A rising tech firm which is growing amid the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic has triumphed as Company of the Year at the North East Business Awards grand final.

Gateshead’s Aspire Technology Solutions is celebrating after scooping the top prize at the awards, which were held virtually for the first time.

Aspire had previously won the top prize at the Northumberland and Tyneside Business Awards, held before the lockdown was imposed, and beat fellow finalists AR Power and J&B Recycling, winner of the Durham, Sunderland and South Tyneside awards and Teesside awards respectively.

The business was launched 14 years ago by Chris Fraser and Nigel Begg and now employs more than 150 people across its head office in Heworth Hall, Gateshead, and an office in London.

Aspire, which specialises in connectivity, managed services and infrastructure solutions, smashed its five-year goal of reaching £20m turnover a year early and recently reported revenues of £23m to February 2020, a 15% jump year-on-year.

Now, the firm is seeing huge demand from firms looking to boost connectivity, prompting it to pledge to make investments in the year ahead – including a further £4m in local infrastructure to boost business connectivity across the North East, helping firms through the pandemic including those switching to working from home arrangements.

Chris Fraser, one of the founders of Aspire Technology Solutions, said: “I remember when we first applied for the business awards back in 2008, looking towards the big awards and wondering if we could ever, would ever win any. It just seemed impossible to scale those heights.

“We were lucky enough to win newcomer of the year some years ago and then won the company of the year award at the regional heats, which just knocked our socks off. To come through and win at the grand final – I don’t think I can put into words just how much it means to us.”

Other winners on the night were Jam Jar Cinema, which took the heart of the community prize, Adventure Valley which won the tourism and hospitality prize, manufacturing award winner Bedmax Ltd and Footy.com, winner of the innovation award.

The company of the year award was the last to be announced in the virtual event, hosted by TV presenter Kirsten O’Brien and BBC presenter Alfie Joey, which was launched by Helen Dalby, North East audience and content director for Journal publishers Reach plc.

She said: “Much has been made of the community spirit that this region displayed as the pandemic took hold, and also the creativity and resilience of the North East’s companies in looking after their staff and customers.

“Our judges have commented on how many firms have shown great ingenuity to battle through the crisis so far. When we speak about the ‘business community’ now, it’s clear that this is a region where companies really do support each other.

“But we know there will be tough times ahead as furlough ends, and of course we must be prepared for further lockdown measures being put in place.

“We are rightly proud of our community spirit in this part of the world. I believe it is second to none. But resilience and community spirit can only achieve so much. The Government won a number of seats in the North East in December on the back of its much-vaunted promise to level up the regions. Our message tonight is that now is the time to turn those words into action.”

The event also heard from Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI, who said: “Every time I’ve visited the North East it feels like a real community.

“We’re thinking about the future as we deal with the challenges of the present and I believe that the North East has an extraordinary role to play in our net zero transition. “The businesses you have are incredibly well placed to be in the vanguard of that very important climate change revolution.”