Louis Watkins, founder of Clear for Men, a Newport-based skincare and men’s mental health awareness brand, has been named as the Gen Z Start Up Loans Ambassador for 2025.
Louis is one of just 14 entrepreneurs from across the UK chosen to represent the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme this year.
Founded in 2021, Clear for Men creates skincare products designed to empower men to feel confident while normalising conversations around mental health. Its signature cleanser, Take Five, encourages men to pause daily for self-care, supported by an online community where they can share experiences.
His motivation for launching the business came from his own struggles with anxiety during the Covid-19 pandemic. Having lost both his apprenticeship and the structure of college, Louis found himself isolated and without purpose. Developing daily routines such as walking, cooking, and skincare helped him regain a sense of stability, and inspired him to create a brand that would give other men a similar reminder to take time for themselves.
Since then, Clear for Men has grown steadily, with products sold via its website, social media platforms and online marketplaces, as well as through independent stockists such as The Station in Bridgend and Superdrug Marketplace. Louis is now looking to expand into hotels, spas and other outlets, while also working on sustainable packaging innovations and future product launches, including an SPF moisturiser.
Now in its tenth year, Start Up Loans Ambassadors shines a spotlight on remarkable UK entrepreneurs who have turned their business ideas into reality with support from the programme. Each Ambassador is chosen for showcasing the determination, innovation and resilience needed to grow a small business, while inspiring others to pursue their own entrepreneurial journeys.
Louis Watkins, founder of Clear for Men, said:
“The Start Up Loan gave me the confidence and funding to take Clear for Men from an idea into a real business. For me, skincare is about more than just looking after your skin – it’s about taking a few minutes each day to pause, reflect and look after your mental health too.
“I want Clear for Men to show that self-care isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength. Being named a Start Up Loans Ambassador means I can use my platform to encourage other young people to follow their passions and hopefully make a positive impact along the way.”
In addition to Louis, 12 Ambassadors representing each of the UK’s Nations and regions, have been chosen as the programme’s Ambassadors, along with an Ambassador from the armed forces veteran community.
Previous Welsh Start Up Loans Ambassadors have gone on to achieve impressive growth, including Leon Stapleton of We Make Footballers Cardiff, a training academy for children aged four to 12, and Ken Pearce and Yousef Ahmed of 3D printing firm Lunia 3D. This year, Lunia 3D is marking its fifth anniversary with a major investment in a cutting-edge Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) printer, boosting capacity and positioning the company for its next phase of expansion.
The 2025 Ambassadors will be introduced at a dedicated event in central London that marks the start of a year-long programme which will see them take part in a series of local and national engagements, helping inspire aspiring start-up founders to take the leap into business ownership.
Jessica Phillips-Harris, Senior Manager for Wales, UK Network at the British Business Bank, said:
“We are incredibly proud to mark ten years of Start Up Loans Ambassadors, which continues to highlight the achievements of extraordinary UK entrepreneurs who have brought their business ideas to life with the help of our government-backed scheme. Over the past decade, our Ambassadors have embodied the resilience, creativity and determination it takes to succeed in business, while inspiring countless others to follow in their footsteps.
“I have no doubt that Louis will encourage other aspiring business owners to bring their start-up plans to life.”
Blair McDougall, Minister for Small Businesses and Economic Transformation, said:
“Entrepreneurs have the bright ideas, the commitment, and the nose for opportunities. But too often they lack the finance to make the most of this and to contribute to growing our economy. That’s why it’s so important that we make sure that those with the ambition to start up, have access to the finance they need.
“As part of our Plan for Small Businesses, we are funding up to 69,000 additional Start Up Loans to support the next generation of small business owners so they can achieve the success of those being celebrated here today.”
Since its inception in 2012, the Start Up Loan programme has delivered more than 125,000 loans to business owners across the UK, amounting to more than £1.25bn of funding. In Wales the programme has provided more than 5,300 loans equating to around £55m.
Through a network of business support partner organisations, the Start Up Loans programme provides:
- access to pre-and-post loan support to help applicants to develop a business plan
- fixed-interest first and second loans of up to £25,000 to help recipients to start or grow their business
- mentoring support to help loan recipients with everything from cash flow to marketing.
For more information and to hear more about the 2025 Ambassadors, visit: https://www.startuploans.co.uk/about-us/start-up-loans-ambassador-programme/2024-2025
