Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the entrepreneur behind easyJet, is offering ambitious young entrepreneurs the chance to secure funding of up to £150,000 when the third annual Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs officially launches in the UK.
More than 30 years after founding easyJet aged just 27, Sir Stelios has built an “easy” brand empire spanning more than 200 businesses, from low-cost airlines and hotels to warehousing, shipping and retail. Now, through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, he is supporting the next generation of founders with £300,000 in grants to help scale high-growth UK start-ups.
The overall winner will receive £150,000, with second and third prizes worth £100,000 and £50,000 respectively. Unlike many awards and competitions, the payments are cash grants rather than capital investments or loans, allowing founders to retain full control of their business.
“This is part of my way of giving back to society,” said Sir Stelios. “I want to encourage young entrepreneurs aged 34 and under to create and grow start-ups in the UK, which I believe is the best way to create new jobs and spread wealth.”
The competition is open to founders aged 34 or younger who own and run UK-registered businesses that have an annual turnover of at least £500,000. The threshold has been increased from £200,000 in previous years following a surge in the number of high quality applications. In the last round alone, 180 applications were submitted.
Sir Stelios said he would focus on fundamentals rather than hype. “It will be the numbers – is it a good, profitable company, is it growing and employing a lot of people?” he said. “Given my own background, I would rather reward consumer-facing companies because they are more relatable and have greater name recognition.”
Last year’s winner, Ayan Mohamed, is an example of the type of entrepreneurial drive the awards are designed to support. She founded Digitech Oasis, a Manchester-based company providing autonomous robotics solutions, after teaching herself to code while studying business. The prize money helped accelerate growth and create new jobs in the region.
“These awards are incredibly useful for a young British entrepreneur like me,” said Mohamed. “The funding was crucial, but the recognition and credibility that came with being associated with Sir Stelios was also a huge boost.”
Beyond financial support, winners also receive something harder to quantify: access to Sir Stelios himself. He remains actively involved with previous winners, offering them mentorship and advice as they move forward.
“I’m available 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.”
The deadline for applications is February 23, 2026, and the winners will be announced on March 31, 2026 at a hybrid ceremony in London. Sir Stelios has a simple message to potential applicants: “You should apply. This is not just a medal, it is real money that will help your business.”
