At Hidden Innovations, we know the best ideas often come from real-life experiences. Our founder, Bella Duarte-Crespo, just proved this by winning the 2025 Miami Herald Silver Knight Award in Business. This award is a huge win that shows how her strong vision and hard work are making the world better for kids.
The Silver Knight Award: A Quick History
For more than 60 years, the Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards have celebrated top high school seniors in South Florida. The award looks for students who do well in school and, more importantly, are helping their community in a big way.
Past winners include famous people like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (Science, 1982) and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (Honorable Mention in Drama, 1988). Winning the Silver Knight Award puts you in a special group of young people who go on to achieve great things.
A First for Bella's School
This year, Bella's win is even more special. She is the first-ever Silver Knight winner from her school. This is a historic moment that shows what happens when young people are given the chance to lead and be creative.
Turning a Personal Need into a Big Business
Bella didn't start Hidden Innovations to win an award; she started it because she needed a solution. Living with Spina Bifida, she understood how hard it was for kids with disabilities to find the right clothes and products.
Her simple goal—finding a better way to carry her medical supplies without feeling different—grew into Hidden Innovations. This is a company that creates helpful, adaptive clothing and accessible designs. Bella used her personal challenges to build a business focused on fairness, dignity, and purpose. It's a great example of leadership born from feeling what others feel, and innovation driven by a real-life need.
The Moment It All Paid Off
Bella's journey to the award was built on years of hard work, learning from mistakes, and never giving up. She shared that she never expected her business idea, which started because of her Spina Bifida, to lead her to a stage with over 900 nominees.
When they announced her name, it was a huge surprise. "When they said ‘Spina Bifida’ during the ceremony… I jumped out of my seat... Walking across that stage, all I could think was — every tough day, every late night, every moment I felt unsure… led me here." The award made it clear that her work matters and that people are seeing the impact of her vision.
What's Next?
Bella's story is inspiring to anyone with an idea that seems too small or a challenge that feels too big. As Bella reminds us: "You’re not stuck. You’re just starting."
We are so proud of Bella. Her Silver Knight Award is a celebration of her great work in inclusive design and shows how much good can come from leading with a kind heart.
