This Black History Month, iconic Jamaica rum brand Wray & Nephew, in partnership with Foundervine, launches the 2026 edition of its Wray Forward Powerbook, a list spotlighting 25 exceptional Black entrepreneurs making significant strides across UK business. The Powerbook comes as part of Wray Forward, a free business accelerator programme spearheaded by Wray & Nephew and Foundervine that supports Black founders across the UK by providing access to funding, educational workshops, mentorship opportunities and networking events.
The 2026 Wray Forward Powerbook winners are:
Alex Zepherin-Pinnock Don Dada Studio London | Alvin Mills SHYNE London | Arron Maddix Moi Moi Sauce Ltd London |
Asha Shepherd Yoni Yoni London | Ayodele Dawodu UGiftMe London | Babatunde Ajose Everything African Ltd Manchester |
Daniela Adoasi New Home at Last London | David Chipfupa Afrosocial ltd Manchester | Ekene Ukemenam Aerial Icon The Good Coffee Project |
Feliciana Dalley FÉLIE Ltd London | Ibukun Olajide Chilli Gold Hertfordshire | Janet Theodore JBN Beverages LTD Cambridge |
Jared Spencer RIDDIM Snacks London | Julz Davis Curiosity UnLtd Bristol | Kavan Polson Scholar and Partners London |
Kerron Parchment Mecantu London | Kevin Dapaah Dove Dental & Wellbeing Spa, The Dental Spa London | Lolita Sanders Umthi Ltd London |
Louchavan Lemard PH247 London | Maatin Adewunmi Loud Parade London | Matt Robinson MATTS BBQ LTD London |
Mike Williams Flake Bake London | Namywa Hutchinson Girl Grind UK CIC Birmingham | Toluwa Hughes Zoah Consultancy Bristol |
Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge Umutoni London |
The Wray Forward Powerbook was created to celebrate and highlight the incredible achievements of the individuals behind UK Black businesses. It aims to inspire the next generation of Black entrepreneurs by providing them with references to turn to in a landscape where Black entrepreneurs have historically faced greater barriers to success.
Marking its fifth year, the Wray Forward programme aims to support UK Black entrepreneurs to navigate the challenging journey of entrepreneurship. In fact, research commissioned by Wray & Nephew reveals lack of access to the right support, advice or connections has a strong negative impact on Black entrepreneurs. They often find themselves paying for support they can’t comfortably afford (32 per cent), miss out on funding opportunities (27 per cent), and delay plans to grow their businesses (29 per cent) – issues that Wray Forward tackles by offering funding opportunities, expert-led masterclasses, and networking events.
The figures also point to late payments as a key factor putting Black business owners at a financial disadvantage, as 55 per cent report dealing with late customer payments, compared to 38 per cent of non-Black business owners. According to the research, 60 per cent of Black business owners are owed £1,000 or more, compared to 27 per cent of non-Black business owners.
With 51 per cent of Black founders stating that better access to funding and finance would help them grow, the Wray Forward programme has provided £35,000 in grant funding to Black-owned businesses since 2021, with a further £15,000 set to be awarded this year.
“Five years of Wray Forward have shown us what happens when Black founders have the right people and opportunities around them," said Izzy Obeng, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Foundervine. "The entrepreneurs in this year’s Powerbook are building remarkable businesses, but the research makes clear that too many still face barriers to funding and growth. We’re proud to work with Wray & Nephew to back this community, celebrate its achievements and bring founders together at our first Wray Forward Conference."
The findings underline why creating opportunities for connection, visibility and practical support remains so important in helping Black independent businesses succeed. Wray Forward is designed to provide exactly these opportunities, bringing founders together with industry professionals, networks and potential partners. As such, to celebrate its fifth year, Wray Forward is hosting its first-ever Wray Forward Conference on the 30th October 2026. The conference is set to gather entrepreneurs and trusted industry voices for an insightful day connecting, exchanging ideas and exploring the opportunities shaping the future of business, as well as celebrating this year’s 25 Powerbook members.
As part of the conference, attendees will hear from renowned businesswoman, Sharmadean Reid who will deliver the keynote address "Culture as Currency: Building Scale & Loyalty in the Modern Economy" – a high-impact address exploring how Black and culture-first entrepreneurs translate cultural trust, authentic community backing and social momentum into long-term enterprise value.
The agenda also includes "Retail Reimagined: AI and the New Consumer", a session featuring Krept, who will explore how AI is changing the way brands are built, businesses compete, and consumers engage — and how entrepreneurs can harness the technology to spot emerging opportunities and build what comes next.
Tickets to the Wray Forward Conference are £10, and are already available. To find out more about the conference visit https://www.foundervine.com/our-programmes/wray-forward-conference.
Over the last five years, the Wray Forward programme has supported over 2,750 businesses and delivered more than 226 hours of free training. To find out more about the programme and how you can get involved, visit https://www.wrayandnephew.com/wray-forward