Local Devon entrepreneur surpasses 12,000 small businesses to win £5k prize grant

London, 19th November 2025 – One local Devon small business has been awarded a £5,000 business grant to help fuel their business dreams. [business name], beat the competition to win their share of the Simply Business Young Entrepreneur Fund, a grant for those aged between 18-30 aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial spirit and tackling the main barriers to entry. 

The competition has seen Simply Business give away £50,000 worth of grants to 10 worthy young entrepreneurs.

Devonshire Plasterer say the funding will help them invest in larger rendering machine so that they can take on larger projects and expand the business. 

Rated on their business ideas unique value proposition, ambitions for growth, evidence of innovation and social impact, the winning businesses were voted on by an expert panel of judges, including Simply Business UK CEO, Julie Fisher, entrepreneur,  musician Professor Green, BBC’s The Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur, CEO of charity Hatch Enterprise Rebekah Sun and Mark Maciver, owner of Slider Cuts. 

Alongside their cash prize, each winner will complete a six week business support programme provided by youth enterprise charity Hatch Enterprise, that will help equip them with the tools for business success.

Fueling the fund, research from the insurance provider recently revealed 75% of 16-19 year olds have aspirations to start a business – with more than a third (36%) already making money from side hustles. But half (51%)  cite a lack of funding as their biggest obstacle, while 46% report a lack of expert guidance or mentorship and 61% believe school doesn’t provide the necessary education around business skills. 

Devonshire Plasterer Founder, Bertie Hayward, said : "It really hasn't settled in for me. I'm so delighted to have been selected by the judges, and to be recognised by Simply Business as an entrepreneur worth backing. This funding and business support means that I can expand my work, look into taking on an apprentice, and keep taking my time and making sure every job is finished perfectly.
"Meeting the other winners to film for the One Show was amazing. It's nice to know that there are other people in the same boat - I do sometimes feel a bit alone on this journey especially, as I'm in a rural area. We're definitely going to keep in touch. I can't wait to see what they all do next."

Musician, entrepreneur and member of the judging panel, Professor Green, said: "The quality of entries was incredible - 12,000 young entrepreneurs ready to back themselves and build something real. The 10 chosen winners stood out not just for their business ideas, but for their determination to succeed regardless of their background or qualifications.

This is exactly why the Young Entrepreneur Fund matters. Too many talented young people have the ideas and the drive, but not the funding or support to make it happen. Congratulations to the winners, now it's time to show what you're capable of!"

Julie Fisher, UK CEO of Simply Business said “The volume, quality and brilliance of the applicants to the fund blew us away. While we could only choose 10 winners, the standard of the 12,000 entries we received has been truly heartening. Huge congratulations goes to our worthy winners - we can’t wait to see how these promising young businesses take their growth plans to the next level.”

“At Simply Business we insure almost one million small businesses; we know that the UK's entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of our communities and absolutely essential to our collective prosperity. We hope that our fund will not only provide vital funding and mentorship to these entrepreneurs, but will inspire the next generation of business founders by highlighting the treasure trove of talent in the UK's young people.”

Rebekah Sun, CEO of Hatch Enterprise said “Over the past decade at Hatch Enterprise, we've worked with thousands of entrepreneurs, and we know talent when we see it - these founders represent exactly that. The quality of applications we received made the selection process difficult, but the winners stood out for their ideas, clear vision, and the impact their businesses will have on their communities and industries.

Youth entrepreneurship is vital to the UK's economic future, yet too many young founders struggle to access the early-stage funding and support needed to grow. Through this partnership with Simply Business, we're proud to be providing not just financial backing, but the mentorship and networks these entrepreneurs need to scale successfully. We can't wait to see what they achieve."

For more information on the Young Entrepreneur Fund and winners visit https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/campaign/young-entrepreneur-fund/