Manchester entrepreneur, Judy Leung - founder of Sweqlink and recipient of the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award, returned to her former high school, Southgate School in North London, to unveil a Purple Plaque in her honour.

The purple plaque is Innovate UK’s twist on the blue plaques that commemorate influential and pioneering historic figures. Across the UK, there are thousands of blue plaques commemorating influential figures, with 1,016 located in the London boroughs alone. However, only 15% of London’s blue plaques celebrate women. This highlights a national issue of the underrepresentation of women in the media, the workplace and in the education system, resulting in a lack of relatable role models for children and young people. Innovate UK hopes the plaque will inspire pupils at the school to follow in Judy Leung’s footsteps.

"All schools aim to have a lasting impact on the young people that pass through their doors; therefore, we were so honoured when Judy selected Southgate School as the location for her plaque. Having Judy come back to the school to see her plaque in place was such a special moment, we then had the honour of Judy delivering an inspiring session to our Year 12 and 13 students showing them the range of opportunities available to them and what their future could look like. Young people need to see excellence and our young people saw this in Judy."
— Ms Hannah Lynch, Deputy Head, Southgate School

Judy Leung, who grew up in Southgate and now lives and works in Manchester, is on a mission to make entrepreneurship more inclusive through her platform Sweqlink. With over two decades’ experience leading innovative digital projects, Judy created Sweqlink to bridge the gap between early-stage founders and the skilled professionals they need to grow by enabling fair, transparent sweat equity partnerships. The platform focuses on supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs and those who face particular challenges when raising investment, helping them overcome barriers to talent and expertise so they can bring their ideas to life and build thriving businesses.

About Judy Leung

Judy is the founder of Sweqlink, a Manchester-based platform connecting early-stage founders with skilled professionals through fair and transparent sweat-equity partnerships. She is part of a growing network of over 200 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award winners committed to building a more inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem.

About Sweqlink

Sweqlink is reimagining how startups grow by turning talent into a form of investment. Our platform connects visionary founders with skilled professionals ready to exchange their expertise for equity, democratising access to both talent and ownership. By breaking down financial barriers and championing women and underrepresented entrepreneurs, Sweqlink is building a fairer, more inclusive innovation ecosystem.

Key Links:
🔗 Judy Leung LinkedIn
🔗 Sweqlink platform
🔗 Innovate UK Women in Innovation programme