Saints have launched a new initiative that will see entrepreneurs and start-ups compete to win a £20,000 tax-free grant and expert business guidance as the club look to engage with the business community in Southampton.

Southampton Football Club is delighted to unveil its brand-new Positive Impact Pledge: the opportunity for one forward-thinking entrepreneur or start-up to kickstart their challenger brand of the future with a £20,000 tax-free grant and expert mentorship.

Shortlisted applicants will get the chance to pitch their business plans to senior board members at the club.

Creating positive impact has long been one of the leading principles behind the club’s successful collaboration with its commercial partners, working tirelessly to help them deliver a variety of business objectives via the club’s brand, the ability to engage the club’s extensive fanbase and the wider football community in addition to the far-reaching appeal of the Premier League.

Therefore, as a natural follow-on, and in keeping with its reputation of challenging convention and doing things differently, the club is on the quest to uncover and propel cutting-edge ideas that encompass its values and epitomise innovation.

During such challenging and testing times, the club has identified the Pledge as a chance to help support like-minded businesses with original ideas and power their growth.

Rather than let innovation go to waste, the club wants to harness the creativity of entrepreneurs and start-ups and offer them support to help turn pioneering concepts into reality.

The Pledge will see fledgling challenger businesses that are dedicated to delivering positive impact submit an initial application detailing how they plan to drive change.

Proposals will then be shortlisted and successful applicants will be invited to St Mary’s Stadium to pitch their business plans to senior board members at Southampton Football Club.

The winning proposal will receive a £20,000 tax-free grant and gain invaluable business advice and guidance in order to help become a challenger brand of tomorrow.

In keeping with the club’s wider off-field strategy, the objective is that the club and the winning entrepreneur or start-up, together, can continue to champion innovation.

The Positive Impact Pledge will also be a key initiative within Southampton Football Club’s wider long-term Corporate Sustainability Strategy.

Small businesses at an early stage of their development and comprising of no more than five people are invited to visit the Positive Impact Pledge page to find out more.

Southampton Football Club’s Chief Commercial Officer, David Thomas, said: “We work relentlessly with all of our club partners to create positive impact together and I am excited by the opportunity to create even more positive change through the launch of the Positive Impact Pledge.

“It is often in challenging times like this that genuine innovation can happen and we want to champion that creativity.

“The club has always been a challenger brand and we want to uncover an entrepreneur or start-up with the same mentality and values. We encourage anyone that this strikes a chord with, to give it a shot and submit an application.”

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