
- The awards celebrate and recognise the achievements of young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds
- ArtByZakia and Brainy Bar won at EPIC Young Entrepreneur Awards 2023 on 15 September 2023
- Both were also shortlisted for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which had a public vote, and Brainy Bar made it through to the final three.
Two startup businesses run by Aston University business enterprise development students have won prizes in an awards scheme to celebrate young entrepreneurs.
The EPIC Young Entrepreneur Awards 2023 celebrate and recognise the achievements of young people, especially those who have faced adversity and/or the care of a local authority, to become a startup business.
ArtByZakia, a company focused on creating personalised and handmade gifts, was shortlisted for Practical Prodigy and for Inclusion Champion, winning the Inclusion Champion Award. Its founder is Zakia Ashraf, a BSc Business Enterprise Development graduate 2020-2023.
Brainy Bar, which produces energy bars that are hand-made from natural ingredients, was shortlisted for Health and Wellness Champion and for Fresh Taste, winning the Fresh Taste Award.
Both Brainy Bar and Art By Zakia were also shortlisted for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which had a public vote, and Brainy Bar made it through to the final three.
Zakia Ashraf, a BSc Business Enterprise Development graduate (2020-2023) and founder of ArtByZakia, said:
"It's a privilege to be recognised at the EPIC Awards.
"ArtByZakia has been a passion of mine for several years, providing inclusive clothing and jewellery that ensures diverse community representation.
"I've been lucky enough to build my business alongside and with the support of my team on the BSc Business Enterprise Development programme at Aston University.
"I look forward to seeing what comes next post-graduation."
Dominik Kulcsar, a BSc Business Enterprise Development student and operation manager of BrainyBar, said:
"Winning the Fresh Taste award is the manifestation of 10 months of resilience, commitment and perseverance in bringing a truly innovative health and nutrition bar to market, despite all the challenges along the way.
“We believe this external recognition, as well as the 2023 Aston Enterprise Pitch Competition win & the people's vote already under our belt will give us the credentials necessary to differentiate ourselves in a crowded market and be recognised as a young leader within our industry.
“We are starting off this academic year strong, already being stocked in the Student Union's shop as of welcome week, with plans to expand into the Aston University ecosystem and beyond in the next quarter.”
Marc Pearson, senior programme coordinator at the awards, said:
“Thank you so much Aston University for coming along and celebrating young entrepreneurs with us.
“We had an amazing time celebrating achievements of young people on their business journeys, and extremely proud to showcase EPIC to the West Midlands Ecosystem.
“We received such high calibre of nominations in which, Zakia and Dominik shone through in their respective categories.
“Very pleased to have them both with us to enjoy the evening alongside the community that nurtured them on a personal and professional basis. Congratulations to them both.
“I look forward to connecting with Aston University in the coming academic year (and beyond) to continue the partnership working in many meaningful ways from placements to share learning.”
- Notes to Editors
About Aston University
For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020.
Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Sam Cook, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7446 910063 or email: s.cook2@aston.ac.uk
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