Startup founder Azhar Murtuza wins 1st place in 50 BAME Entrepreneurs Under 50 awards for his pioneering food innovation company Born Maverick

Azhar Murtuza, the founder of pioneering food innovation startup Born Maverick has been awarded the number 1 spot in the Top 50 BAME Entrepreneurs Under 50 of 2022 competition held by TechRound.

Born Maverick is on a path to change the dynamics of the food ecosystem and power the growth of the sustainable food industry by introducing innovations that utilise some of the world’s most underutilised resources.

Biotech Scientist Murtuza and his team have developed a series of products, ranging from seafood alternatives made out of seaweed to plant-based milk, eggs and adaptogen lollies. Currently they are working towards unique process for seaweed proteins with hydrocolloids and  cultivated meat.

Born Maverick founder Azhar Murtuza said: “I’m delighted and very humbled to have been selected from amongst so many remarkable BAME entrepreneurs across the UK. Born Maverick’s mission is to bring together taste, nutrition and sustainability. We aim to play a leading role in helping to shape the food industry of the future.”

Founded by Murtuza in 2019, Born Maverick is one of 12 remarkable British startups currently taking part in Innovate UK KTN’s Sustainable Impact Investment Programme and is open for investment.

One of Murtuza’s key objectives is to license Born Maverick’s unique formulations and ingredients to manufacturing and branding partners with the expertise and infrastructure to deliver these products through pre-established distribution networks.

BAME 50 Entrepreneurs Under 50 judge Alix Blankson said: “It is great to see people and planet at this company’s core. Even though food innovation is a saturated space, Born Maverick’s accolades so far show that they’re pioneering. I’m most excited for them to license the unique formulations to achieve food sustainability at scale!”

The BAME 50 Entrepreneurs Under 50 competition is held annually by TechRound, the UK’s fastest growing startup and tech news site.The 2021 winner was Stephen Bartlett, Social Chain founder and creator of Europe’s most downloaded business podcast “The Diary of a CEO.”