Daria in Y7 has been named this year’s recipient of the Atherton Award, in recognition of her innovative business idea, AspiRoo, a platform designed to help young people turn their entrepreneurial ideas into reality. We were delighted to have a total of 12 teams from WHS this year.
Daria’s success comes as no surprise to those who know her well. In the classroom, she is fully engaged and quietly determined, approaching her learning with a calm focus and maturity beyond her years. Her thoughtful nature and warm personality have helped her be a valued member of the school community. With a natural curiosity and a growing passion for STEAM subjects, Daria brings both creativity and technical ambition to her work – qualities that are clear in the development of AspiRoo. Daria said:
I applied for the Atherton Award because I wanted to push AspiRoo from an idea into something real. The award gave me the confidence, structure, and support to take my project further than I expected. The most valuable part was learning how to pitch clearly, answer challenging questions, and think like a young entrepreneur.
The Atherton Award, founded by Amber Atherton, celebrates outstanding entrepreneurial thinking among girls aged 11–18 and supports the next generation of female founders.
Speaking about the award, Amber said:
“The applications and presentations were of an exceptionally high standard, making the selection process both rigorous and rewarding. After careful consideration, we are delighted to recognise Daria as the winner of the 2026 ATHERTON Award for her platform, AspiRoo.
Some of the most powerful ideas begin with a simple question about why something does not work as well as it should. Daria’s curiosity about the limited entrepreneurial opportunities available to young people led her to develop a solution that is both practical and impactful.
We look forward to seeing AspiRoo expand across more GDST schools and to the growth of a strong network of mentors and supporters around it. Congratulations to Daria, and to all applicants for their outstanding contributions.”
Amber Atherton
Daria impressed judges with AspiRoo, a creative and purpose-driven platform that connects secondary school students with adults who can provide mentorship, expertise and crowdfunding support. The idea aims to address a clear gap: while many young people are interested in starting a business, most lack the confidence, guidance or resources to begin.
Her research found that while 78% of Year 7 students expressed interest in starting a business, two-thirds did not know how to get started. Existing platforms often teach concepts but rarely provide practical support for developing real ideas or accessing funding.
AspiRoo tackles this by allowing students to pitch business ideas, request advice in areas such as marketing or finance, and seek funding through a secure, school-supported environment. Adults, including parents, staff and alumni, can contribute by offering expertise or financial backing.
Daria has already taken significant steps to develop the idea, completing courses in Python and AI, attending coding programmes, and selecting the Thunkable platform to begin building the app.
As part of her award, Daria has received £500 in prize funding, which she plans to use to finalise the platform, run testing within her school and begin a wider rollout across GDST schools.
Her next steps include launching a pilot version in WHS, gathering user feedback and expanding the platform to other schools.
Daria’s success highlights the growing importance of entrepreneurial skills in an AI-driven world and the role young innovators can play in shaping the future.
Well done, Daria!