TEES TECH AWARDS 2025

Previous Tech Ambassador recipient David Dixon presented the honour to 2025 winner Imran Anwar.

Imran Anwar is CEO of Middlesbroughbased digital innovation agency Alt Labs, which has a £ 2m turnover.

He’ s also the man behind the town’ s Flok co-working space, a governor at Middlesbrough College, digital lead on the Tees Valley Business Board and reigning Tees Business Leader of the Year.

But to his astonishment, you can now add another title – Tees Tech Ambassador.

Each year, a panel of experts meet to discuss and decide who should receive this prestigious accolade. But as he hosted the 2025 event, Imran had no clue that it would be his name that was read out.

Imran laughed afterwards:“ That’ s just about the oddest thing I’ ve ever done, introducing the award that you end up winning! I had no idea I was getting it. Going through the script, there was no suggestion of where it was going. But it’ s an immensely proud moment for me.”

Imran told the 300-strong audience at Kirkleatham Walled Garden:“ Teesside’ s home for me. My father had a business on Stockton High Street, so I’ ve grown up with business surrounding me.

“ Ironically, I never wanted to go into business but I fell in love with tech and it’ s just one of those things where your career moves.

“ Over the years, you have different roles and different doors open. I’ ve always been one to take the leap of faith, roll the dice and I’ m going to win sometimes and lose sometimes – that’ s just part of being an entrepreneur.

“ But looking at this room tonight, I’ m very fortunate to have not just colleagues but friends and mentors that keep me right – and its building that ecosystem together. It’ s not just about SMEs and the scaleup, it’ s about all of us working together to drive the greater good and if we can do that – all work together and help each other – we can make this area far greater than anywhere else in England.”

Imran told Tees Business his organisations would keep helping the Tees tech scene to thrive.

He said:“ I’ ve got a lot of scars and wounds from being in business, so the more stories we can share and help the next founders get the right start to their journey, that’ s what being in business on Teesside is all about to me.”

He also revealed that Alt Labs is to launch its own community platform, The Foundry,“ to create a community where people talk to each other, mentor each other, find business deals they want and look for support and guidance.”

Tech Awards co-founder David Dixon said of Imran:“ The man’ s humble, authentic, honest, cares and has passion.

“ He probably doesn’ t need to do some of the stuff he does but he does it anyway.

“ He has a real fondness and cares for the region that we all love – and that comes through loud and clear.”

The voice of business in the Tees region | 145