27. A-Star Sports

Founders: Gary Bassett, Sharon Bassett, Kevin Key, Caroline Key, Alister Ramm and Lorna Ramm
Founded: November 2011
Website: www.a-starsports.co.uk

Now completing its hat-trick of appearances in Startups 100, children’s sport franchise A-Star Sports continues to go from strength to strength. Since achieving British Franchise Association accreditation last year, the franchise has grown to encompass six territories operated by the four directors and 10 additional territories with nine separate franchise owners. The franchise’s after-school sports classes continue to perform strongly, catering for more than 4,000 children per week, and its newly-launched party and holiday club ventures have also seen significant growth; A-Star Sports holiday clubs cater for around 200 children per day during the school holidays, and the founders plan to increase the number of parties held across 2014 from 550 to 1,000.

A-Star Sports’ growth has attracted numerous industry accolades, including selection as an inaugural member of Lord Young’s ACCELERATE 250 initiative, a listing in the Small Business Saturday 100 and a finalist appearance in two categories of the Franchise Marketing Awards – to name just a few. The founders have set an ambitious target of 24 franchises in 2014 and will continue to build on A-Star Sports’ charity and social enterprise links.