For the team behind BLD BRO, baldness was never something to fix. It was something to own with confidence, pride, and a sense of style that had long been ignored by the skincare world.
Founded by Ben, Richard and Tariq, BLD BRO has gone from a bold idea to a double win at the 2025 Midlands StartUp Awards, taking home both Consumer Products StartUp of the Year and the overall Regional Winner title. It’s an impressive milestone for a young business, but even more so for a brand that’s redefining what it means to feel good in your own skin.
BLD BRO was sparked by a shared frustration. Everywhere they looked, baldness was treated like a flaw; something to cover up, cure, or undo. From endless ads pushing miracle regrowth treatments to products built around insecurity, the message was clear: hair loss was a problem. But for Ben, Richard and Tariq, that narrative never sat right. They didn’t want fixes, they wanted products that embraced who they already were.
“We were sick of seeing adverts trying to sell us hair-loss drugs and treatments that we didn’t want or need,” Ben, co-founder of BLD BRO, writes on the brand’s website. “We wanted quality products designed specifically for bald men but they just didn’t exist. So we decided to do something about it.” he added.
BLD BRO is unapologetically for bald men. Not to help them grow hair back, but to help them show up with confidence and pride in exactly who they are. Their flagship product, BLD BRO Daily, is a mattifying moisturiser with SPF 30. It’s designed to hydrate and protect the skin while reducing unwanted shine, something every bald man deals with but few products ever properly address. It’s lightweight, non-greasy, and built to do the job without fuss or frills. Just solid, effective skincare that actually understands its customer.
Since launch, the response has been huge. BLD BRO Daily went on to win a Men’s Health Grooming Award for “Best for the Bald” in 2024, a major validation that their product wasn’t just needed, it was leading the category. Thousands of reviews poured in from customers who finally felt seen by a brand that spoke their language. Not with pity or apologies but with pride, confidence, and a bit of good-natured swagger.
The founders haven’t stopped at skincare. They’ve built a growing online community that champions baldness in all its forms. They regularly share stories, interviews and content that challenges outdated ideas around hair loss and celebrates the diversity and confidence of bald men everywhere. It’s no surprise the brand’s social following has grown rapidly, with thousands of men joining the movement and proudly tagging #BLDBRO in the process.
Winning two awards at the Midlands StartUp Awards was a standout moment for the team, and a big milestone for the brand. To be recognised not only as a standout consumer product business, but as the best startup across the entire region, is no small feat. It sends a clear message: businesses that are built with honesty, purpose and a clear understanding of their customer can punch well above their weight and get noticed doing it.
From day one, BLD BRO’s mission has been simple: to help bald men feel confident and happy in their own skin. That mission is clearly resonating. And while the awards are a huge moment of recognition, the team’s eyes are firmly on what comes next. New products, bigger community, more bold conversations, and a continued push to make baldness something to be proud of, not something to hide.
BLD BRO won for their message, their mindset, and the way they’ve brought something genuinely fresh into the startup world. Their story proves that when you challenge the narrative, and back it up with a brilliant product and a clear sense of who you’re for, big things can happen, shine-free.
Their journey doesn’t stop here. As regional winners, BLD BRO is now heading to the UK StartUp Awards National Final this September at Ideas Fest, a celebration of the UK’s brightest new businesses. We can’t wait to see them take the stage.
Grab your tickets and join us at the UK’s most exciting festival for founders. Click here https://ideasfest.uk/ideas-fest-2025-tickets/