New Entrepreneurs Foundation
New Entrepreneurs Foundation (NEF) is a London-based nonprofit created in 2010 to help aspiring entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. It runs development programs funded by corporate and individual sponsors and does not take equity from participants.
It works with The Centre for Entrepreneurs (CFE) to address long-term challenges in UK entrepreneurship and is led by a Board of Trustees and CEO Neeta Patel.
Each year NEF runs a program for up to 50 candidates. Projects can be at idea stage or already running. In June, the current group and alumni pitch their ventures to investors.
Impact: By 2016 NEF supported 155 ventures (62 active), raised over £10m, and helped create about 650 jobs. By March 2022, founders and alumni had started over 200 live businesses, created around 5,000 jobs, raised £221m in early-stage funding, with a total valuation of about £630m. Notable alumni include Inkpact, Pollen8, Plus44 Holdings (Sliide App), Stand4Socks, Krzana, Wiser, Sideways6, Turn Partners and CharlieHR.
Founders and funding: NEF was founded in 2010 by Oliver Pawle, Dee Stirling, Sir Nigel Rudd and The Lord Davies of Abersoch. In 2017, NEF announced a long-term entrepreneurship project with CFE, supported by a £1 million donation from Mikhail Fridman.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:11 (CET).