Adam Maddock backed by Virgin StartUp

Adam Maddock

Young entrepreneur Adam Maddock, from Norden, has been backed by Virgin StartUp with his new business venture that brings a whole new meaning to charitable giving.

Adam, 24, uses a business model which aims to support as many charities as possible by allowing them to utilise the personalised Gifts4You website free of charge to raise funds for their causes.

Former tennis player Adam set up his own business after realising that a tennis career wasn’t for him. From the age of 12, Adam represented Great Britain and trained for several years at IMG Academies in Florida and Sanchez–Casals Tennis Academy in Barcelona. Adam even completed a year at UCLAN University studying the sport.

The decision to leave university and tennis behind him and embark on his business venture was driven by his desire to achieve a similar venture that his father Keith did, but by utilising modern day technology.

Gifts4You is based solely online and operates as an e-commerce site that sells over 9,000 gifts.

Adam hopes that working with Virgin StartUp will help him establish his business as not just a distinguished e-commerce site for gifts, but as a business that supports a broad range of charities.

He said: “We would like to expand to become an international brand and help charities all around the world by becoming one of the leading e-commerce sites.”

The desire to help and provide a platform for charities to raise money has been a deep-rooted one for Adam since losing his sister Vanessa to leukaemia.

Since her diagnosis, Adam and his family have done all they can to raise money for various causes, the most prominent of which has been their work for the hospital Vanessa was treated in. So far the family have raised around £50,000, which has been put towards good causes such as equipment for premature babies and support for children battling the disease.

Virgin StartUp said: “It’s great that Adam is progressing his business and we are delighted to have been able to support his journey with mentoring and advice.”