91探花 is proud to announce the winners of our BAME50 2024 campaign, celebrating the most underrepresented group of entrepreneurs across the U.K. and Europe.

Founded in 2016,听91探花听is the UK鈥檚 best-known and fastest-growing startup and tech news site. This is where decision makers, investors and startups of all sizes and nature come to find out the latest developments and trends within the industry.

See The List

Top 50 鈥� See Here >>

Top 25 鈥� See Here >>

Top 10 鈥撎�See Here >>

Who Ranked Number 1? 鈥撎�See Here听>>

Feedback From The Judges

鈥淭he talent and innovation showcased across the BAME50 entries was fantastic to see, highlighting the vital role that diverse voices and perspectives play in shaping businesses. It was particularly pleasing to see such a wide range of industries and applications represented.鈥�

鈥淭he emphasis on skills and training stood out, bringing people to the forefront of innovation and highlighting the importance of investing in diverse talent to ensure a more inclusive and dynamic future for business and society as a whole.鈥�

– Dr. Adeshola Cole, CEO of Tritek Consulting Limited

“They say that necessity is the mother of all invention and this is clearly the case with these businesses, many of which have been created to solve real world challenges such as the current limitations to the care provided by our health service and the need create financial services products which are more inclusive and meet the changing in needs of customers in the UK. So many of the problems that these businesses seek to solve seem so obvious once pointed out, highlighting exactly why diverse leadership is required to improve problem-solving and enhance innovation.”

– Addy Frederick, Group Head of Corporate Affairs at Admiral

“Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve as a judge 鈥� it’s truly an honour! I’m thrilled to be part of such a diverse, talented group, each demonstrating incredible knowledge and innovation. Personally, I鈥檓 particularly drawn to tech, health, and natural products. Companies like Plantmade really stand out, and I鈥檓 excited to see their growth and success. Happaning was also fascinating, with its cutting-edge tech and 鈥榲ibe鈥�. I was equally inspired by all the female founders and the incredible journeys they鈥檝e embarked on. Well done to everyone 鈥� in my eyes, you鈥檙e all winners!”

– Manjit Sareen 鈥� Co-founder & CEO at Natterhub

“I had a look at the last couple of years’ entries, and I must say that this year has some strong contenders. It鈥檚 good to see POC building these businesses and exploring all these different avenues and industries with their ventures. I鈥檓 also seeing a lot of these founders following their dreams in creating solutions for problems that they encountered on a personal level.

Thank You To Our Judges!

For any questions, comments or features,听please contact us directly.

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Company: Michael Baah Wellness

Position: Founder

Website:

About Michael Baah

I鈥檓 Michael Baah, founder of Michael Baah Wellness, a high-end personal training and wellness brand based in London, specialising in personalised fitness transformations for busy professionals, athletes, creatives, and oncology patients. Nearly two decades of experience in strength training, boxing, and holistic health have equipped me to help clients achieve lasting, impactful results.

My journey into fitness began in 2018, during a challenging period in my life. After leaving a long career in the police force and going through a difficult long-term breakup, I decided to completely reinvent myself. Entering the fitness industry came with its own set of obstacles鈥攆acing racial discrimination, missed opportunities, and the constant struggle of balancing work and family. Building this brand often meant making sacrifices, like missing precious time with my daughter and forgoing holidays to remain committed to my clients. But those experiences taught me resilience and deepened my commitment to helping others achieve their own transformations.

Since launching Michael Baah Wellness, I鈥檝e built a reputation as one of London鈥檚 go-to trainers, working with high-profile clients who rely on my comprehensive, holistic approach. My work has been featured in major media outlets, and I鈥檓 honoured to be called a celebrity trainer, but my focus is always on delivering real, life-changing results. I offer my clients a well-rounded programme that includes nutrition, mindset coaching, and personalised support, all tailored to their unique needs.

Expanding my reach globally, I now coach clients worldwide through my fitness app, which provides tailored training plans and guidance to help people reach their goals, no matter where they are.

One of the areas closest to my heart is oncology. I support cancer patients in using strength training to manage the side effects of treatments like radiotherapy, helping them to maintain their quality of life and well-being throughout recovery. It鈥檚 incredibly fulfilling work, empowering patients to build strength, reduce fatigue, and regain a sense of control over their lives.

Looking forward, my vision is to create a network of wellness spaces where clients can experience a fully integrated approach to health, combining training, nutrition, and holistic care. My mission is simple: to make transformative wellness accessible to all, helping people from all walks of life to realise their full potential.

