Today, Starcom has announced the launch of AXA Startup Angel, a nationwide competition across Global’s radio stations Capital, Heart and Radio X, to help find two worthy startup businesses and make their business aspirations a reality.
“On average, starting a business costs £22,756 in the first year. That’s a barrier to most people who want to turn their business dream into a reality. We wanted to find two people with an incredible business idea and remove that barrier. Furthermore, we wanted to give them incredible support over those challenging first twelve months, the kind of help and mentoring they could never get otherwise” – Gordon Rutherford, Marketing & Customer Experience Director of AXA Commercial (Direct)
AXA will offer two startups the chance to win £25,000 worth of funding, AXA business insurance for their first year and a year’s worth of mentoring from the AXA Startup Angels.
The “elevator pitch’ type competition promoted across Capital, Heart and Radio X will ask budding startups across the country to pitch their ideas to the AXA Startup Angels.
AXA has selected three ‘Angels’ – established business owners who are hugely successful in their respective industries – who want to help empower two worthy startup businesses to success. The angels – notonthehighstreet.com founder, British entrepreneur and philanthropist – Holly Tucker MBE, Raphael Sofoluke – public speaker, author, D&I champion and founder of UK Black Business Show, and Ian Theasby and Henry Firth – founders of tasty vegan recipe brand, BOSH! – will judge the competition entries alongside AXA to select the two lucky winners.
“Startup Angel can be viewed as the perfect vehicle to help two people turn their business idea into a reality. We’re passionate about small businesses and understand the role they play in driving our economy, so helping two people to realise their business dream seemed like the perfect idea.” – Gordon Rutherford, Marketing & Customer Experience Director of AXA Commercial (Direct)
A video hosted on Capital, Heart and Radio X online platforms starring the three Angels will kick-start the partnership.
The competition closes on 20th June and entries will be shortlisted from which both AXA and the Angels will select two winners. This is part of the wider AXA ‘Work Hard, Insure Easy’ campaign created by Publicis Groupe Power of One team; media by Starcom and creative by Fallon, part of Leo Burnett.
