DBACE 2025 overview

The Finalists
DBACE 2025 received 538 entries from across the UK. The level of creativity, entrepreneurship and positive impact being made to society was as astounding as ever among applicants.


Judges for DBACE 2025
We were delighted to bring together a group of experts to judge DBACE 2025. Panel members drew on extensive professional expertise across the creative industries and have many years of experience in leadership, alongside setting up and supporting new businesses.

Karen Abbott, Managing Director, Global Head of Corporate & Investment Bank, KYC and Client Onboarding, Deutsche Bank

Dr Guy Baron, Co-Founder of Squareglass

Samantha Burke, Managing Director at Love Drinks Ltd

Ola Christian, Founder of LEVILE and DBACE alumni (winner of DBACE 2024)

Mohan Yogendran, Managing Director of Talent Circles and Chair of MeWe360
The winner announcement
The awards were hosted by the esteemed Brenda Emmanus OBE, television and radio broadcaster and journalist. We heard a keynote address from Ben Jeffries, CEO and co-founder of Influencer, and listened to the finalists’ stories. The event also featured speeches from Deutsche Bank judge Karen Abbott and Louise Nkosi, CEO of MeWe360, the DBACE delivery partner, before announcing the winners of DBACE 2025. In addition to funding and business support for the winners, Deutsche Bank was pleased to announce that the five finalists will receive a bursary for the MeWe360 business support programme. The programme offers 12 months of tailored business support designed to help their ventures reach the next level and to support each entrepreneur in developing the skills and capabilities needed to lead their business.

Support offered throughout DBACE 2025