AWARDS
SPONSORED BY LLOYDS BANK AND SHORTLISTED BY MASFIX
INNOVATION
Winners – Lee and Kim Gatley-Hall, developers of the HomeHub app, with Sonya Atkins of category sponsor Lloyds Bank.
WINNER
HOMEHUB
A free app that helps people in fuel poverty proved a Tees Business Award winner for Consult Net Zero duo Lee and Kim Gatley-Hall.
Aware that many retrofit customers didn’ t know how to operate the equipment they received, the married couple self-funded and launched an app, HomeHub, that provides all the information needed.
And on a spectacular night at the Tees Business Awards for Lee and Kim, they not only won the Net Zero Award for their retrofit consultancy, Consult Net Zero, but HomeHub picked up the Innovation Award too.
Lee explained:“ HomeHub was born out of a need from our consultancy business, Consult Net Zero.
“ We were delivering new home upgrades and trying to alleviate fuel poverty in Teesside, but we kept coming across the same issue – people were getting new tech installed in the house, things like solar panels and heating systems, and they just weren’ t using it correctly. It was actually costing them more money for their energy bills.
“ So, we spent a good year going around different housing providers and resident groups, asking them how we could make it better and if we did it on a phone app, would they use it? When most said yes, HomeHub was born.”
Kim said:“ HomeHub is there to complement the work we do with Consult Net Zero – they go hand in hand.
“ It simplifies the whole customer journey by providing all the information people need – the manuals, the tips to help them save money, all in one place.”
And, explained Lee, there’ s now even a video link to an installer explaining in layman’ s terms what they’ ve installed and how to use it.
“ Any FAQs or problems they might come across are explained there – and if you get stuck, there’ s the person who’ s installed it and that’ s who you need to contact. That’ s what HomeHub does – it makes the handover really easy.
“ Effectively, we’ re delivering home upgrades on the front end and at the back end. We’ re not just saying,‘ There’ s your kit, see you later’, we’ re supplying an app that explains how it all works.”
FINALIST ANALOX
Since 1981, Stokesley-based Analox has quietly led the way in advanced gas monitoring solutions, safeguarding life across several sectors.
Its innovations, from bespoke solutions to mass-market systems, can have real-world impact. Take its“ Dancing with Daffodils” project where, by developing a methanereducing feed additive for dairy farming, Analox is helping tackle environmental challenges while supporting the farming community.
At Analox, every innovation, action and project is driven by purpose, proving that engineering can change lives and our region for the better.
FINALIST
ATOMIX EDUCATIONAL TRUST
Bold innovations that transform educational provision and create opportunities not usually available for Tees Valley’ s young people are a key strength of Atomix.
For example, a groundbreaking Aviation Generation partnership brings Boeing 737 flight simulators to campus, making aviation careers accessible to students from challenged backgrounds.
More than £ 200,000 in Turing Scheme funding enables cost-free experiences in Peru, Sri Lanka and Lisbon. And staff-led workshops created an“ Atomix Love” culture code to ensure authentic organisational identity.
FINALIST
THREE BROTHERS BREWING
Driven by innovation, the family-run Stockton microbrewery has developed the UK’ s first NFC barrel-tagging system and created cloudbased fermentation software that manages temperatures with pinpoint accuracy.
The team’ s engineering expertise drives the development of custom machinery and solutions and pushes boundaries – from partnering with Teesside University on net zero projects to implementing advanced technology that’ s typically seen in much larger breweries.
Three Brothers Brewing proves that even a small team can drive big change in the brewing industry.
SPONSOR’ S REFLECTIONS:
Sonya Atkins, area director at Lloyds Bank:“ The Tees Business Awards celebrate the ambition, resilience and talent that drive the Teesside economy forward.
“ At Lloyds Bank, we’ re proud to support businesses that are creating sustainable growth and positive change across the region.
“ We chose to sponsor the Innovation Award because innovation is central to long-term success – from new technologies and processes to fresh ways of serving customers – and we’ re passionate about backing businesses that are shaping the future of Teesside.”
The voice of business in the Tees region | 131