The winners were among nine local founders competing for funding from a £5,000 prize pot and in-kind support for their startup.
The Dragons Den-style event marked the final stage of the YEA! (Youth Enterprise Alliance) Thamesmead – an intensive business accelerator programme for 18- to 30-year-olds. Over 10 weeks, participants benefited from tailored mentoring, masterclasses and peer support, helping them shape and sharpen their startups. The scheme was run by Local Champions CIC and supported by Peabody as part of their long-term regeneration of the town.
Participants agreed how to split the prize money before presenting their business ideas, answering questions and listening to feedback. Judges evaluated each pitch on criteria including innovation, business growth potential, and how funding would be used.
On the panel were John Lewis, Peabody’s Executive Director for Sustainable Places; Sahil Khan, Peabody’s Director of Community Strategy, Partnerships & Funding; Shanice Hoo-Mills, founder & CEO of Kallure; and Michael Yiannakou, founder & CEO of Print Farringdon.
Meet the winners
Oyinkansola ‘Icy’ Fujah took home a top prize of £4,000 to develop Icy Creams Desserts – her bold vision for African and Caribbean-inspired ice cream. Icy’s standout product, plantain caramel ice cream, wowed judges with its originality, and her confident pitch sealed her spot at the top.
“Having an opportunity like this right here in Thamesmead has made all the difference,” said Icy. “I’ve been able to improve my business acumen in a way I never have before. I want to say to others, ‘If you have a dream, go for your dream’.
“Winning the top prize means I can invest in better equipment and marketing to grow Icy Creams, meaning I can reach more people through events and pop-ups. I did my very first pop-up at Bouldr Bar in July, and the response from the Thamesmead community was incredible.
“It’s been so much fun connecting with people where I live – it really showed me there’s community cohesion and real space for Icy Creams to grow here. This is just the beginning.”
Caleb Watson Rensch, founder of The World Within, earned £1,000 for his youth-led mental health initiative – encouraging 16-25 year-olds to process emotions and build resilience through creative expression.
Sam Ikhuoria, won three months of free coworking space at Facework in Lewisham. Sam’s inclusive digital hub aims to connect a diverse range of creatives with work opportunities.
Highly commended finalists
The judges also commended the other six participants for an ‘exceptionally high standard’ of work.
Ezra Uwas-Paul, founder of DollHaus – a Y2K-inspired fashion and music brand.
Fallon Nelson, founder of Empress Me Intimates – a luxury lingerie brand for plus-size and big-busted women.
Nasa Okoroma, founder of The NigerianGirl Company – a fashion and lifestyle platform.
Cindy Wu, founder of Frosted K9 – a teeth gem, grillz, and whitening startup.
Jecoliah ‘J Cocoa’ Frimpong, founder of The Resonance Project – a grassroots music project for adults to celebrate community and culture.
Samson Opayemi, founder of Startup Storyblocks – a fun and interactive board game that helps teach young people how to start and run a business.
“I’m so impressed by the creativity and passion show by everyone on the YEA! Thamesmead programme,” said John Lewis, Peabody’s Executive Director for Sustainable Places. “Their ideas were bold, thoughtful and full of potential – a real testament to the talent and around Thamesmead. I hope all participants feel proud of how far they’ve come and I wish them every success in the future. This course is all about building brighter futures and I’m pleased that Peabody could play a part in supporting it.”
“I’ve been privileged to work closely with this remarkable group,” said Emmanual Lawal, Project Manager at Local Champions. “Week after week, I watched them step outside their comfort zones. There were difficult conversations, moments of doubt, and emotional hurdles, but they stayed the course and rose to the challenge.”
YEA! Thamesmead is part of a wider programme of business support in the area.
