Virgin StartUp Reviews 

I’ve really loved being part of the community because I have connected with so many members already, and it is so great for founders to be able to bounce ideas off each other and support each other through the tough period of building a brand.
It’s felt like such a supportive community and the frequent events make it so worth it, because I have learned so much about business that I wouldn’t have otherwise known (or had to learn the hard way).
Finley Simpson, Founder of Maison Finley :)

Sinead oversaw my application and to say that she was brilliant is a massive understatement. So knowledgeable and helped tailor my application to fit my business perfectly. Cannot recommend her enough. Thank you Sinead. You’ve helped me kickstart my business and I am massively grateful for your help!

I honestly religiously tell every founder I meet about Virgin StartUp; through the premium membership I've had a chance to speak to top C-suite members of global brands, attend exclusive events for free, acquire mentors that are basically impossible to access otherwise, and plant the seeds for future collaborations and listings. AND ALSO you get short-session access to professionals for free such as lawyers and consultants etc. It's hard to find a space where all of this is accessible to you for the price of like 3 matcha's. This is an unmissable platform ESPECIALLY if you're in F&B and physical products. Truly unbeatable platform. The staff are always so friendly and helpful as well, and are always going out of their way to make sure you have the resources you need or put you in touch with people that may be able to help you with your business. Shoutout to Alice, Ruth, Katie, and Tanya for always going above and beyond! They're literal superstars

First day in the community and already loving it. I feel the inspiration, energy, and big possibilities that are yet to come. Let's go Team Virgin. ;)

Scott Findlay
Founder of INNER HYPE

Virgin StartUp has been one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had as a founder.

I joined after being so pleased with their accelerator programme which provided really good structure and help.

The range and experience of the mentors gives you access to people who have genuinely built and scaled businesses.

I’ve also met a great group of founders, that’s been just as valuable as the formal support.

The free Changemaker events are another standout, and feel like a very natural way to meet successful founders in person.

Overall, Virgin StartUp offers great mentorship, community and connections, making it a great resource for any early-stage founder.

Just started with the group, it's a nice community and the reps are fast to respond to queries. Hoping there will be more info on starting a business, so far the videos have been okay but nothing you can't find online.
Looking forward to the in person events.
The mentors are great, I've had two advisor sessions so far, I've found the business mentor Alan to be really helpful. Thank you! Looking forward to developing a solid business plan before December.

I had a very good experience with Virgin StartUp. Priyanka deSilva was very helpful and supportive throughout the whole process. He has so much knowledge and explained everything clearly, kept me updated and helped me with the changes needed for my application.

The whole process was straightforward and I really appreciate Pri’s help and communication. Very happy with the service , everything was faster than expected and i would definitely recommend Virgin StartUp.

What an amazing community! It has been a joy to be part of this community over the last 6 months or so as I embark on entrepreneurial journey. Inspiring events, support as and when you need it and an energy that is infectious, turbocharging your experience. As a team Virgin StartUp are so connected to the community that they anticipate exactly what you need - often before you realise it! So grateful that somebody recommended it to me - it's been foundational as I build.

The Virgin StartUp community, is amazing. The staff are friendly and welcoming, always willing to help.

For me it’s really the go to space for inspiration, meeting other like minded founders and also general advice, as the mentors have a wealth of knowledge surrounding all aspects of building a startup, not to mention some of the guests that participate in mentoring sessions and the monthly changemakers.

I feel like this is an all round space to meet brilliant individuals to learn from and grow.

Just a fab community to be part of. The content is relevant, the mentoring is seriously impressive, and the events are inspiring! Best membership I am a part of by far!

The best community and business network I’ve ever joined - from the changer maker sessions with leading UK founders, to the regular one on one mentor and group mentor opportunities with experts who are generous with their time and advice, and access to online learning and resources. The team are also brilliant. And of course, I’ve met some great entrepreneurs in the London area!!
Thank you to Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Startup team for helping aspiring founders keep up the momentum we need while building our businesses!

I was fortunate to be invited to take part in the Virgin StartUp Empowerment Programme, and it was a fantastic experience.

For just over a year, I have also been making use of the Virgin StartUp Community Platform, which has been an invaluable resource for my business. From the dedicated mentors who generously share their time, knowledge and guidance, to the wide range of free tools, websites, resources and support available, the platform offers an incredible amount of value to entrepreneurs.

The online sessions have not only benefited me and my business, but have also provided valuable insights and resources that I have been able to share with other entrepreneurs I work with and support.

