Virgin StartUp, Virgin’s not-for-profit hub for UK founders, has launched a new digital community to help early-stage entrepreneurs on their startup journey.
The Virgin StartUp Community is open to any aspiring or early-stage business founder, offering a dedicated space for founders to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and industry experts.
Founders will be able to access 1:1 mentoring and advice, as well as accessing online learning, workshops and face-to-face events to inspire and support them in their business venture.
The launch of the platform marks 10 years since Sir Richard Branson founded Virgin StartUp to support the next generation of business founders. In the past decade, Virgin StartUp has helped more than 40,000 founders to start and scale and distributed £80 million in Start Up Loans as a business support partner of the British Business Bank.
Boasting one of the largest networks of business mentors in the country, with more than 600 mentors on Virgin StartUp’s books, mentorship will play an important role in the new community. Founders will be able to book free 1:1 advice calls, Power Hours and Mentor Office Hours.
“In the past 10 years we’ve grown this amazing community of founders and mentors all over the country, in every imaginable industry and sector, including some incredibly successful entrepreneurs who have built category-defining brands,” said Andy Fishburn, MD at Virgin StartUp.
“Many of these founders and mentors now want to pass on their learnings to those who are starting and scaling their own businesses.
“Now felt like the right time to take everything that we’ve learnt over the past decade and to create a new digital home that is accessible to all and brings our mentors and expertise into one place.
“We know that having the right advice and mentorship early on can make a huge difference to the survival rate of a new business. It’s one of the reasons that 74% of businesses we’ve funded are still trading after three years, compared with a national average of 54%.
“That’s what the Virgin StartUp Community is all about, offering founders access to expert knowledge and support that will help them build better businesses that are set-up to thrive and stand the test of time.”
The Virgin StartUp Community has three membership options, including a free entry level option and an option to purchase a new on-demand ‘How to Build a Business’ series.
