The Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs announces its winners leading positive change

The Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs (DBACE) 2021 has been announced, marking five young leaders of change as the winners of a collective prize fund of £60,000, plus a £100,000 value of bespoke mentorship to develop their vision. In partnership with MeWe360 – a Black-led not-for-profit that champions Black, Asian and minority ethnic entrepreneurs – the winners have been selected from a roster of UK-based entrepreneurs aged between 18-30, those of which all share a goal of steering positive impact within society.

This year’s winners are Jameisha Prescod, founder of You Look Okay To Me, an online space for chronic illness community. The platform itself aims to broaden into a film production company, with hopes to provide a space for telling more stories on the topic of how illness, race and cultural identities combine. Ameenah Begnum also took home the winning title, who’s the founder of Cos Colours, a company that repurposes waste produced by the cosmetics industry, done so by up-cycling make-up into watercolour paint.

Then there’s Neba Sere, Selasi Setufe and Akua Danso, co-directors of Black Females in Architecture (BFA), a social enterprise and global membership organisation that currently has almost 400 members; Nahum McLean, founder of African Diaspora Dance Association (ADDA), an organisation that aims to expand the curriculum and training of dance under the African Diaspora; and Charlie Blair, founder of The Blair Academy, that reaches over 5,000 people across care and community, in turn combatting loneliness and improving physical and mental health through hip hop dance.

The DBACE has been running since 1993, and ever since has overseen the launch of over 220 ventures that include helping young entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. This is particularly prevalent in the midst of the pandemic, where the need to recognise and empower young creatives and leaders has never been more paramount.

For this year’s iteration, the DBACE saw nearly 400 applications from fields in art, design, fashion, architecture, theatre and dance. After receiving the shortlist, the winners were selected following a series of pitch presentations to a judging panel of prominent figures in the business and creative industries. This includes Kevin Osborne, founder and CEO of MeWe360; Lareena Hilton, global head of brand communications and CSR at Deutsche Bank; Sam Barcroft, media entrepreneur and consultant; Suhair Khan, founder of Open/Ended Design and strategist at Google; plus Tobi Oredein, founder and CEO of Black Ballad.

“The creative industries remain one of the hardest hit from the pandemic, and yet despite the challenge the leaders and thinkers who make up the sector are adapting their businesses to be resilient to the impact,” says Lareena in an announcement.

Now in the third year of partnership with Deutsche Bank, Kevin from MeWe360 explains how it’s with “great excitement” to welcome this year’s winners to the 12-month mentoring programme. “Alongside the funding awarded, our individually tailored business support, access to networks and peer learning are critical to help ensure the five winners’ enterprises come to fruition,” he says in the release. “We look forward to seeing these individuals flourish as creative change makers.”

Past winners include Bethany Williams, founder of Bethany Williams London – a recycled and organic clothing brand; Anthony Daulphin, founder of Standing Ovation, an enterprise that empowers youth through arts; and Karen Jelenje, founder of Activate the City! – a community engagement agency for young people in urban development.