Pitch it easy start up competition

After a successful Pitch it easy business competition held in 2020, Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) is delighted to partner once again with founder of easyJet Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, and launch the ‘Pitch it easy’ start-up competition.

Open to all present and past students of City, University of London, Pitch it easy will provide the winner a cash prize of £30,000 and an opportunity to work with Sir Stelios and the easy family of brands to develop and grow their business idea.

The qualifying applicants must be

1. A UK or EU registered for-profit company that was incorporated between 2017 and 2021.
2. The founder and majority shareholder must be a current student or alumnus/a of City, University of London.
3. The company must have a UK or EU bank account in its own name to receive the grant.
4. The company must be able to show accounts with revenues of at least £10k per year for 2 years.
5. The business model must be compatible with the easy family of brands brand values as seen in the easy history family photo album.
6. Be willing and able to enter into a 10-year brand license agreement to exclusively trade under an easy sub brand to be agreed and remove all other prior branding.
7. Be willing to pay a minimum royalty of 250 euros per month or 1% of revenues, whichever is greater. The minimum will be adjusted for EU RPI each year.
8. From the 3^rd anniversary of the brand license agreement contribute to the brand protection fund the sum of £5k pa adjusted for UK RPI matched by easyGroup or 0.1% of turnover, whichever is higher.

Timeline with key dates

The competition will be run in accordance with a timetable, as follows:

• 2^nd March 23, 5pm GMT: Zoom launch event with interview of Sir Stelios by Prof Costas Andriopoulos, followed by a Q&A.
• 26^th March 23, 5pm GMT: application deadline
• 24^th April 2023: Sir Stelios to select (likely) winner to negotiate brand license
• 12-13^th May 23: winner to be invited to Monaco with easyJet flights and accommodation provided by easyGroup to present their business at the reunion of the easy family.

For more on the business model and history of the easy family of brands see the easy history website.

"As a student at City, University of London business school in the late 80s I realised the university was a rich source of entrepreneurial talent. Today I am delighted to be able to support this talent by launching "Pitch-it-easy" a competition with a prize of £30,000 for a current student or alumnus/a of the university running a qualifying business that joins the easy family of brands. Good luck to all who apply! Who knows, the next easyJet might be out there!"

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou

About Sir Stelios

It is noted that Sir Stelios graduated with a Master’s degree from City, University of London business school in 1988 and has been funding several scholarships each year from his charitable foundation for underprivileged students to do a master’s degree at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass).

See the 'Pitch it easy 2023' Launch event at Bayes for further information.