Sport focused mumpreneur launches UK protein bar for kids

by Startacus Admin
From financial services to sports nutrition for children - one mumpreneur's startup journey to inspire the next generation of athletes to make healthy choices that are sustainable for life
Having spent over 18 years in the financial services sector, Marina quit her job as an accountant turned banker to set up a sports nutrition business.
Marina Wegorek, mother of two and founder of ProYouth Nutrition, saw the opportunity last year when her daughter Ava joined a competitive swimming club. During her daughter’s first competitive swimming competition, Marina was shocked to see canteens offering sweets, chocolate and energy drinks.
She saw a real need for alternative options for active children and sought the help of nutritional experts to develop the world’s first protein bar for children. She began working with a team of leading applied sports and exercise scientists, life science practitioners and nutritional experts to develop a range of innovative snack bars suitable for pre-activity energy fuel and post activity replenishment of the depleted energy stores essential to exercise performance.
With both Marina and her husband as regular gym users, she was aware of the wide range of snacks and supplements targeting the adult fitness industry, but none that catered to the training needs of children.
Being one of only six out of fifty newly founded businesses to win funding and support from the European Regional Development Fund and the London Agri-Food Innovation Clinic, Marina was able to further her research in more detail with a specific focus on how the nutritional needs of adults and children vary and differ.
She discovered that by glycogen stores (the body’s energy reserves) were a key difference between adults and children and that by increasing them she could also increase exercise performance in children.

It was here the prevalence of high performing sports people and type-two diabetes came at no surprise to Marina. The more she researched the more she realised the need and importance of developing something that can safely be consumed by children. Something that was nutritionally rich and made with whole food ingredients and natural proteins - minus the artificial sweeteners, sugars and cheap ingredients that contain free radicals.
Seeking to fill this gap in the market, Marina founded her own company that caters to the needs of active youngsters with the ethos of encouraging a more positive attitude towards health, fitness, nutrition and in turn fuelling the next generation of young people to be their best.
ProYouth’s purpose is to inspire the next generation of athletes to make healthy choices that are sustainable for life. The company is motivated to drive change and believes that the choices made now will help young and aspiring athletes understand the importance of nutrition and regulating their energy in their daily lives, now and forever.
Marina adds that even during these unsettling times it’s the positive feedback, messages that she receives from the small organic community of real athletes, parents and coaches that keeps her motivated.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Got a business in the manufacturing sector? These tips on how you can reduce energy costs while being more sustainable are well worth a read...

Innovative InsurTech startup SureIn announces a €4M Seed round to further its mission of making insurance easy, transparent and hassle-free for SMBs.

Nassia Skoulikariti, Director of IoT Programmes, Mobile Ecosystem Forum shares some insights on how IoT is having a significant impact on all our lives.

Roger James Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Genius Group, a world-leading entrepreneur Edtech and education group, discusses how introducing a globalized curriculum will help better prepare students.

SuperFi, the debt prevention platform, has announced a $1m pre-seed funding round to support people during the cost of living crisis.

41 startups from 13 countries, including the UK, have been selected for the 8th Kickstart Innovation program, one of Europe’s leading innovation platforms.

Personal training platform Another Round has secured £300k in its latest fundraise, including investment from angels and its community.

Thingtrax Secures £4.3M to Empower Manufacturers to Build the Factories of the Future

A measure of inflation relief for small firms sees transport costs fall but service price increases remain elevated

Bedfordshire-based HR tech startup HR DataHub has built a range of tools for HR departments
Published on: 16th June 2020
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- SureIn Secures €4M to Close the SMB Insurance Gap 15th Aug 2023 Innovative InsurTech startup SureIn announces a €4M Seed round to further its mission of making insurance easy, transparent and hassle-free for SMBs.
- SuperFi raises $1M pre-seed funding round 28th Jul 2023 SuperFi, the debt prevention platform, has announced a $1m pre-seed funding round to support people during the cost of living crisis.
- Startups rely on AI & sustainability for new partnerships 27th Jul 2023 41 startups from 13 countries, including the UK, have been selected for the 8th Kickstart Innovation program, one of Europe’s leading innovation platforms.
- Another Round closes £300k Seed round to revolutionise personal training 21st Jul 2023 Personal training platform Another Round has secured £300k in its latest fundraise, including investment from angels and its community.