North East Business News
Deals, expansions, results and the big decisions shaping the North East economy.
BUSINESSHealthcareNine Consultant Urologists Team Up to Open Private Clinic at Team ValleyForbury Newcastle opens at The Beverley Hospital as almost 370,000 people in England wait for NHS urology treatment.
DEALSLogisticsJaymac Solutions Secures £2.2m From Lloyds to Double TurnoverThe family-owned pallets and packaging business, which started at Team Valley in the 1990s, is opening a 30,000 sq ft warehouse in Washington.
DEALSEnergySunderland’s OnPath Energy Agrees Sale of Leeds Solar Park to Octopus TrustThe Barnsdale Solar Park can power up to 19,000 homes, and the proceeds will help fund OnPath’s pipeline of new renewables projects.
BUSINESSProfessional servicesSquare One Law Marks 15 Years With an Eye on Further Growth in YorkshireMore than 300 people joined the B Corp law firm at BALTIC in Gateshead to celebrate its anniversary.
DEALSAcquisitionGosforth’s SmartCarbon Acquired by Private Equity Firm TVI GroupThe carbon reporting business, founded in 2016, works with clients including Greggs, Durham University and Newcastle City Council.
BUSINESSDefence techPrudhoe’s OpenWorks Engineering Expands to the US After Rapid GrowthThe counter-drone specialist has grown from 26 to 125 people since 2024 and is opening a Virginia headquarters, with a Detroit factory planned.
ANALYSISFunding£150m Northern Scale-Up Fund: Can the North East Get Its Share?The British Business Bank will invest £5m to £15m at a time, but only five North East digital firms raised that much in the past year.
ANALYSISInvestmentNorth East Equity Investment Falls 19.4% to £44.7m in First Half of 2026Barclays’ Regional Investment Map shows the region still generating new companies, but with less equity funding than the previous six months.
DEALSEducationOnline Tutoring Firm National Learning Group Lands Seven-Figure InvestmentThe North East Elevate Fund backing will pay for proprietary software and a new alternative provision centre for children outside mainstream school.
BUSINESSFilm and TVSunderland’s Crown Works Film Studio Plans Move to Next PhaseA revised application for Studio One sets out three sound stages and 178,000 sq ft of production space on the banks of the Wear.
ANALYSISInvestmentBGF Passes £5bn Invested and Commits £3bn More to Regional GrowthThe growth capital investor has backed North East firms including Recite Me, SaleCycle and Visualsoft, and says 74% of its money goes outside London and the South East.
BUSINESSSpace and defenceFiltronic Wins New US Satellite Contract and Expects at Least £55.5m RevenueThe County Durham RF technology business enters its new financial year with an order book covering 90% of expected revenue.
ANALYSISEcosystemNewcastle Slips to 182nd in Global Start-Up RankingsThe city has fallen ten places in two years on the StartupBlink index, as national tech lists continue to overlook the North East.
DEALSAcquisitionVMA Systems Acquires Education IT Specialist ICT NorthThe gaming and amusement software firm is diversifying into school IT services as part of its acquisition plans.
BUSINESSSafety techStockton Safety Tech Firm Intasite to Quadruple Its Office Space After 20% GrowthThe company’s digital induction and contractor management software is used by operators in the UK and overseas.
BUSINESSLeadershiphedgehog lab Names Malcolm Seagrave Chief Executive and Targets £50mThe former BJSS and AND Digital executive succeeds founder Sarat Pediredla after turnover rose 30% last year.
DEALSEnergy techWindfarm Software Firm Kinewell Lands First Investment From North East Accelerate FundThe £1m round will help the business almost double in size within six months, creating 10 jobs.
BUSINESSGovtechScrumconnect to Create 70 Jobs After Winning £38.8m HMRC ContractThe digital transformation firm will provide testing and quality assurance across HMRC’s digital estate for five years.
BUSINESSSpaceFiltronic Opens NETPark Facility With Capacity for £200m Annual RevenueThe SpaceX supplier’s new advanced manufacturing base in County Durham could support nearly four times its current revenue.
