Virgin StartUp has launched applications for the second round of Momentum, its free eight-week accelerator program designed specifically to help entrepreneurs with dyslexia grow their businesses.
Momentum 2.0, which runs from 26 May to 14 July 2026, returns after what Virgin StartUp described as the most successful program in its history. The first group supported 30 founders last year, and nine out of ten said they saw their dyslexic thinking as a strength when they graduated. The program is supported by Virgin Unite and run in partnership with Made By Dyslexia, a global charity founded by Kate Griggs.
The accelerator is aimed at early-stage innovators and offers a combination of tailored workshops, one-on-one mentoring and practical resources designed around how naturally dyslexic thinkers work. Virgin StartUp has also launched a “Dyslexic Thinking” site dedicated to its online community of business founders, extending the program’s reach beyond the group itself.
The business case for supporting dyslexic entrepreneurs is well documented. Analysis from Made By Dyslexia suggests that business owners with dyslexia contribute at least £4.6 billion to UK GDP every year and support more than 60,000 jobs. The charity estimates that one in three entrepreneurs has dyslexia, statistics that underline how closely the entrepreneurial spirit is linked to the pattern recognition, creative problem solving and big picture thinking often associated with dyslexia.
Elle Upshall, chief executive of Virgin StartUp, said the response to the first group exceeded expectations and that the program showed what happens when business support is designed around different ways of thinking rather than against them.
Among the alumni of Momentum’s first cohort is Alex Molokwu, the founder of Loujo, a campaign that uses educational songs to help dyslexic children with reading and writing. Molokwu credited his mentor for helping him transform instinctive thinking into a systematic strategy. Aylin Abdullah, founder of Fractionals Match, an AI-powered marketplace for growing businesses, said the program gave her the opportunity to define and lean into her thinking, rather than taking it as something to work on.
Griggs, himself an illiterate businessman, framed the plan in broad economic terms, saying the UK has never needed more dyslexic thinking if it is to unlock growth and innovation.
Momentum sits amid a wider push across the Virgin Group to champion neurodivergent talent, largely inspired by Richard Branson’s experience with dyslexia. The ambition goes beyond the group: by helping dyslexic founders to scale, the program aims to improve job creation and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Applications for Momentum 2.0 close on 8 May 2026. Full details are available at virginstartup.org/momentum.
