Financing Forces Founders… 3,000 and Counting

May 21, 2024

More than 3,000 budding entrepreneurs in the Armed Forces community have started their self-employment endeavour, empowered by a Start Up Loan with X-Forces Enterprise.

This powerful partnership with the government’s British Business Bank is an enormous enabler. The triumphs of these individuals not only transform their own lives but also contribute to the vibrancy and growth of the UK economy.

Since 2013, this partnership has provided a total of £33.5 million in funding, acting as a dynamic catalyst in the creation of fulfilling new careers for aspirational service leavers, veterans, reservists, military spouses, and family members. The impact of this finance and support extends far beyond the many inspiring individual success stories, with an estimated 10,000 jobs created and sustained by this cohort of dedicated, ambitious new entrepreneurs.

X-Forces Enterprise Founder and CEO Ren Kapur MBE commented:

“Finance is the critical enabler in every new business and at the foundation of X-Forces Enterprise is our strong partnership with British Business Bank to facilitate Start Up Loan funding to entrepreneurs in the Armed Forces community. Teamed with a unique package of support services and with endorsement from government, we are able to bolster their endeavours and help realise their ambitions.

Drilling down into the numbers, some highly significant stats appear, with 53% of the loans going to members of the Armed Forces and 47% going to spouses and family members. Like the community, the recipients were geographically dispersed across the UK and almost 95% taken outside London.

Ren continues:

“Entrepreneurs from the Armed Forces community excel due to their resilience, adaptability, and quick learning. Their core strengths and skills acquired from service enable them to navigate the challenges of business ownership effectively, and therefore stimulate the economy. Our own analysis suggests that the economic contribution from these amazing entrepreneurs means there are 10,000 extra jobs in the UK contributing over three quarters of a billion pounds per annum.”

Ren Kapur (X-Forces Enterprise), Phil Williams and Chanisara Glanville, owners of Krapow Thai Restaurant, and Richard Bearman (British Business Bank)

3000^th X-Forces Enterprise loan recipient – Phil Williams

Phil Williams spent nearly 17 years in the Army in the Royal Dragoon Guards regiment. He returned to his hometown of Warrington to set up a restaurant with his Thai partner, Chanisara, known as ‘Nok’. Krapow Thai Restaurant opened on 3 May this year and has already received rave reviews.

Phil applied for a Start Up Loan to help turn the Warrington town centre market stall he was running with his partner into a fully-fledged restaurant in The Hive, a busy area with high footfall. They spent five years looking for the ideal location and employ eight people in the new business.

You can meet Phil and read his wonderful story here.

Richard Bearman, Manging Director, Small Business Lending, British Business Bank said:

“We’re delighted Start Up Loans has supported 3,000 people from the Armed Forces community in starting businesses across the UK. X-Forces Enterprise is one of our most successful partners, whose supportive model helps us provide opportunities for Armed Forces members and their families to turn their business dreams into reality. We wish Phil and Chanisara all the best with their Thai restaurant and the exciting expansion it represents from starting as a market stall.”

X-Forces Enterprise enables the Armed Forces community to access government-funded Start Up Loans, serving as an official Business Support Partner for the British Business Bank. Entrepreneurs receive dedicated support from a business advisor to develop their business plan and assess cash flow, along with ongoing mentoring guidance throughout the crucial first twelve months following their business launch. The business owner may also access a wide portfolio of training and networking opportunities, fully-funded through X-Forces Enterprise’ unique collaborations with military charities and big business.

Research by XFE partner the Federation of Small Businesses states that around 340,000 (6%) of small businesses are run by ex-military personnel (FSB Report ‘A Force For Business’ 2019).