Manchester founder, Arianna Ajtar, unveiled as finalist in national awards

The UK’S most extraordinary female founders have been unveiled as the finalists for the 2024 everywoman Entrepreneur Awards, in association with BGF, the UK’s longest-running recognition programme for women in business. Now in their 22nd year, the awards set out to uncover and amplify the diverse array of female-led businesses, recognising them as influential role models for future generations, and celebrating their economic contribution.

Selected from nearly a thousand entries, the 2024 finalists are at different stages on their entrepreneurial journey, from multi-million-pound empires to those spearheading social enterprise for the greater good, or solopreneurs starting out. They also span diverse industries – from beauty and fashion to medical innovations and hospitality, food manufacturing to publishing houses, to name a few.

The UK government have an ambitious target to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by 50% by 2030, adding 600,000 businesses to the market and boosting the UK economy by a projected £250 billion.[1] However, the funding gap and lack of female role models has been recognised as a unique and key barrier for women starting, growing, and scaling their businesses.

Maxine Benson MBE, Co-Founder of everywoman comments:

“Sharing the stories of women’s entrepreneurial journeys plays a crucial role in encouraging others to achieve success. Over the last 25 years, everywoman has been at the forefront of the drive to increase the number of female entrepreneurs, working with government, industry bodies and the corporate sector to accelerate the rate of progress and dismantle barriers that remain for women, particularly when it comes to accessing funding, growing and scaling their business.

Of the businesses that entered the awards this year, 51% stated they were going to be seeking additional funding in the next 12 months, 69% were planning to deploy more technology and 83% said they would be recruiting more employees. The everywoman Entrepreneur Awards have a central role to play in highlighting the disconnect between the growth ambitions of female founded businesses and their access to funding. These women are wealth and job creators and the businesses we must be investing in for the growth of UK Plc.

This programme has created an incredibly unique group of like-minded founders, judges, business leaders and investors, who not only advocate and champion each other, but also provide a business referral and a support network to eliminate feelings of being marginalised and isolated. These annual awards will see these unstoppable female founders gather in London this December, to celebrate this year’s finalists and winners, and to recognise their vital contribution to the UK economy and future of enterprise.”

Arianna Ajtar, Founder & Managing Director of Mars the Label, from Manchester, has been announced as a finalist in the 2024 everywoman Entrepreneur Awards, in the Social Star category. This is awarded to a woman who has significantly grown or launched her business using predominantly the power of social media.

Arianna Ajtar is the innovative Founder and Designer behind British fashion house Mars the Label. From the brand’s humble start in her Manchester family home in 2015 to showing at Miami Swim Week in 2024, Arianna's journey is one of resilience, creativity, and unwavering passion. With a unique blend of British sophistication and wanderlust, Mars the Label  has utilised the power of fashion to redefine confidence and empowerment for women of all shapes and sizes with an eclectic array of offerings, from swimwear to dresses, loungewear to accessories. Now a multi-million pound business with a fanbase stretching from the US and Australia, Arianna’s commitment to quality craftsmanship and functional glamour is unchanged. Beyond the garments themselves, Arianna aims to foster a sense of inclusivity and belonging, inspiring women of all shapes and sizes to embrace their unique style with confidence and flair. Through their commitment to empowerment, Arianna isn't just redefining fashion; she’s shaping a movement that uplifts and celebrates women worldwide.

Gemma Hamilton, investor and origination at BGF, and a judge at the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards 2024, said:

"I have been incredibly proud to judge the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards this year. The finalists represent the very best of female entrepreneurship, showcasing remarkable innovation, resilience and leadership across a range of exciting and diverse industries. We hope this year’s nominees inspire many more female founders and showcase to the wider investment industry the huge potential for growth that exists in women-led businesses across the country.”

The 2024 finalists were chosen by a judging panel comprising some of the UK’s most successful women in business as well as VCS and investors who are at the forefront of closing the funding gap with their diverse portfolios. Judges include Chrissie Rucker (Founder of The White Company), Susan Allen (Co-founder at Here We Flo), Connie Nam (Founder of Astrid and Miyu), Yvonne Nagawa (Chief of Staff at Black Seed Ventures), Izzy Obeng (CEO at Foundervine), and Libby Gibson (Partner at Piper PE LLP), amongst others.

To find out more about the finalists and book your place at the awards ceremony, please visit https://www.everywoman.com/entrepreneur-awards/.

[1] Women-led high-growth enterprise taskforce report (2024)