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Company: POD Studios

Position: Owner, Director

Website:

About Yee Phillips and POD

I co-founded POD Studios in 2020, a London-based independent agency specialising in paid digital marketing. As a female entrepreneur my path to this point has been shaped by my background, with family roots in Malaysia and Ireland, and a childhood in northern England. This mix of cultures taught me resilience and adaptability鈥攓ualities that have proven invaluable in business and particularly in the digital marketing and tech world.

Challenges overcome

Starting POD Studios brought both rewarding opportunities and real challenges. As a smaller, independent agency in a competitive field, we set out to distinguish ourselves as a trusted, results-focused partner. Our size and independence worked to our advantage, giving us the flexibility to respond quickly to our clients鈥� needs and to shifts in the market. We positioned ourselves as a specialised paid media team driven by data, dedicated to finding creative strategies that make measurable growth possible.

Building our reputation in an industry dominated by established firms required grit, we were determined to show that our transparent approach, focus on results, and a keenness to collaborate set us apart.

Impact

At POD Studios, our aim has always been to create lasting impact for advertisers through carefully crafted, audience-centered strategies. By blending data with customer insights, we鈥檝e helped brands connect meaningfully with their audiences, fostering sustainable growth. Clients appreciate our commitment to results, which has led to long-term partnerships.

Looking ahead

Our journey at POD Studios is just beginning, and we鈥檙e excited about where it鈥檚 headed. We look forward to working with brands that value transparency, innovation, and tangible outcomes.

We鈥檙e committed to contributing to greater diversity within the digital marketing industry. As a minority-led agency with a team of varied backgrounds and experiences, we bring a range of perspectives that strengthens our work, demonstrating the power of inclusive, thoughtful digital marketing.

Ultimately, we envision POD Studios not only as a leader in digital marketing but also as a catalyst for positive change in the industry.

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Company: mywage Ltd

Position: CEO and Founder

Website:

About Orsela Cani

mywage is designed to reshape payroll, particularly for the staffing and recruitment industries.

At the end of 2019, Orsela found herself in a unique position. She was the Finance Director (FD) of a tech company whilst also managing a recruitment company. Like many in the industry, she was familiar with the frustrations that come with processing payroll; especially when dealing with hundreds of workers.

Legacy payroll systems were simply not equipped to handle the complexities they faced. They had to constantly resort to using spreadsheets, printing documents to reconcile data and manually managing issues when the system broke down as we scaled. Once they hit a certain number of workers, things stopped working; leading to inefficiencies and wasted time.

These challenges drove Orsela to rethink payroll systems entirely. She had been using Salesforce for a while at that point, and realised that payroll needed a similar transformation. That鈥檚 when mywage was born. mywage was built with the mission to create a better payroll experience for staffing companies and empower workers with full transparency about their pay.

Having experienced living paycheck to paycheck herself, Orsela wanted to build a system that not only streamlined payroll for businesses but also allowed workers to see exactly what they were getting paid for, down to every detail. This level of transparency helps businesses, but it also empowers workers, making them feel more secure and informed.

mywage is designed to reshape payroll, particularly for the staffing and recruitment industries.

Our vision is to pioneer change with a payroll platform that is not only flexible and configurable but also offers a seamless user experience. We understand the pain points that businesses face and our goal is to deliver a system that reduces friction and adds real value. Businesses should not just see mywage as a technical solution but as a partner that brings a meaningful return on investment.

We recognise that the payroll landscape for recruitment hasn鈥檛 evolved significantly in years. mywage is here to change that.

We鈥檙e pioneering the future of payroll, making it simpler and more transparent for staffing and beyond. Our aim is not just to offer the tech stack required but to deliver an experience where businesses and workers alike can see the true value of innovation in payroll.

All of this comes back to one truth: mywage was born by payroll people, for payroll. We are here to be a challenger in the market, bringing powerful innovation and reshaping payroll for the future. Customer obsession is one of our core differentiators.

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Company: ImmuniWeb

Position: CEO

Website:

About Dr Ilia Kolochenko and ImmuniWeb

Dr. Ilia Kolochenko is a Swiss cybersecurity and cyber law expert. He started his career as a penetration tester and has over 15 years of experience in information security auditing and digital forensics. After serving in Swiss artillery troops in 2007, Ilia founded his first pentesting and cybersecurity consulting firm High-Tech Bridge. Already in 2014, Frost & Sullivan named the company a leading service provider on the European pentesting market. Later, Ilia invented and built the first concept of ImmuniWeb Platform that combined the strengths of human intelligence with the power of Machine Learning. In 2017, Ilia was named a “Thought Leader” by the prestigious SC Media Reboot Leadership Awards.

