The King honours sweet social venture Harry Specters

Harry Specters was founded by Mona and Shaz Shah as a social enterprise that could employ autistic people, and has since expanded to employ many autistic people with a production facility in Ely, near Cambridge. The company was honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity Through Social Mobility last year.

“What began in 2012 in a small unit in Cambridge – inspired by our son Ash and a desire to create meaningful opportunities for autistic individuals – has grown into something I never imagined,” Mona wrote on LinkedIn. “This award is a recognition of every young autistic person we’ve had the privilege to work with, and a reminder that business can be a powerful force for good.

“I hope it encourages more entrepreneurs and companies to build with purpose, lead with humanity and create spaces where everyone has a chance to thrive. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s been part of the Harry Specters journey. I couldn’t have done it without you. This is for all of us.”

Cambridge Social Ventures helps social enterprises that address key social issues

Says Nicole Helwig, Executive Director of the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation and the Cambridge Social Ventures programme at Cambridge Judge:

“Many congratulations to Mona Shah for this King’s Birthday Honour, and to everyone at Harry Specters for creating a social venture to support people with autism through a multi-award-winning consumer product. Harry Specters’s efforts creating an autism-friendly workplace bring social innovation to a manufacturing context, transforming the lives of youth with autism and their families.”

Cambridge Social Ventures helps many startups that address social issues ranging from inequality to disability, and we are delighted that Harry Specters has continued to go from strength to strength.

Nicole Helwig, Executive Director of the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation