Meet the Founders: Highlights from the Pitch Night, Incubator Plus 2025

A glimpse from the Pitch Night held at Tooting Works in June 2025

On Pitch Night, the culmination of our first Incubator Plus cohort, 11 young entrepreneurs took the stage to present their ventures to an audience of peers, partners, and supporters. It was more than just a chance to win seed funding, it was a celebration of how far they’ve come in just 12 weeks.

This evening marked the official close of the first cohort of our Incubator Plus 2025, a programme delivered in partnership with Walcot Foundation, Impetus, and Tooting Works, supporting 37 young people from underrepresented communities across 14 London boroughs.

Over the past 12 weeks, these founders have:

🔹 Participated in 22 business-building sessions

🔹 Worked with 5 dedicated mentors and industry experts

🔹 Taken raw ideas, and shaped them into real, viable ventures

But the real win? The confidence, clarity, and community each of them gained. Here are just a few of the incredible founders who shared their vision at Pitch Night:

Tarrick Bartley - Founder, Toka Juice

Tarrick is shaking up the sugary drink market with Toka Juice, a youth-led health drinks brand on a mission to challenge the dominance of sugary beverages with nutritious, great-tasting, and fairly priced alternatives. Tarrick’s focus is on blending accessible superfruits like banana and kiwi into vibrant, vitamin-packed juices that energise and heal. More than just a drink, Toka Juice is a movement for a healthier future, fuelled by awareness, flavour, and value.

💡 He’s seeking £5,000 to launch his first flavour line, invest in eco-friendly packaging, and bring Toka Juice to young people who need better options.

Faith Ogundare - Founder, Ndara Studios

At the intersection of creativity, tech, and empowerment stands Ndara Studios, a platform built by Faith to support underrepresented young creatives. Ndara Studios empowers communities through design education, mentorship, and digital tools. Positioned at the intersection of art, design, technology, and media, Ndara helps the next generation of designers, storytellers, and innovators grow their voice and purpose. The platform offers access to learning, mentorship, and peer-to-peer opportunities that support digital self-expression and creative career growth.

💡 She’s seeking £15,000 to launch a digital pilot and MVP, and activate meaningful brand collaborations.

Jahziniho Charles - Founder, Juzin

Born during the pandemic, Juzin offers cold-pressed juices that are honest, nourishing, and made for everyday people. Jahziniho’s mission? To make real nutrition accessible and affordable to communities often ignored by premium wellness brands. Each recipe is crafted to support digestion, immunity, and overall wellbeing. Juzin was created in response to poor access to healthy food and a need for honest, affordable nutrition.

💡 His ask: Support for better production equipment, marketing, and a branded van to hit the streets with Juzin.

Keanna Williams - Founder, Hundredfold

Legal support shouldn’t be intimidating or expensive, and Keanna is proving it. With Hundredfold, she’s creating a platform that simplifies legal guidance for digital creators, freelancers, and startups. Contracts, IP, and legal clarity - finally, all in one place. The platform offers tailored legal tools, guidance, and document reviews, designed for the speed and needs of modern creators and startups.

💡 Keanna pitched for strategic investment to scale her team and co-create AI-powered tools with users.

Patrick Uckwame - Founder, AccustomM8

From diagnostics to custom upgrades, ACCustomsM8 is Patrick’s response to a one-size-fits-all car service industry. His garage concept mixes tech innovation, personalisation, and deep respect for car culture—and it's driven by sustainability and style. From basic repairs to advanced modifications, the business is rooted in a love for car culture and a mission to blend sustainability, technology, and high-performance upgrades.

💡 He’s looking for funding to expand his workshop, purchase advanced tools, and grow his team.

Evianne Rafique - Founder, Evie’s Art Vibe

Evie’s Art Vibe is more than an art project - it's a creative empowerment initiative that supports vulnerable young adults, especially those with additional needs, who are still recovering from the social, emotional, and mental health impact of the pandemic. The project provides a safe, inclusive space for artistic expression through music, poetry, fashion, and design.

💡 Her pitch? £20,000 for equipment and outreach to expand her art-based wellness movement.

Tatiana Nascimento - Founder, Sona

With Sona, Tatiana is reimagining African oral storytelling through beautifully designed card games. Each deck invites players into untold legacies, joyful memories, and cultural reconnection, especially for Afro-diasporic youth navigating identity and belonging. At its core, Sona is a response to a global identity crisis among Afro-diasporic youth—offering a joyful, educational way to reconnect with overlooked histories, untold legacies, and living cultural wisdom.

💡 Her next step: brand development, game production, and launching a global storytelling community.

Ayesha Simmons - Founder, AyestheticsArt

AyestheticsArt helps people slow down and reconnect through sentimental, hand-crafted art. From personal commissions to community workshops, Ayesha is building a brand rooted in love, memory, and emotional well-being. AyestheticsArt offers personalised commissions, handmade prints, and community workshops that turn creativity into connection.

💡 She’s seeking support to grow her ecommerce presence and expand her workshops.

Mahrukh Awan - Founder, SAIReco

SAIReco is redefining how video is understood by AI. Their technology doesn’t just see images, it understands the social context and stories behind them, delivering insights with a human touch. Through their innovative platform, SAIReco is bringing video analysis into a new era of awareness and meaning.

💡 She’s seeking £300K to advance R&D, expand the team, and develop enterprise integrations.

Rajiat Bello - Founder, Kuki Jewels

Jewellery that calms the nervous system while looking beautiful? That’s what Kuki Jewels offers. Rajiat’s designs feature tactile, fidget-friendly details for neurodivergent women and people with anxiety, elegance with empathy. Her designs reduce anxiety and increase focus, providing discreet self-soothing options for neurodivergent women and anyone experiencing anxiety or depression - all while maintaining elegance.

💡 Her pitch included funding for product sampling, branding, and building her first online store.

Halimat Hamodu - Founders, Saint Lamouré

Saint Lamouré is a slow fashion brand offering timeless capsule pieces inspired by 'old money' aesthetics. Halimat’s vision is to help women dress with purpose and confidence, moving away from fast fashion and towards elegance that lasts. Blending neutral tones with bold colours, she creates versatile, seasonless pieces for women who value quality, style, and purposeful dressing.

💡 She’s seeking funds for prelaunch activities and building her direct-to-consumer platform.

What's next?

Pitch Night was more than a finale, it was a launchpad. Every founder who pitched brought their unique story, energy, and ambition to the stage. And for many, this was the first time sharing their business publicly. We’re proud to have been a part of their journey.

Huge thanks to our partners, Walcot Foundation, Impetus and Tooting Works, for believing in the potential of young people. And deep appreciation to our mentors, coaches, and speakers who showed up, week after week.

The first cohort of Incubator Plus 2025 is just the beginning. Want to be part of the next one? Apply here. Want to support these founders or become a mentor? Write to communications@businesslaunchpad.org.uk