Steve Rigby Supports Rising Stars competition to find UK’s most promising tech start-ups

Applications are now open for the 2025 Rising Stars competition, which seeks to uncover and accelerate the UK’s most innovative early-stage companies, supported by a total investment fund of £3 million.

Rising Stars is a collaborative initiative with Tech Nation and OnetoWin, powered by Founders Forum Group and supported by Rigby Group and its flagship IT services business SCC, alongside Haatch and Wealth Club. Steve Rigby, Co-CEO of Rigby Group, is joining the judging panel, offering valuable insights and mentorship to the entrepreneurs participating in the competition.

The competition welcomes applications from early-stage founders across all regions, working in any technology sector, including agritech, edtech, medtech, AI, health, beauty tech, and more. It offers two competition tracks:1. Pre-seed or seed-stage companies, and 2. Pre-series A to Series A and beyond.

Over a nine-week period, selected participants will gain access to networking opportunities, regional support, and valuable resources. Winners from the regional finals will secure a regional investment prize of £335,000. Following the regional heats, grand finalists will showcase their ventures at London Tech Week, taking place from 9–13 June at London’s Olympia. The top 10 finalists will pitch live to an audience of ecosystem leaders, investors, and media, competing for a potential £1 million prize.

Steve Rigby is proud to support this initiative as a passionate supporter of other entrepreneurs, building on Rigby Group’s five decades of championing innovation. According to Tech Nation’s latest report, the UK’s technology sector is valued at $1.1 trillion, with the country home to 171 unicorn companies. The Rising Stars competition provides a crucial platform for up-and-coming entrepreneurs and innovators from all parts of the UK, including underserved regions and communities, to access investment and opportunities.

Steve Rigby, co-CEO of Rigby Group, said: “Talent can only thrive when it meets opportunity. That’s exactly what the revamped OnetoWin competition offers – with an incredible prize on offer for the UK’s best up-and-coming tech entrepreneurs.

“The UK has huge untapped potential, with tech talent spread far and wide throughout the country. By providing resources, mentorship and networking opportunities through a competitive pitch process Rising Stars OnetoWin will unleash new, amazing ideas that can boost our economy and solve problems for customers in sectors ranging from AI to medtech.”

Carolyn Dawson, CEO of Tech Nation and Founders Forum Group, said: “Fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in the UK is crucial to the growth of our economy. In turn, it provides life-changing opportunities and skills to people from all communities and all regions. Now, with the help of our partners new and old and via our merger with OnetoWin, Tech Nation’s Rising Stars can support the most exciting scaleups from across the nation and foster the UK’s tech ecosystem at scale with better resources and investment, enabling more people to make the jump into entrepreneurship.”