Today, as the CEO and Chief Architect at ImmuniWeb, Dr. Kolochenko leads our data scientists, security analysts and software engineers. After completing an MSc in Criminal Justice (Cybersecurity & Cybercrime Investigations) at Boston University, an LLM (Master of Laws) in Information Technology Law at University of Edinburgh, Dr. Kolochenko pursues his second LLM in Cyber, Intelligence and National Security Law at George Mason University. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Capitol Technology University where he is an Adjunct Professor of Cybersecurity Practice & Cyber Law.

Dr. Ilia Kolochenko is a member of Europol Data Protection Experts Network (EDEN), a Member of GIAC Advisory Board and SANS CISO Network, a Committee Member at Boston University MET CIC (Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity) Center, Appeals Board Member, CIPP and AIGP exam item writer at the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). He authored over 50 articles on application security and cybercrime investigation for leading cybersecurity magazines, including CSO Online, Dark Reading and SC Media, as well as Forbes. Dr. Kolochenko is a Privacy Law Specialist (PLS), Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US, CIPP/Europe, CIPP/Asia and CIPP/Canada), Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) and Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP) by the IAPP, and is also a holder of multiple GIAC cybersecurity certifications (GDAT, GCPN, GPCS, GCSA, GCTI, GMOB and GLEG). He is also a Fellow at the European Law Institute (ELI) and a Fellow (FBCS) at the UK鈥檚 Chartered Institute for IT.

As a lawyer and a member of the DC Bar in Washington DC, Dr. Kolochenko co-founded a law firm dedicated to cyber law, where he is a Partner and Cybersecurity Practice Lead. Being a lawyer, he advises enterprise clients on complex questions of data protection, cybersecurity and privacy law.

Under his leadership, ImmuniWeb develops new products and services that are leveraged by law firms around the globe to help their own and ImmuniWeb鈥檚 clients to reduce their exposure to cyber-related legal risks. Additionally, Dr. Ilia Kolochenko is a CLE Program Faculty Member at the DC Bar, teaching 鈥淐ybersecurity for Lawyers & Law Firms鈥� course. He also is a Vice-Chair of the Information Security Committee at the American Bar Association (ABA).

Dr. Ilia Kolochenko frequently talks at various events, webinars and conferences, while his expert opinion and comments are regularly published in international media including CNBC, WSJ, The Economist, Fox News and BBC.

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Company: Spark

Position: Co-Founder & CEO

Website:

About Wasim Miah and Spark

Spark is launching the UK’s first price comparison platform for ethical, sustainable, and faith-aligned financial products and services.

The idea for Spark came to me and my co-founder when we recognised a glaring gap in the market. While 73% of UK adults used price comparison sites in 2023 to buy two or more products, none of the leading platforms were catering to the growing demand for values-driven finance. This presented a particular challenge for the UK’s 4 million Muslims, who make up 6% of the population, as they struggled to find faith-compliant options that met their faith-based needs.

But it’s not just the Muslim community that craves ethical financial choices. Across the board, consumers are becoming more conscious about where their money is going, ensuring it doesn’t inadvertently fund harmful industries like weapons, gambling, or fossil fuels. In fact, 60% of consumers report distrust in companies’ ethical claims, fearing they may be misleading, deceptive or greenwashing. Additionally, 30% of consumers have stopped opting for brands or products due to sustainability-related concerns.

This is where Spark comes in. Our mission is to empower all consumers, regardless of their beliefs, to align their money with their values. We’re building a comprehensive, user-friendly marketplace that showcases a diverse range of ethical financial providers – from faith-compliant banking, ethical insurance to sustainable investments, utility providers and everything in between.

At the heart of Spark is a commitment to complete transparency. We rigorously vet each providers business practices and offerings to ensure they align with our ethical standards. Our intuitive platform will allow users to easily compare these vetted options all in one place.

Currently we’re building our platform, signing up institutions and business alike that are either ethical and or sustainable. In the meantime we’ve opened a waitlist to provide early access to the platform before our launch, for those interested in ethical, sustainable of faith-aligned financial products.

Spark is about more than just transactions. We see ourselves as catalysts for a larger movement – one that shifts the financial landscape to better serve the needs of the people, communities and planet. By making ethical finance accessible and understandable, we’re empowering individuals to take control of their money and use it as a force for good through their spending.

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Company: Mifu

Position: Co-Founder

Website:

About Kasim Khan

Kasim co-founded Mifu in 2022, while at university, as their own influencer marketing platform and agency. Their goal was to make it possible for brands to work with influencers at scale, in order unlock the micro-influencer. In the past two years, they鈥檝e successfully launched dozens of campaigns for brands like StudioCanal, Miniclip, and UN charities, collectively reaching millions of viewers.

