make things easier for them – and then we ’ re going to make that happen .
“ There ’ s much more to come . Pocket Sergeant was just the start – I ’ m hoping that at next year ’ s Tees Tech Awards , we could be back with another officers ’ app that we ’ ve built !” Paul said feedback has been vital in allowing him to develop Pocket Sergeant . He added : “ It ’ s massive thanks to the users , really – they ’ re the ones who ’ ve helped make the app what it is .
“ We ’ ve just introduced new AI functionality that helps them create interview plans and checklists for witness statements and we ’ re going to continue to do more with their help .
“ The feedback we get is really positive . Police officers aren ’ t always listened to within their workplace so they come to me asking if functionality and features can be added , and if it ’ s within cost parameters , we ’ ll do it .”
SPONSOR ’ S REFLECTIONS :
Rachel Teate , Teesside University School of Arts and Creative Industries “ We ’ re educating the future workforce to hopefully create innovative products just like the police Pocket Sergeant has done . It was really important to us – that innovation , that determination , that ’ s what we want our students to be inspired to want to do and we ’ ve seen a lot of alumni in the room who have already done that . We can change the world together if we educate the future workforce properly .”
FINALIST
THE DIGITAL GENE
With the web accounting for almost four per cent of global carbon emissions , surpassing even the airline industry , sustainable web design consultancy TDG is committed to mitigating this impact , prioritising people and the planet .
Positioned as the sustainable web and software development agency for progressive companies seeking positive change , TDG aligns designs with clients ’ sustainability goals and ESG values .
Operating remotely from Teesside , its passion shines through , reflecting a dedication to creating a greener digital landscape .
FINALIST
TRUSTED-PEOPLE . COM
Trusted-People . com founder Jack Wheldon has developed an innovative marketplace transforming the temporary staffing landscape .
It connects businesses with workers across 14 industries , offering a transparent , fair , and cost-effective solution for in-person roles . With a user-friendly interface , advanced filtering and a review system , it ensures the right fit for employers and flexible work opportunities for individuals .
FINALIST
MIDDLESBROUGH FRONT END
A tech conference held annually in Middlesbrough , with more than 200 people attending the inaugural event in 2023 , Middlesbrough Front End brings speakers from the largest tech companies in the world , including Google , Shopify , Spotify and Cloudfare , to help empower and shape the future front-end developers of Teesside and the surrounding areas .
As well as the annual conference , it holds free bi-monthly meetups featuring keynote speakers and giving a networking opportunity to people who wouldn ’ t usually feel comfortable in that environment .
WINNERS ’ ROLL CALL : 2020 : Code 4000 2021 : InStudio 2022 : Verve Group 2023 : Alt Labs
152 | Tees Business