Agreka Build Wins TiE UK North Pitch Competition 2025

We’re incredibly proud to announce that our Co-Founder & CEO, Antoinette Yetunde Vandy, has won the TiE UK North Pitch Competition 2025! This fantastic achievement is a recognition of Antoinette’s leadership and vision in driving Agreka Build’s mission to transform waste wheat straw into WHEATEX®, a high-performance, carbon-negative thermal and acoustic insulation board that replaces conventional plastic-based materials.

Antoinette Vandy - Co-Founder & CEO of Agreka Build with WHEATEX® samples at the TiE UK North Pitch Competition 2025.

The competition finals were held at the Rathbones Manchester office, where ten outstanding women-led businesses pitched their innovative ideas. The energy, creativity, and ambition in the room were truly inspiring, and it was an honour to witness the incredible talent shaping the future of entrepreneurship.

A big congratulations to our runners-up:

• Lucy Hope, Founder and MD, The Daughters of Mars

• Louise Thomas, Co-Founder and CEO, Air Aware Labs

And to all the other finalists — Gracie Broom, Sânziana Foia, Maribel Montufar, PhD, Rachael Curran, Jenni Dowley, Ellie Louise Brown, Farah Frikha — we wish you every success on your entrepreneurial journey. Your passion and drive make the start-up ecosystem thrive.

Antoinette pictured with finalists and event organisers at the TiE UK North Pitch Competition 2025 held at Rathbones, Manchester on 27th August 2025.

Thanks also to the competition organisers, event host Christopher Clay of Rathbones, judges — Christine Kelly, Ann Jordan Dean MBE DL, Gareth Glynne Jones, Jaxx Nelson, Carl Jones, Nan Hao, and Sue Barnard — for an expertly run event.

As the winner, Antoinette will now represent TiE UK North at the TYE Global (TIE Young Entrepreneurs) Summit in Jaipur, India, from 4–6 January 2026. There, she will have the opportunity to compete for a share of a $50,000 prize fund, access significant investment opportunities, and benefit from a global mentor and accelerator programme leading up to the Global Finals.

Meet the winners of TiE UK North Pitch Competition 2025

This milestone is a testament to Agreka Build’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and driving impact within the construction and green technology sectors. We can’t wait to see Antoinette showcase our vision on the global stage!

To follow our journey, check out our LinkedIn, subscribe to our newsletter or contact us to discuss collaboration opportunities at contact@agrekabuild.co.uk. Thank you for reading!