For example, their Studio Canal TikTok/Instagram campaign saw:

A 1.5mil reach

724 clicks

212k reel views

1k saves

30 posts

28 Retained content

However, as they began to run campaigns they came across some major issues. Firstly, influencers often have a difficult time securing consistent work, dealing with payment delays, finding ways to communicate with brands, and having the ability to maintain their creative authenticity. Secondly, brands constantly have trouble finding the right influencers, covering influencer costs, dealing with the associated administrative tasks that clog up managers schedules.

These are massive headaches, which is why they are launching the new Mifu Platform December 1st. At Mifu their mantra is 鈥淵our Brand. Their Reach. One Platform.鈥� They are on a mission to make Mifu the best way for influencers to receive benefits from quick and frequent gigs that help them earn a living and feel validated for their work. On the other side, they assist brands by providing the most seamless and hassle-free platform at their disposal to reach their customers. They believe their unique approach will not only have a profound impact on the industry, but it will also transform thousands of Pakistani and South Asian brands in London who we are offering exclusive early access via the platform.

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Company: Jarvis

Position: Founder and CEO

Website:

About Royden Greaves and Jarvis

Jarvis is making pensions accessible and engaging for workers in the UK by identifying the 鈥渕issing link鈥� and retirement guidance gap in pensions. Jarvis has created a complete pensions solution covering the needs of employed workers as well as the self-employed as a real alternative to the traditional 鈥渙ld school鈥� incumbents.

Launched in 2022, the pension fintech was born after Founder and CEO Royden Greaves spent over a decade working in Wealth Management and realised that access to financial planning was limited to a select few. As such, he knew he had to simplify pensions and empower individuals from all backgrounds to take control of their financial future. Now a team of six, Jarvis has evolved to provide a pension that workers actively engage with. It offers an app that allows employees to know exactly how and when they can retire.

Following a 拢1.8 million seed fundraise in July 2024, co-led by Ascension VC and Cornerstone VC with participation from Tokio Marine Future Fund, Jarvis officially launched its lifetime pension solution and app. The app provides real-time insights into retirement goals and simplifies pension management, including setting retirement budgets, planning joint retirements, consolidating old pensions, and adjusting investment risk profiles. It also integrates broader financial data such as cost of living, tax rates, and inflation.

Jarvis offers pension tracing, a previously time-inefficient and bureaucratic process for employers and employees alike. It also has a retire now offering, a ‘smart savings’ suggestions feature that tells you exactly how much you’d need to save to reach a desired retirement age sooner than an individual’s current achievable retirement age. The business has built a Lifetime Pension with Personal and Workplace jars, allowing customers to manage their pensions and contributions in one place.

For employers, Jarvis provides a financial wellness solution, including an auto-enrolment workplace pension designed for the modern workforce.

With more than 50% of the global workforce projected to be self-employed by 2028, traditional workplace benefits like pensions will be less accessible. Jarvis caters to this growing demographic by providing a planning tool for the self-employed so that this group is not left behind when it comes to comprehensive retirement planning.

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Company: MANSA

Position: Chief Operating Officer

Website:

About Nkiru Uwaje

Nkiru Uwaje is a catalyst for transformational growth in financial services, banking, and tech across global markets. Her expertise spans venture building, market entry, new product development, and revenue-generating strategies.

She began her career at Dell Technologies, where she managed complex, multi-million dollar projects in strategic areas like Channel and Alliances, Digital Advisory, and Enterprise Sales, and led the GTM activities for VMware鈥檚 Enterprise Blockchain Platform.

She moved to Swift, spearheading initiatives such as the Swift Global Hackathon, Central Bank Digital Currency Initiative, and remittance strategies with African Fintechs.

Nkiru then led Strategic Partnerships at Finastra, collaborating globally with fintechs, banks, and tech players to market financial solutions, including embedded finance and Banking-as-a-Service products. She also headed the Global Financial Services, Banking and Insurance function at Boomi, driving revenue and GTM activities.

With a proven track record of success in both established companies and pioneering scale-ups, Nkiru is a driving force at the intersection of finance, technology, and global markets.

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Company: Oneself Wellbeing

Position: Founder

Website:

About Omarah Taylor

Omarah Taylor and Sam began their business as friends. They saw a gap in the market for pure, unadulterated superfoods that delivered exactly as they promised. Very quickly, their hand packaged, fresh golden seamoss became a bestseller with customers loving it for its 92 nutrients, its versatility and the excellent customer care received by both Sam and Omarah.

Their personalities shine through in every product, in every email, in every packagae and they truly care about the customer journey. The product list has grown to include other fresh superfoods that tackle a range of adverse symptoms such as the menopause, seasonal affective disorder, mild depression, roscea, bloating, IBS and much more.

Today they are still growing their business between the two of them, hands on with customers and listening to feedback to deliver exactly what the customer needs. They have over 2000 five star reviews and have huge plans for the future of OneSelf Wellbeing.

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