96. Frobelles | Startups 100 2024

DEI Award Shortlisted

For the company that demonstrates fully commited diversity, fairness, and inclusion initiative and how it has been embedded in the firm.

Startups 100: DEI Award

Younger Entrepreneur Award Shortlisted

In recognition of the excellent younger innovators aged 25 and beneath who are in this article to remedy the upcoming generation’s challenges with their inspiring organization thought.

Startups 100: Youthful Entrepreneur Award

Founders: Yvonne Ottley-Awuah and Alyssa Ottley-Awuah
Established: 2018
Website: frobelles.entertaining

In a entire world wherever youngsters are bombarded with images that enhance slim magnificence criteria, Frobelles is a breath of fresh new air. This innovative costume-up activity is built to celebrate diversity and inclusivity, furnishing youthful individuals with a platform to experiment with their feeling of fashion and id without the need of concern of judgement.

The brainchild of mom-daughter duo Yvonne Ottley-Awuah and Alyssa Ottley-Awuah, Frobelles was created in response to the absence of illustration in preferred media. 

Yvonne is a social entrepreneur with a passion for using technological innovation to produce optimistic modify, though her daughter Alyssa is staking a claim to fame as a cofounder at just 11 years outdated – though her journey began in 2018 at the tender age of six. 

Pissed off by not acquiring figures who appeared like her in the doll brand names and costume-up apps she adored, Alyssa and cofounder/mum Yvonne set out on a mission to build a answer by launching Frobelles, the UK’s first Afro hair gown-up activity. 

“I’d say the largest USP is Alyssa’s involvement,” Yvonne tells us. “She represents the demographic of girls that our video game has been dedicated to assisting see on their own. So, her view, responses and steer on numerous decisions have assisted us to shape our brand into what it is right now.” 

In fact, Alyssa’s enter was instrumental in the early levels of beta tests. Each Alyssa and her friendship circle grew to become a exam bed and target team just before the start of the recreation.

The sport attributes a wide array of avatars with various pores and skin tones, hair textures, and facial options, allowing young children to develop characters that look like them.

In addition to becoming a enjoyable and engaging way for children to specific on their own, Frobelles also offers academic information on subject areas these as self-care, hair care, and styling. This is specially vital for youthful individuals of colour, who are usually bombarded with adverse messages about their visual appeal.

Frobelles is a lot more than just a sport it is really a motion for transform. The organization is committed to employing its platform to encourage favourable body picture and self-acceptance. Via its social media channels, Frobelles shares tales of young individuals who are embracing their individuality and challenging societal norms.

Yvonne lauds the feeling of neighborhood Frobelles has obtained. “We set a large amount of time into our digital channels,” she tells us. “We deal with our Instagram like an extension of our key merchandise.” 

Yvonne is bold about the future ambitions for the organization. “We see Frobelles as a main brand name in the children’s amusement marketplace,” Yvonne suggests. “We want to go on to create our video game to include things like more features, add more hair and fashion collections, and do extra group actions. We also want to grow our brand name into retail, and increase our constructive affect further than the digital application.”

Frobelles is addressing a vital social concern: the absence of representation of assorted groups in media and technological know-how.  The match is a reminder that all people deserves to really feel found and represented. It is a celebration of range and a phone for higher inclusivity in all facets of life, and is filling a hole in the industry for inclusive children’s leisure. Alyssa’s guiding involvement is a effective example of how young people can use their voices to make a change in the globe.