Xero Beautiful Business Fund: How to apply & application tips

The Xero Beautiful Business Fund has officially been open for one week and we’ve received an incredible response so far! 

We have four funding categories that Xero small business customers can apply to. Whether you’re looking to take the next step in your sustainability journey, seeking to innovate with the latest technological advancements, give back to your community or upskill yourself or your employees, there is a funding category for everyone. 

There’s plenty of time to get your applications in before the 6 October deadline. If you need some assistance getting started with your application, we’ve pulled together the steps below along with some tips for how to make your application stand out. 

Ready to apply?

Have a look at the four categories and what the judges are looking for to figure out which categories you want to enter. You’ll need to do a separate video and application form for each category you want to apply for and each video will need to be specific to that category.

Step one

Prepare and record your pitch video(s) for each category you are applying for and upload using the dark blue button at the bottom of our site: xerobeautifulbusinessfund.com. Your video will need to be a .mov, .mp4 or .m4v file that cannot exceed 90 seconds in length. The file size must also be 120 MB or less, so it’s recommended that you film your video in 1080p. 

If you’re uploading a video from your laptop, you will be taken to your files to upload the video as shown in the below screenshot.

If you’re uploading a video from your phone, you will have the option to take a video or upload one from your photo library or files, which you can see in the below screenshot.

Tip: For video filming tips to follow, be sure to check out our guide. 

Step two

Once your video is uploaded, you will be taken to the application form as shown in the below screenshot. 

Complete the short application form, which requires your contact information, details about your business, as well as what category you are applying for.

That’s it! Now give yourself a pat on the back and get back down to business. 

Tip: Make sure you’re ready to fill out this form immediately after uploading your video so you can complete the application process in one go.

What are the judges looking for?

I’m really thrilled to be one of the global judges for the Xero Beautiful Business Fund. As you’re putting the final touches on your pitch video(s) or application, here are my suggestions for how to make your application stand out. 

• Tell us about yourself and how you got into business. We’d love to learn more about you as a business owner and your own business founding story. Have you come from a family of small business owners or has the path of entrepreneurship always been a lifelong dream? Whatever your story is, share what inspired you to start a business and don’t be afraid to show your personality! 
• We want to learn how the funding will impact your business. We want to see how your business is aligned to the funding category you are applying for. Demonstrate how you’ll use the funding to improve your business and make a positive long-term impact. Having concrete examples will really help you show (not tell) the judges how you’ll make your mark as a winner of the Xero Beautiful Business Fund. 
• Be future focused. Based on the category you are entering, we are looking for businesses with a clear path forward that demonstrate how they will use the funds in their business. We want to hear how this is a long-term part of your business strategy or goals and how the funding will help with these aspirations. Remember, the more specific you are with future plans and ideas, the better!

Resources

If you’re looking for additional information about the Xero Beautiful Business Fund, I would encourage you to check out the links below.  

xerobeautifulbusinessfund.com

This is where you’ll head to when you are ready to apply! 

xero.com/beautiful-business-fund

Check out this page if you need more information about the Fund, including our FAQs and details for accounting and bookkeeping partners about our partner toolkit to help share the news about this new initiative. 

Contest eligibility & judging criteria 

Learn more about our contest eligibility and judging criteria for the Xero Beautiful Business Fund. Remember, our full terms and conditions are available online here. 

Funding categories & prizes

You’ll find more details on our funding categories and our global and regional prize breakdown. 

Thanks to all of our small business customers who have already submitted an application. We can’t wait to hear more about your future business aspirations and learn about your story when the judging period commences.