Iveta Pudilova (22), CEO and co-founder of Happy Autistic Lady Ltd, won the Inclusivity Award at the Inspirational Youth Awards 2024, competing against more than 400 other entries.
The Inspirational Youth Awards, founded by Ifraz Ahmed and Anita Chumber, took place for its second time, dedicated to celebrating and acknowledging outstanding young talent in the region. This award acknowledged the work of an organisation dedicated to creating lasting impact and promoting inclusivity and a sense of belonging in the East and West Midlands communities.
Happy Autistic Lady was launched in 2020 when co-founder and sister Vera was diagnosed autistic. Growing up, Vera and Iveta felt out of place, misunderstood, and unsupported. It wasn’t until they learnt they were neurodivergent, that suddenly everything made sense. Since then, the two sisters have been on a mission to raise awareness about the gender diagnosis gap, destigmatize mental health and neurodiversity, and foster a society where everyone can thrive.
Founded in Birmingham, Happy Autistic Lady received recognition for actively tackling barriers neurodivergent people face in education and the workplace by providing training and consultancy. 37% of Autistic students alone drop out of university, because of a lack of support and inclusion. That’s up to 8,000 students’ worth of lost tuition every academic year.
Iveta commented “This lack of neurodiversity awareness and support affects us all. In businesses, it results in high turnover and low employee satisfaction. After all, if a company doesn’t provide the right support, 50% of their neurodivergent employees are likely to leave.”
Awards Judge and CEO of Buckt, Daniel Bridgewater, said “Iveta’s application showcased her amazing commitment to empowering neurodivergent individuals, raising awareness, and fostering inclusivity, with a clear demonstration of the impact created for those that she works with. She was a deserved winner, and hopefully this award can help her go on to greater things”
Supported by the University of Birmingham’s Elevate start-up incubator, Iveta and her fully neurodivergent team deliver neurodiversity training and consultancy for staff members and public speaking to empower students at prestigious higher education institutions such as Aston University and the University of Birmingham. Happy Autistic Lady’s training is tailored to clients to bring tangible benefits and ensure ethical and legal compliance with the Disability Act and the soon-to-be-imposed Neurodiversity Screening Bill.
The family-owned business is now looking to partner with other schools and businesses in the region and continue to promote acceptance and awareness about neurodivergence.
