Prize fund for Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs doubled to £200,000
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, creator and owner of easyJet and other easy brands, is inviting submissions to the Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK 2024.
Run by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and the Leonard Cheshire disability charity, the awards, now in their 16th year, celebrate the achievements of disabled entrepreneurs who have set up their businesses in the UK and excel in their chosen fields.
Previous winners include Amar Latif, broadcaster and founder of www.Traveleyes-international; Josh Wintersgill of www.easyTravelseat; Steve Holyer of www.Accessibility. com; Mark Williams of www.limb-art. com; Victoria Nelson, founder www. deaf4deaf.com; Joe Waggott of www. metalpolishingsupplies.co.uk; and last year’s winner Cristian Brownlee of www.myadaptability.co.uk.
This year’s Awards have a top prize of £100,000 for the winner and £60,000 and £40,000 for the two runners-up, bringing the total awarded to disabled entrepreneurs by Sir Stelios and his Foundation to £1,500,000 since 2006.
The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation is also donating £20,000 to Leonard Cheshire to help with the running of this year’s awards.
Sir Stelios said: “We know that people with a disability find it more difficult to get a job. I have long held the view that the best way for a disabled person to get a job is to start their own business and be their own boss! As we are in the business of rewarding entrepreneurial excellence, I sincerely hope that offering these substantial cash prizes for those who have started up their own business and are doing well will inspire other disabled people to start their own businesses and create jobs and wealth for themselves, their families, their staff and suppliers.”
To be eligible, entrepreneurs must be registered disabled in the UK and own at least 50% of a UK registered for-profit company that has filed accounts with UK Companies House showing turnover in one year of at least £10,000.
Ruth Owen, Chief Executive of Leonard Cheshire, said: “We are really pleased to be working with Sir Stelios again on these important awards. Every year it is fantastic to see the wide array of entries and these awards provide a great opportunity for disabled entrepreneurs to network, build on and promote their businesses. There’s so much untapped disabled talent out there and I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s entries.”
Applications close at 5pm on Tuesday 11 June 2024. The winners will be announced via Zoom on Tuesday 9th July 2024 at 12 noon UK time.
