Tobi Alaji grew up as an artist who loved designing and creating new things. Today, she has merged her love for art and skill in software development to build the tech empire, ‘TECHTEE’ which she runs. TechTee is a digital agency and software house that creates an all-around digital experience by combining the best software with the most intriguing customer-centered designs.
TechTee is one of the world’s first Black-owned and woman-founded digital agency according to nftnow. The company boasts of collaborations with famous companies like Deutsche Bank, La Perla, NBC, M&S, and Apple, among others.
In an interview with Business Leader, she shared that she never wanted to own a business growing up because she never understood what it entailed. However, when she was 17, Tobi taught herself Java from a software development book she picked in the Shepherds Bush Library. Since then, she continued to teach herself and practice coding.
All Bright noted that Tobi was an employee at the Apple retail store, before gaining employment in a software development role at Apple’s London headquarters. When she started her business, ‘TechTee,’ Apple became her first major client.
On her journey to establishing her own business, Tobi got an internship at BBC, which came with an opportunity to learn at the University of Salford. Through her excellence; she began a business without knowing it.
Tobi took her friend’s advice to go full-time with TechTee, although a bit slowly because she wasn’t sure how people will react to it. During that time, she took other contracts to keep up with bills while her company found its feet.
Speaking with Silicon Republic, Tobi said that her business transcends sectors; “I love building digital in whatever form it encompasses. One of the interesting things that I’m still having to explain to clients and potential clients all the time is that yes, we service banking and finance clients, but also luxury fashion.”
“I literally go from meetings at Deutsche Bank to meetings and Gucci, and to a lot of people, that doesn’t make sense,” she added.
The young entrepreneur set up her company in 2017. According to her, while working in development teams, she realized that developers don’t meddle with design. However, the trailblazer came to understand that to bring out the best; there was a need to combine both elements.
Tobi made Forbes Europe’s 30 under 30 List in 2021. The platform noted that her company has contributed to over 57 digital platforms, and has produced over 43 million visitors across 80 countries worldwide, raking in over £300 million in revenue for its clients.
According to Tobi, she and her team strive to create the best and coolest thing in order to stretch the limitations of motivation.
She noted that in selecting members for her team, she deliberately found people who found excitement in “really beautiful and well-built solutions and systems.”
The young leader shared that the biggest challenge she faced was finding an identity and sticking to it in spite of critics. She elaborated that for her business to truly succeed, they could not bow to everyone’s wishes and wants. They had to find a path and walk in it no matter what others said.
Tobi Ajala holds a Bachelor of Arts/Science degree from the University of Salford. She was also named as one of the founders who are driving innovation in Web3.
Her current plan for TechTee is to be more visible in the future. She also revealed that her brand will continue to create the best-software based solutions, “to set an example of how things should be done.”
