Presented by

Johnson & Johnson Innovation believes diversity and an inclusive culture is key to successful innovation. However, in the Health Care Technology & Life Sciences startup and VC ecosystem, black-led businesses are underrepresented, and struggle to get equitable access to funding and resources. Despite this, many brilliant innovators and entrepreneurs in these communities are challenging this inequity, and we want to recognise and celebrate their leadership and provide them with a platform to elevate their success and enable them to drive sustainable change

That is why we are sponsoring this new award.

BLACK-LED BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR

This new award recognises the achievements and contributions of black (identify as having African heritage, including Afro-Caribbean, African-American and mixed African heritage) leaders of companies that have shown superior leadership, vision and inspiration or transformational outcomes for their business and sector as a whole during the qualifying period. It is open to leaders within European life science & health technology companies only.

Qualifying criteria

• Must be a Founder or C-suite level member of a private company
• Must have held that position and delivered results during the period between 1 October 2020 and 1 October 2021
• Must be a company registered with European headquarters

Judges will be paying particular attention to:

• What the leader's greatest achievements were in this period
• Creation of non-transactional / financial outcomes / opportunities
• Creation of new partnerships / leveraging existing partnerships
• How has the leader created value for stakeholders and investors
• Examples of overcoming adversity
• What the leader has done to influence and advance black entrepreneurship in their sector