Woman behind food sharing app wins entrepreneurial award

The co-founder of a food sharing app has won a prestigious businesswoman of the year award.

Tessa Clarke was praised for her entrepreneurial skills as she won Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Woman award.

The 51st woman to be honoured with the award, Tessa Clarke was recognised due to her “inspirational” work co-creating food sharing app, Olio.

The business has grown quickly since launching in 2015, with more than seven million people using Olio and partnerships established with major food retailers.

Olio estimates it has saved more than 100 million portions of food from going to waste through “rescuing and redistributing” food.

Tessa Clarke said: “I started Olio because I wanted to help solve one of the world’s largest problems and it’s great to see this has resonated with so many people.

“We’ve hit some incredible milestones already, and I hope I can continue to inspire the next generation of game-changing, bold, female entrepreneurs.”

Karen Scofield Seal, founder of Oceanium, was awarded Veuve’s Bold Future award which celebrates up and coming female leaders of the future.

Judges praised her “trailblazing” work harnessing the benefits of seaweed to develop bioactive ingredients for health and cosmetics, food ingredients and materials for textiles and packaging.