CEO Ren Kapur MBE reflects on 2024 achievements and developments at X-Forces Enterprise.
As we close out 2024, I am filled with pride and gratitude as we reflect on an incredible year for X-Forces Enterprise (XFE) and the Soldiering On Awards (SOA). Our dedicated efforts continue to support members of the Armed Forces community to realise their potential, while shining a light on remarkable resilience, innovation, and achievement.
This year, with the awarding of the new Career Transition Partnership (CTP) contract to Reed in Partnership, we are delighted to continue delivering enhanced enterprise and entrepreneurship resettlement programmes for those leaving the military in search of rewarding civilian careers worthy of their skills and experience. Beyond the CTP contract, we are working with our charity partners Army Benevolent Fund, Greenwich Hospital, and the Royal British Legion, to provide veterans, spouses, and family members with enterprise skills and opportunities and to help them make informed decisions about their futures.
The ground-breaking XFE Masterclass programme continues apace, with a suite of corporate partners and expert individuals providing keen insights, equipping military entrepreneurs with cutting-edge skills to thrive in today’s business landscape. It was particularly poignant to deliver our first face-to-face Masterclass since Covid on the evolving topic of digital marketing at the spectacular Rolls-Royce facility near Bristol. This was coupled with a ‘lunch and learn’ session where I shared with the Rolls-Royce team the story of my journey and that of XFE, with key insights about my own integration into the Armed Forces as a Reservist.
Another milestone moment came in May of this year when we journeyed north to Warrington – in the company of Richard Bearman, Co-Chief Banking Officer at The British Business Bank – to celebrate with our 3000th recipient of a Start Up Loan, Army veteran Phil Williams at his splendid Krapow Thai Restaurant. Meeting Phil and seeing the tangible results that tens of millions in funding and thousands of hours of training and mentoring we provide is enormously rewarding. Thank you to Richard Bearman for being part of the day with me.
Moving on to the 2024 Soldiering On Awards, a spectacular occasion with astonishing finalists, inspirational speakers, and fabulous entertainment. Everyone in the room was humbled and moved by the decades-long dedication of Lifetime Achievement Award winner Tony Wright and the stunning accomplishments of Inspiration Award winner Hari Budha Magar MBE, alongside the achievements of the ten other winners and the invaluable contributions of all of the finalists. This event reaffirmed the tremendous impact of the Armed Forces community on the UK’s social and economic fabric. These stories of selflessness and excellence remind us why the mission of SOA matters so much. Veterans and People Minister Al Carns had the opportunity to attend his first ever SOA and was fulsome in his admiration for our community – and the Awards themselves – in a wonderful address.
The Soldiering On Awards finale also provided the perfect platform to launch the Soldiering On Academy, which in 2025 will have three main focus areas: the Wounded, Injured, and Sick; Spouses; and Cadets. The Academy will deliver lifelong enterprise skills training to enhance employability and introduce pathways into entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and employment, supporting members of these cohorts to build rewarding and sustainable futures.
Volunteering remains a central tenet of our organisation’s ethos, so we were proud to volunteer our time to deliver a Cadets in Enterprise weekend for wonderful young people from the Army Cadet Force and the RAF AIR Cadets. This culminated in a graduation ceremony in the iconic setting of the London Stock Exchange Group building in Paternoster Square.
These were just some of the memorable moments that have resonated with our community during 2024.
And we mustn’t forget that this year saw a major change in the political landscape with a new government being formed. We are already working with key members of the administration to ensure that the issues that matter most to our community we will continue to represent.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to empowering those who serve, have served, and their families. Together, we’ll continue to drive meaningful change and foster opportunity for our military family, in and out of uniform.
Thank you to everyone who supported XFE and SOA this year – our partners, stakeholders, and most importantly, the individuals whose stories inspire us daily.
On a personal note, as a proud serving Reservist I was delighted to receive my Coronation Medal and I look forward to continuing my service to the country, my community, and
society as a whole.
While we recognise that 2025 will come with potential economic uncertainties for some, we are committed to working with partners to mitigate the impact and move towards a positive year ahead.
Wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful and relaxing Christmas and New Year.
Ren Kapur MBE
Founder & CEO, X-Forces Enterprise