DEALSClean techTeesside’s Binding Solutions Raises $5m to Cut Emissions From SteelmakingExisting shareholders including Mitsui Iron Ore Development and Champion Iron led the round, as the company moves towards its first commercial plant.
DEALSWater techLeak-Detection Firm Origin Tech Secures Multi-Million-Pound BGF InvestmentFounded by Phil Surtees and John Marsden in 2019, the Newcastle business has repaired more than 10,000 leaks and saved over three billion litres of water.
DEALSAcquisitionBGF-Backed SaleCycle Acquires French Personalisation Firm BEYABLEThe combined platform will help ecommerce brands convert anonymous visitors, with up to 90% of online traffic still unidentified.
DEALSIT servicesGateshead’s Aspire Technology Solutions Secures £200m LDC BackingSince LDC first invested in 2022, Aspire’s revenue is up 158% and its headcount has grown 55%.
DEALSFundingFirst Deals Progressing in £35m North East Accelerate FundManaged by Mercia Ventures, the fund offers early-stage companies up to £1m, with first deals expected early in the new year.
DEALSWorkforce techMoralbox Raises £550k Led by Venture Sunderland FundThe workforce compliance platform, used by Thompsons of Prudhoe and Cranswick, is the Venture Sunderland Fund’s third investment.
BUSINESSPropertyAgreement Signed to Accelerate Durham’s Aykley Heads Innovation DistrictMuse, Durham County Council and Durham University have agreed how they will work together on the site.
BUSINESSFintechAtom Bank Moves 600 Staff Into New Newcastle Headquarters at the Pattern ShopThe app-based bank has relocated from Durham to the historic building in Newcastle, creating 30 new roles.
BUSINESSSpace and defenceFiltronic Doubles Revenue to £56.3m as SpaceX Deal Powers Record YearThe Sedgefield-based company tripled operating profit after winning contracts with SpaceX, Viasat, Airbus and the European Space Agency.
DEALSSoftwareStockton’s Sapere Software Lands Six-Figure UKSE InvestmentThe money has already funded two new developers, with six more planned over three years as the firm targets international growth.
DEALSLogisticsJaymac Solutions Secures £2.2m From Lloyds to Double TurnoverThe family-owned pallets and packaging business, which started at Team Valley in the 1990s, is opening a 30,000 sq ft warehouse in Washington.DEALSEnergySunderland’s OnPath Energy Agrees Sale of Leeds Solar Park to Octopus TrustThe Barnsdale Solar Park can power up to 19,000 homes, and the proceeds will help fund OnPath’s pipeline of new renewables projects.BUSINESSProfessional servicesSquare One Law Marks 15 Years With an Eye on Further Growth in YorkshireMore than 300 people joined the B Corp law firm at BALTIC in Gateshead to celebrate its anniversary.DEALSAcquisitionGosforth’s SmartCarbon Acquired by Private Equity Firm TVI GroupThe carbon reporting business, founded in 2016, works with clients including Greggs, Durham University and Newcastle City Council.BUSINESSDefence techPrudhoe’s OpenWorks Engineering Expands to the US After Rapid GrowthThe counter-drone specialist has grown from 26 to 125 people since 2024 and is opening a Virginia headquarters, with a Detroit factory planned.ANALYSISFunding£150m Northern Scale-Up Fund: Can the North East Get Its Share?The British Business Bank will invest £5m to £15m at a time, but only five North East digital firms raised that much in the past year.ANALYSISInvestmentNorth East Equity Investment Falls 19.4% to £44.7m in First Half of 2026Barclays’ Regional Investment Map shows the region still generating new companies, but with less equity funding than the previous six months.DEALSEducationOnline Tutoring Firm National Learning Group Lands Seven-Figure InvestmentThe North East Elevate Fund backing will pay for proprietary software and a new alternative provision centre for children outside mainstream school.BUSINESSFilm and TVSunderland’s Crown Works Film Studio Plans Move to Next PhaseA revised application for Studio One sets out three sound stages and 178,000 