Vroom VOOM! Richard Branson’s £1m start-up pitching competition returns

VOOM, the UK’s “biggest pitching competition”, has returned for 2017 – with the contest touring the country for the first time.

Announced today by Sir Richard Branson, regional start-ups will pitch their ideas on the Voom Bus to have the chance to win a prize of £5,000 and meet and receive advice from the business mogul.

Over the next six months the Voom Tour schedule will include Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle and Winchester.

The national competition will return in March 2018 and will again provide entrepreneurs the chance to win a share of £1m worth of prizes.

Just last month, Virgin Media Business announced the launch of Voom Fibre broadband, which offers UK small businesses expected download speeds of up to 350Mbps.

Branson, said: “The Voom Bus is going on tour to seek out brilliant British entrepreneurs and to help them break down the business barriers in their way.

“We’re bringing the Voom Tour into communities and challenging people to put aside their fears and pitch their business ideas as we travel across the UK.

“The Voom Tour is a fantastic way for people to get started on what could be the most significant journey of their business life.”

Answering a question from Startups’ own Shane Donnelly, on what would be his number one piece of advice for a start-up pitching to him, Branson said:

“Keep it short. I’m famously dyslexic so at Virgin if we make an advert we say ‘take it to Richard and if he can understand it, then it’ll work.’ Simple, clear cut messages. Think about the old elevator pitch rule, can you get your pitch across in an elevator.”

To register for your start-up to pitch on the Voom Bus, click here.