Applications are now open for the prestigious Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK.
The award gives disabled entrepreneurs in the UK the chance to win a top prize of £30,000 for their business, awarded by easyJet founder and philanthropist Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
Jointly run by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and disability charity Leonard Cheshire since 2006, the award recognises the achievements of disabled entrepreneurs who have set up their own company and excel in their chosen business field.
All forms of entrepreneurship and planned business activity in the UK, including start-ups, social enterprise or up and running businesses, which are at least 50 per cent owned by disabled people, are eligible to apply.
Applications are at leonardcheshire.org/stelios, and close October 1. The winner will receive their grand prize at an Awards ceremony on November 14. Four runners up will receive prizes of £10,000 each.
The criteria are:
- The award is open to disabled applicants operating in the UK only. We use the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability, which also includes long-term mental and physical health conditions.
- The award is open to registered and not-yet-registered companies, charities and social enterprises
- To be eligible, a disabled entrepreneur must own at least 50 per cent of the company
- The company must be at most seven years old
- The applicant must have an active online presence
- Past winners and/or applicants are welcome to re-apply.
Four new international judges with experience in a range of industries have been announced to join the judging panel for this year’s awards. The judges are:
Hannah Chamberlain, last year’s Stelios Award winner and founder of Mental Snapp, an app to help actively manage mental health using private video diaries.
Dr. Caroline Casey, an award winning social entrepreneur, international speaker and leading authority on diversity and inclusion.
Stas Strach, an international entrepreneur and business leader who has over 25 years experience spent in the consumer electronics industry.
Hardeep Rai, the founder and Managing Director of Kaleidoscope Investments; an organisation that invests, supports and empowers disabled people to become successful entrepreneurs
For full details on eligibility and an application form please visit the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation Facebook page: facebook.com/steliosfoundation or leonardcheshire.org/stelios. Alternative application formats are available on request. Closing date for applications is midnight on October 1.
Anyone who needs extra support in their application, email us at: steliosaward@leonardcheshire.org
