Darren is a Funding Manager at Virgin StartUp where he assesses funding applications from early- stage businesses. He finds it incredibly rewarding to be able to play a part in the genesis of so many new businesses. Darren is an entrepreneur at heart, having previously founded and successfully run two start-ups himself, a specialist recruitment company and an online food gifting business. Over the last eight years he has fuelled his passion for entrepreneurship through working with hundreds of early- stage businesses, supporting them in developing their ideas and accessing start-up funding. Whilst now dedicated to helping others, he still considers online retail as ‘unfinished business' and often finds himself thinking about potential products to source and sell.