Virgin StartUp has genuinely made a positive difference to my business journey. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities, support and community it provides, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to develop and grow their business.

I had a very positive experience with Virgin StartUp. The whole process was clear, well organised and professional from start to finish.

A special thank you to Sinead Straker for her support, guidance and excellent communication throughout my application. She was always helpful, responsive and made the process much easier to understand.

Everything was completed successfully, including the loan drawdown and setting up the online account. I really appreciate all the help and support I received and would happily recommend Virgin StartUp to other new business owners.

Thank you again for the excellent service!

Absolutely dreadful! Pulled out of a business loan due to the amount of stuff they wanted. Supposedly British business bank rules and if that’s true the whole thing is a sick joke. I refused to send yet more info as it was crazy what they were asking and the time it took.
Waste of time!

Applied on 3rd February — still no decision 4 months later.

For an organisation that claims to support entrepreneurs, the process is shockingly inefficient. It’s time-consuming, repetitive, and communication is almost non-existent. I keep getting emails encouraging me to apply, yet my actual application hasn’t moved.

I’ve submitted multiple business plans, often repeating the same information, and been asked basic questions you’d expect business advisors to already understand. Some requests have been unrealistic too — like asking for backdated address changes on bank statements (which isn’t even possible) and proof of savings when the whole point of the loan is to provide a financial buffer.

Despite already having a credit check, they carried out another hard search without clear communication — and then nothing.

I’ve spent 4 months chasing updates with zero urgency from their side, while this delay has directly impacted my business decisions, including having to reconsider my lease.

Also worth noting: this is marketed as a business loan, but it’s actually a personal loan — not made clear upfront.

I have now checked my application status and it has now said my application has timed out and I need to apply again!

Overall, a frustrating and disappointing experience. 4 months for no answer is completely unacceptable. My review will stand unless there is a update or change on this matter and will be looking to feedback this to the senior leadership team.

Update; No surprises after this review, my application was rejected before it was presented to the panel despite being saying it just needs to go through the panel and the paperwork to be sent out with new excuses. They rejected it on the basis of what information they had already known and the causation of such a important delayed process has caused- Thank you very much Virgin!

Amazing — I met some really great mentors, including Radha Vyas, and attended some genuinely inspiring talks from Simon Squibb and Timothy Armoo.

I received a Start Up Loan from Virgin StartUp at the beginning of 2025 for my business, Krocus & Co., and I honestly can’t speak highly enough of the experience.

From day one, the team has been absolutely phenomenal. I felt supported, encouraged, and genuinely part of a wider community from the moment the loan was approved through to joining the Premium Membership. It never felt transactional, it felt human.

The Virgin StartUp community opened doors I never expected. Through events, exposure, and ongoing support, my brand reached new audiences and gained real visibility. The Premium Membership has been especially valuable, offering incredible mentoring opportunities and one-to-one calls with experienced, successful founders. As an early-stage entrepreneur, having direct access to people who have built multi-million-pound businesses is something truly special and not easily found elsewhere.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Virgin StartUp’s loan and Premium Membership to anyone starting or growing a business. It’s an outstanding place to begin and to grow with confidence.

COULDN'T RECOMMEND HIGHLY ENOUGH. I had the privilege of working with Virgin Start up on 3 occasions now. First, I got funding from the Start up Loan- the process was handled amazingly. My situation isn't straight forward but the team were clear with what they needed from me, and very patient and understanding to learn more about my situation and help me get approved for the loan. 2. my business was accepted into the EMPOWER100 cohort which provide a lot of support and mentorship for the business which has proved very helpful. And finally, we were asked to trade at their Christmas market which was a great opportunity to meet the wider team. I also made great business connections that I wasn't expecting. Overall a wonderful experience . THANK YOU VIRGIN for supporting !

I applied for a Start Up Loan through Virgin StartUp and spent weeks preparing every single document, forecast, and business plan exactly as requested. Throughout the whole process, no one mentioned that my type of business or loan purpose might fall outside of their lending guidelines.

Only after everything was submitted and reviewed did they send a short rejection email saying my application “falls outside of the lending guidelines”, with no explanation of what exactly was wrong or why this wasn’t made clear earlier.

If they had been transparent from the beginning, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time and effort. It feels like they let applicants go through a long and exhausting process just to reject them with a copy-paste message.

Very disappointing experience, poor communication, no accountability, and no respect for applicants’ time.