AXA launches Startup Angel competition to help new businesses get started

• Two worthy businesses will have the chance to make their business dreams a reality with £25k of funding, AXA business insurance cover and mentoring from three successful entrepreneurs
• The competition is part of the wider AXA ‘Work Hard, Insure Easy’ campaign

AXA Startup Angel, a nationwide competition across Global’s radio stations Capital, Heart and Radio X, has launched to help find two worthy startup businesses and make their business aspirations a reality.

Developed in collaboration with media agency Starcom, the competition will see AXA offer two startups the chance to win £25,000 worth of funding, AXA business insurance cover 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.

A video hosted on Capital, Heart and Radio X online platforms starring the three Angels will kick-start the partnership.

The competition closes on 20 June and entries will be shortlisted from which both AXA and the Angels will select two winners.

“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. So, 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, AXA Commercial (Direct)

“Starting a new business is daunting and, according to the ONS, around 80% of UK companies fail within their first year which is why AXA is pairing new businesses with experienced entrepreneurs for mentorship. We’re really proud of this campaign that will put AXA at the forefront when businesses are thinking of how to kick-start their journey. This partnership showcases AXA’s genuine aspiration to help young businesses, bringing it to life in a credible and relatable way. It also allows us to create a deeper audience connection to support AXA’s wider ‘Work Hard, Insure Easy’ campaign which showcases how AXA is helping to make it easier for someone’s business dream to become reality. And working in tandem with Global is the perfect way to do it.”

Claire Kula, Managing Partner, Starcom

This is part of the wider AXA ‘Work Hard, Insure Easy’ campaign created in collaboration with Publicis Groupe Power of One team; media by Starcom and creative by Fallon, part of Leo Burnett. The campaign also further supports AXA’s ‘Know You Can’ brand message.