A financial education start-up based in Clerkenwell has been awarded £10,000 in funding to support its growth, courtesy of Sage, the Official Accounting Software Partner of cricket’s The Hundred.
The recognition follows MyPocketSkill co-founders Zara Ransley and Matthew Harker entering the Sage Small Business XI competition earlier this summer. Launched by England cricket icons Stuart Broad and Nat Sciver-Brunt, the initiative aims to celebrate and support small business owners nationwide.
By winning, MyPocketSkill becomes part of the Sage Small Business XI — a group of eleven businesses sharing £50,000 in grants alongside a range of experiences connected to The Hundred.
Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs), launched the competition as part of its partnership with The Hundred, receiving thousands of entries from small businesses sharing their stories, vision, and future ambitions.
MyPocketSkill is an AI-powered platform helping 13–25-year-olds Earn, Save, and Learn, giving them control over their financial futures. Young people complete paid micro-jobs for small businesses and households, manage their earnings via a digital wallet, and build essential money skills often missing from the school system. With UK entry-level jobs down nearly a third this year, MyPocketSkill offers a vital first step into work and financial independence.
The £10,000 grant will help expand MyPocketSkill’s personalised learning features and support a targeted advertising campaign in high youth-unemployment areas.
Zara Ransley, Co-Founder of MyPocketSkill said: “Winning the Sage Small Business XI is both validation of our work and a catalyst for growth. It’s encouraging to see a global brand like Sage recognise the urgency of supporting Gen Z and Gen Alpha as first jobs disappear. This win will help us reach thousands more young people right as they’re learning to manage their first pay cheque.”
In addition to supporting the growth of MyPocketSkill, co-founders Zara and Mattew, alongside ten other national winners, will see their businesses promoted on the pitch side advertising boards at one game in The Hundred, and also gain access to Sage’s innovative technology, insights, and expertise, helping alleviate the pressures they face as small business owners.
Sally Moore, Senior Director of Global Sponsorship at Sage added: “We are delighted to announce MyPocketSkill as one of our eleven winners in this year’s Sage Small Business XI. At Sage we’re always looking for ways to champion small businesses and how important they are within their local communities. We’re driven by their passion, so we’re thrilled to showcase the outstanding work that MyPocketSkill does.”
Stuart Broad, Sage ambassador added: “It’s wonderful to be a part of the Sage Small Business XI again this year alongside the England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. The determination and resilience these founders demonstrate to make their small businesses successful is incredible. As a small business owner myself, I find hearing the winners’ stories and learning from their experiences incredibly valuable, so I’m really looking forward to meeting them at The Hundred Final in August.”
Small businesses also have another chance to win with Sage this summer. Visit www.sage.com/behindthebadge to either nominate a small business or to enter your own small business for the chance to win marketing promotion with an EFL football club, plus chances to win tickets to an EFL regular season game.