sq ft of production space on the banks of the Wear.ANALYSISInvestmentBGF Passes £5bn Invested and Commits £3bn More to Regional GrowthThe growth capital investor has backed North East firms including Recite Me, SaleCycle and Visualsoft, and says 74% of its money goes outside London and the South East.BUSINESSSpace and defenceFiltronic Wins New US Satellite Contract and Expects at Least £55.5m RevenueThe County Durham RF technology business enters its new financial year with an order book covering 90% of expected revenue.ANALYSISEcosystemNewcastle Slips to 182nd in Global Start-Up RankingsThe city has fallen ten places in two years on the StartupBlink index, as national tech lists continue to overlook the North East.DEALSAcquisitionVMA Systems Acquires Education IT Specialist ICT NorthThe gaming and amusement software firm is diversifying into school IT services as part of its acquisition plans.BUSINESSSafety techStockton Safety Tech Firm Intasite to Quadruple Its Office Space After 20% GrowthThe company’s digital induction and contractor management software is used by operators in the UK and overseas.BUSINESSLeadershiphedgehog lab Names Malcolm Seagrave Chief Executive and Targets £50mThe former BJSS and AND Digital executive succeeds founder Sarat Pediredla after turnover rose 30% last year.DEALSEnergy techWindfarm Software Firm Kinewell Lands First Investment From North East Accelerate FundThe £1m round will help the business almost double in size within six months, creating 10 jobs.BUSINESSGovtechScrumconnect to Create 70 Jobs After Winning £38.8m HMRC ContractThe digital transformation firm will provide testing and quality assurance across HMRC’s digital estate for five years.BUSINESSSpaceFiltronic Opens NETPark Facility With Capacity for £200m Annual RevenueThe SpaceX supplier’s new advanced manufacturing base in County Durham could support nearly four times its current revenue.DEALSClean techTeesside’s Binding Solutions Raises $5m to Cut Emissions From SteelmakingExisting shareholders including Mitsui Iron Ore Development and Champion Iron led the round, as the company moves towards its first commercial plant.DEALSWater techLeak-Detection Firm Origin Tech Secures Multi-Million-Pound BGF InvestmentFounded by Phil Surtees and John Marsden in 2019, the Newcastle business has repaired more than 10,000 leaks and saved over three billion litres of water.DEALSAcquisitionBGF-Backed SaleCycle Acquires French Personalisation Firm BEYABLEThe combined platform will help ecommerce brands convert anonymous visitors, with up to 90% of online traffic still unidentified.DEALSIT servicesGateshead’s Aspire Technology Solutions Secures £200m LDC BackingSince LDC first invested in 2022, Aspire’s revenue is up 158% and its headcount has grown 55%.DEALSFundingFirst Deals Progressing in £35m North East Accelerate FundManaged by Mercia Ventures, the fund offers early-stage companies up to £1m, with first deals expected early in the new year.DEALSWorkforce techMoralbox Raises £550k Led by Venture Sunderland FundThe workforce compliance platform, used by Thompsons of Prudhoe and Cranswick, is the Venture Sunderland Fund’s third investment.BUSINESSPropertyAgreement Signed to Accelerate Durham’s Aykley Heads Innovation DistrictMuse, Durham County Council and Durham University have agreed how they will work together on the site.BUSINESSFintechAtom Bank Moves 600 Staff Into New Newcastle Headquarters at the Pattern ShopThe app-based bank has relocated from Durham to the historic building in Newcastle, creating 30 new roles.BUSINESSSpace and defenceFiltronic Doubles Revenue to £56.3m as SpaceX Deal Powers Record YearThe Sedgefield-based company tripled operating profit after winning contracts with SpaceX, Viasat, Airbus and the European Space Agency.DEALSSoftwareStockton’s Sapere Software Lands Six-Figure UKSE InvestmentThe money has already funded two new developers, with six more planned over three years as the firm targets international growth.