The founders of innovative British businesses Moonpig, Not on The High Street and Jack Wills, as well as up and coming fashion Youtuber Dino Toki-O, will be joining Sir Richard Branson to judge the winner of Virgin Media Pioneers' Pitch to Rich competition.
Entries are open until midday on 7 April for the online network's annual search to find Britain's best up-and-coming business leaders, offering them unique opportunities to pitch for investment from Sir Richard Branson himself.
This year there are two chances for innovators to Pitch to Rich' and the prestigious judging panel. The Start Up Award, in partnership with Virgin StartUp, is for businesses in their first 12 months of trading, and the Innovation Award is for successfully trading small technology businesses looking to make the next leap forward.
The judging line-up:
Nick Jenkins, founder of the personalised greeting card website Moonpig, said: Im really excited about backing innovative internet businesses. The Virgin Media Pioneers scheme is a great way to help new entrepreneurs achieve their real potential. Any business that can transact on the web has the potential to grow across all borders at an exponential rate with the right idea and good management. There is no reason that the next Twitter or Instagram shouldn't start here.
Holly Tucker, co-founder of online gift business, Not on the High Street said: Im delighted to be supporting the next generation of British business and look forward to sitting alongside Richard Branson as a Pitch to Rich judge. The rules have changed now thanks to the speed of wifi and the sheer number of devices people are playing with. That's given a whole new opportunity to young people to shake up the natural order and create really exciting new online businesses from their kitchen tables or wherever they choose.
Peter Williams, co-founder of fabulously British' clothing outfitters Jack Wills said: Helping the next generation get started and drive forward their new ideas is a great privilege. Ive already met lots of interesting and aspiring entrepreneurs as a speaker on the Virgin Hot House event series and joining the judging panel for Virgin Medias Pitch to Rich initiative seemed like a natural step in helping champion more new young startups. You cant put a price on this sort of networking opportunity for a new company. I wish Id had the chance to pitch to Sir Richard!
Dina Toki-O, up and coming digital influencer and fashion Youtuber named at number three in the Guardian's recent Top 30 young people in digital media', said: "Its great to be a judge on Pitch to Rich alongside established business leaders. Digital platforms have opened up a whole world of opportunity to me and been critical to building my profile and business in the UK and internationally at the click of a button. Im very excited about helping my peers realise the potential and backing people doing the same as me - making the most of the social networks to amplify their passions and turn them into successful businesses."
Sir Richard Branson, Pioneer-At-Large of Virgin Media Pioneers and founder of the Virgin Group, said: I'm delighted to announce this year's judging panel is again full of Great British innovation. The judges' experience, and knowhow in disrupting their respective markets with breakthrough businesses, will be invaluable to this year's finalists who will benefit from their feedback and insight. It's going to be a very exciting day.
The winning prize package for each award includes £5,000 of investment plus mentoring, including legal, branding and marketing advice, as well as a significant networking and profile raising opportunities.
The Innovation Award winner will also be offered free enrolment to the Accelerator Academy an established 12-week, high-growth training and mentoring programme for ambitious digital entrepreneurs. All semi-finalists will receive an HP laptop worth £500 to help them manage their businesses.
Five entrepreneurs will be short-listed for each award and asked to prepare pitch videos to face a public vote. The entrepreneurs with the most votes by 22nd April will then pitch for money-can't buy advice and support on 13th May at the Branson family home in Oxfordshire.
Last year's Pitch to Rich competition was won by brothers Joshua and John Okungbaiye, founders of High Spirit, which makes theft-proof rucksacks.
To enter, or to find out more about Virgin Media Pioneers, go to www.virginmediapioneers.com or on Twitter @VMPioneers #Pitch2Rich or Facebook @VirginMediaPioneers.
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The founders of innovative British businesses Moonpig, Not on The High Street and Jack Wills, as well as up and coming fashion Youtuber Dino Toki-O, will be joining Sir Richard Branson to judge the winner of Virgin Media Pioneers' Pitch to Rich competition.
