Jamila La Malfa-Donaldson

Jamila La Malfa-Donaldson came up with her business idea while researching industrial hemp for her PhD at Aberystwyth University.

Industrial hemp has impressive environmental and health benefits, because each part of the plant can be utilised to produce a variety of sustainable solutions and products. As Jamila explains, growing hemp can absorb four times more carbon dioxide than trees, increase local biodiversity and encourage regenerative farming practices.

The diversity of hemp uses is reflected in Jamila’s range of products. Her plant-based food brand, Akene, uses local hemp food ingredients to improve health and help people reduce their meat and dairy consumption.

She recently launched Prohempotic, a business which sells hemp seed protein powder, hemp seed oil and hemp seed hearts. With more product ideas in the pipeline, Jamila hopes that the Young Innovators Award will provide guidance on how to commercialise her research so far.

“My aim is for Prohempotic to be the leading provider of innovative hemp solutions and for the brand, Akene, to be a household name. I look forward to learning how to commercialise my research, find product-market fit, develop a go-to-market strategy and raise further funding for my business,” she says.