Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the entrepreneur behind easyJet, is offering ambitious young business owners the chance to secure up to £150,000 in funding as the third annual Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs officially open in the UK.
More than 30 years after founding easyJet at the age of just 27, Sir Stelios has built an “easy” brand empire spanning more than 200 businesses, from budget airlines and hotels to storage, shipping and retail. Now, through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, he is backing the next generation of founders with £300,000 in cash grants designed to help scale high-growth UK start-ups.
The overall winner will receive £150,000, with second and third prizes of £100,000 and £50,000 respectively. Unlike many awards and competitions, the payments are cash grants rather than equity investments or loans, allowing founders to retain full control of their businesses.
“This is part of my way of giving back to society,” Sir Stelios said. “I want to encourage young entrepreneurs aged 34 or under to create and grow start-ups in the UK, which to my mind is the best way to generate new jobs and spread prosperity.”
The competition is open to founders aged 34 or under who own and run UK-registered businesses generating at least £500,000 in annual revenue. The threshold has been raised from £200,000 in previous years after a surge in high-quality applications, with 180 entries submitted in the last round alone.
Sir Stelios said he would be focusing on fundamentals rather than hype. “It will be the numbers – is it a good profitable business, is it growing and does it employ lots of people?” he said. “Due to my own background, I would rather reward consumer-facing businesses because they are more relatable and better known.”
Last year’s winner, Ayan Mohamed, exemplifies the kind of entrepreneurial drive the awards aim to support. She founded Digitech Oasis, a Manchester-based company providing autonomous robotic solutions, after teaching herself to code while studying business at university. The prize money helped accelerate growth and create new jobs in the region.
“These awards are incredibly useful to a young British entrepreneur like me,” Mohamed said. “The funding has been vital, but the recognition and credibility that comes with being associated with Sir Stelios has also been a huge boost.”
Beyond the financial support, winners also gain something harder to quantify: access to Sir Stelios himself. He remains actively involved with previous winners, offering mentoring and advice as they scale.
“I am available to them and happy to help,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to see what founders do with the money – and it’s a two-way learning process. Young entrepreneurs know things I don’t, especially about social media.”
Applications close on 23 February 2026, with winners to be announced at a hybrid ceremony in London on 31 March 2026. Sir Stelios has a simple message for potential applicants: “You should apply. This is not just a medal, it’s real money that will help your business.”
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Young entrepreneurs invited to pitch for £150,000 prize from easyJet founder Sir Stelios
