Virgin StartUp

Virgin is entrepreneurial at its heart, having spent the last 50 years starting and scaling businesses around the world. In 2013, Virgin StartUp was founded by Richard Branson to support the next generation of founders who are looking to do the same.

As a not-for-profit, we work to empower founders to not only start-up and survive, but thrive. By providing business advice, access to funding, mentoring and a growing community, we’re helping thousands of founders to change business for good.

Businesses funded by Virgin StartUp survive longer, generate higher turnover and hire more people than businesses supported by other start-up support organisations in the UK. We have an unrelenting focus on the founders that we exist to support and look to use the platform and network we have, to help them thrive.

Currently only one in five start-ups in the UK has a woman founder – we think that’s something that needs to change. In 2019 we became the first start-up support organisation to pledge equal funding for men and women with our 50:50 pledge.

We passionately believe in entrepreneurship and want to support any founder who has an ambition to start and scale an early stage business. One that adds value to them, to their community and to the economy more broadly. We’re open to working with founders across any industry, whether they’re looking to start a lifestyle business or have ambitions for a high growth venture.