Sarat Pediredla, founder and CEO of Newcastle tech leader Hedgehog Lab has stepped down after almost two decades leading the company he co-founded back in 2007.
Announcing his departure on LinkedIn today, Pediredla said:
“After almost nineteen years at hedgehog lab, I have reached the moment where it feels right to step aside and make space for the next chapter of leadership.
“This company has shaped almost every part of my adult life. It has stretched me, grounded me, humbled me and given me more purpose than I ever expected when we started with two laptops, some broken furniture and a warehouse unit that rattled in the wind.”
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“The journey has been full of moments I will never forget. The early scrappy wins that convinced us we might actually make it. The years of learning how to lead while building a culture that felt human. The surreal milestones where we found ourselves working with global brands or opening new offices. The tough seasons too, from painful restructures to the burnout I walked through in 2023 and 2024. Each high and low shaped me in ways I am still processing.
“What stands out most as I look back is the people. There are far too many to thank in a single post, and I am not going to spam your feed with a long list, but please know this. I will reach out to each of you, because none of this would have existed without the countless hands, minds and hearts that helped build what started as a twenty five year old’s pipe dream.
“I believe now is the right time to hand over the reins. I am proud of the Executive team we have built. They bring clarity, energy and a renewed sense of direction and I have complete confidence that they will take the company further than I ever could. I will step down as CEO immediately and support the business as an Advisor for the next twelve months.
“As for what comes next, I am going to slow down. My family has carried the weight of my ambition and identity for many years and they deserve more of me now.
“After some rest, I will take my time exploring where I want to spend the next 20 years of my professional life. In the short term, I am open to advisory and non executive roles, so if you feel my experience could help, I would love to talk.
“I leave with immense gratitude, pride and joy. Titles change. Chapters close. But once you learn to be the hedgehog, you never quite stop.”
The departing co-founder leaves behind a company that has established itself as a key player in the North East, and global, digital realm, and more recently in the AI field in particular. Among recent successes, the company was instrumental in creating Akord AI, the brainchild of US firm Conflict Dynamics International (CDI), which initially focused on supporting civic actors working to resolve the conflict and build peace in Sudan, with plans to roll out globally. Last year, the company also announced it would expand into Scotland, with Derek Gibb appointed to oversee the launch of its new Edinburgh hub, and plans to create 100 new roles in the region over the coming years.
