Simon Squibb launches the DreamFund
Entrepreneur and investor Simon Squibb has launched DreamFund, a fund designed to be accessible to anyone with a dream. Unlike traditional grants, loans, or venture funding, DreamFund has no gatekeepers, no equity demands, and no repayment.
The DreamFund is funded by a lifelong pledge by Simon Squibb to fuel the fund with 10% of profits from every company in the Dream Group, the businesses founded by Simon, including HelpBnk, the free global community platform for entrepreneurs and his media business, which reaches millions of people every day.
As The Dream Group expands, so will the fund, turning The Dream Group’s products and services into a permanent engine for funding people’s ambitions. The launch comes as a major government-commissioned review warned the UK risks a “lost generation,” with more than one million young people now not in education, employment or training – the highest level in over 12 years.
With graduate unemployment rising and traditional routes into work narrowing, DreamFund is built on a different premise: that the next generation shouldn’t have to wait for the system to offer them an opportunity when they can be backed to build their own.
Simon Squibb, Founder of Dream and HelpBnk, said: “Entrepreneurship is completely neglected in this country. School teaches you to get a job, go to university or get an apprenticeship. It gives kids no help and no money to build something of their own. And we can’t trust the government to change that. The only way it changes is through other entrepreneurs. The big conglomerates hog their profits. They make billions and don’t do real good with the profits. That’s why I’m putting 10% of all our companies’ profits into the DreamFund for life, with no equity taken. I just want to back people with a dream, and when they make it, they can join the fund too. I’ll give millions away this way, but millions isn’t enough. That’s why I’m asking every business leader to join this pledge, so no dream in this country ever goes unfunded again.”
Jack Whettingsteel, Co-Founder and CEO of Dream, said: “The only money available to support in the beginning was my mum’s £3,000 savings, which was money we couldn’t afford to lose, on a dream that had no guarantee of working. I was lucky it paid off, but nobody should have to gamble their family’s savings to chase their dreams. That’s why I’m proud to launch DreamFund. We’re looking out for people with ambition, purpose and the courage to start. Whether you are building a business, creating something for your community, or pursuing an idea that could make a difference, we want to hear from you. We believe great dreams come from everywhere, and they shouldn’t be reserved for people with wealth, connections or the ability to take huge financial risks.”
Applications for the DreamFund are open to the public now. To enter, applicants must provide their contact details before they are invited to submit their pitch. Each month, the team at HelpBnk will review each application before selecting those which will receive funding.
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