AXAThe AXA Startup Angel competition, from AXA Business Insurance in partnership with The Standard, has been searching for brilliant new business ideas to help turn these aspirations into reality. In July, the finalists were selected from hundreds of entries sent in by budding entrepreneurs.
Picking this year’s most inspiring ideas are the AXA Startup Angels. Henry Firth and Ian Theasby are co-founders of plant-based food brand BOSH!, Raphael Sofoluke is founder and CEO of UK Black Business Week and UK Black Business Show, and this year they are joined by our newest judge, Izzy Obeng, founder and CEO of Foundervine.
The judging panel also includes AXA Business Insurance head of marketing, Julie White.
In addition to the judges’ choices, the decision as to who should win one of the four runners-up prizes is yours. Vote now to have your say on which business should win a prize of media, mentoring and exposure. Each runner-up will receive a profile in The Standard and mentoring from The Standard team, worth more than £18,000, to boost their new ventures.
Voting for the AXA Startup Angel People’s Choice Award ends at 23.59 on Wednesday 2 September 2026. Read full terms of the AXA Startup Angel competition here
AXA Insurance UK plc is registered in England and Wales registered number 078950 and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under Financial Services Register number 202312.