In November 2020, we launched the Positive Impact Pledge as part of the club's Corporate Responsibility,as a way to create positive impact - one of the leading principles behind the club's successful collaboration with its commericial partners. In-keeping with its reputation of challenging convention and doing things differently, the club is on a quest to uncover and propel cutting-edge ideas that encompass our values and epitomise innovation.
The club identified the Positive Impact Pledge as a chance to help support like-minded businesses with original ideas and power their growth. After over 50 applications and two rounds of shortlisting we invited five finalists to St Mary's to pitch to senior board members at Southampton Football Club.
We are delighted to announce Sibstar and Labl.it as our two winners, each receiving a £20,000 tax-free grant. Sportsbet.io, the Main Club Partner, a sportsbook of the Coingaming Group, played an integral role in the Positive Impact Pledge by taking part in the virtual shortlisting event and allowing the club to award a joint winner by matching the £20,000 grant that was initially offered by the club.
Southampton Football Club’s Chief Commercial Officer, David Thomas, commented: “We’re excited to see both Sibstar and Labl.it progress with the help of the Positive Impact Pledge, having been impressed by the potential both new challenger brands have shown.
“As a club, we’re keen to promote innovation and use our platform to help power the growth of Sibstar and Labl.it, two exciting businesses that have the potential to make a positive change.”
Tim Heath, founder of the Coingaming Group, added: “With so many forward-thinking entrepreneurs applying to Southampton’s Positive Impact Pledge, these two start-ups made it difficult to pick a single winner.
“We’re delighted to make an additional contribution to the prize pool that enables not one, but two of these exciting young businesses to turn their vision into reality. I look forward to supporting and mentoring Labl.it, a Southampton-based team using entrepreneurship to build a brighter future.”
See below for how the live pitch went and more on our Positive Impact Pledge 2021 winners.
Sibstar
Sibstar is a new highly secure debit card and app, designed to help families living with dementia to safely manage daily spending. Sibstar is an innovative way for these vulnerable adults who are at risk of financial exclusion to access and manage their day to day money safely, because it is fully protected and secure. Banking no longer needs to be a one-size-fits-all-product. Every piece of Sibstar’s functionality can be switched on or off according to individual customer needs, delivering a bespoke, tailored solution which adapts and grows as the needs of individual customers change.
Through enabling this financial freedom Sibstar will help people with dementia to live an independent and valuable life. Sibstar is the first of its kind.
Labl.it
The club will provide further updates on the progress of both companies as they progress and would like to thank all of the applicants and finalists who took the time to take part in the Positive Impact Pledge.
Find out more about Southampton Football Club’s Corporate Responsibility, part of the club’s sustainability strategy, The Halo Effect, here.
