Ajibola Agbaje Clinches Double Honours at the 2025 Black Business & Tech Awards, Tees Valley

Mary Nnah

Tees Valley, UK. It was a dual win for Japaflex Founder, Ajibola Agbaje, as he carted home two major awards at the prestigious Black Business & Tech Awards 2025, Tees Valley. The tech genius clinched the Innovation in Tech Award and Tech Ambassador of the Year in the most competitive categories.
The highly anticipated ceremony, held over the weekend, brought together influential leaders across business and technology, including the Mayor of Middlesbrough, Chris Cooke, whose presence underscored the significance of the event within the region’s innovation ecosystem.

Agbaje’s win marks an important milestone not only for Japaflex but for the broader immigrant and diaspora community that his technology seeks to empower. His work has been widely celebrated for addressing one of the most pressing social issues of modern mobility: disconnection, isolation, and the struggle to build meaningful local relationships in unfamiliar cities.

Speaking on his recognition, Agbaje said: “This award is bigger than me. It represents every immigrant who arrived in a new country, struggled to find their footing, yet continued to build regardless of the obstacles. Japaflex is my personal story turned into a solution for millions.”

Having lived through loneliness and disconnection after relocating to the UK, Agbaje set out to build Japaflex, a global social platform designed to help people feel at home wherever they go. The app allows users to switch locations, meet people around them, get information on diverse related topics through the forum, discover local businesses, join community-led conversations, and attend events that make settling into a new environment much easier.
In a world where relocation, travel and migration are increasing rapidly, the need for connection has never been more urgent. Japaflex is solving a human problem, helping people feel safe, informed, and connected wherever they are. Whether you’re a new immigrant trying to settle in, a student navigating a new environment, a traveller looking to meet locals, a local resident willing to meet nearby users, or a professional exploring a new city for work, Japaflex makes every city feel familiar. The app is fast becoming the go-to platform for people looking to make friends, discover opportunities, find local events, and integrate into their communities naturally and safely.

Ajibola’s success also highlights the growing impact of the region’s tech ecosystem. Japaflex is currently supported by the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s Tees Valley Labs, under the Stable Programme, which has been instrumental in accelerating the app’s development, marketing capabilities, and expansion plans. The Mayor of Middlesbrough, Chris Cooke, commended the growing Black tech community and applauded founders who are driving meaningful impact through innovation. Ajibola, who is a Data Scientist and Product development professional, is a mentor with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and has over 15 years of entrepreneurial experience and product development.

Japaflex is a social discovery app designed to help people connect with their city and community, no matter where they are in the world. With features that allow users to switch locations, find local events, meet new people, discover businesses, and participate in forum conversations, Japaflex empowers individuals to feel at home. Japaflex is available for download on both iOS and Android.