Reflecting a significant shift in the British entrepreneurial landscape, Steven Bartlett has been voted the UK’s most admired entrepreneur by start-up founders. This recognition comes from the “Ambitious UK Start-Ups 2023” report, published in January 2024, produced by the UK StartUp Awards in collaboration with Starling Bank, based on a survey of over 1,200 early-stage business founders.
Bartlett topped a competitive list featuring renowned entrepreneurs like Sir Richard Branson, Elon Musk, and Ben Francis, indicating a clear preference among new business leaders for relatable, digitally native role models.
Full Rankings from the Survey:
- Steven Bartlett – 8%
- Sir Richard Branson – 7%
- Elon Musk – 4%
- Steve Jobs – 3%
- Ben Francis (Gymshark founder) – 2%
- Bill Gates – 2%
- Karren Brady – 2%
- Warren Buffett – 1%
- Sara Blakely – 1%
- Lord Alan Sugar – 1%
Bartlett, widely recognised for founding companies such as Thirdweb and Flight Story and hosting the acclaimed podcast “The Diary of a CEO,” embodies a new generation of entrepreneur known for transparency, direct engagement, and real-time storytelling. His strong connection with younger entrepreneurs via social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn significantly boosted his prominence in the poll.
This recognition highlights a broader cultural shift within entrepreneurship. Young business owners increasingly value role models who share openly about both their successes and their challenges.
Responding to his inclusion on Linkedin Bartlett stated:
“It feels completely surreal to even be mentioned alongside a list of people I consider my idols. Every single name on this list is someone I’ve admired and learned from, and three of them have even appeared as guests on my podcast, ‘The Diary of a CEO,’ and have become friends. I see this as both an incredible honour and a responsibility. The study found that almost 40% of founders had entrepreneurial parents, highlighting the continued importance of role models in promoting entrepreneurial behaviour.
My goal is to spotlight the incredible UK startup ecosystem and inspire those who may never have considered entrepreneurship as a viable career path, perhaps because they haven’t seen anyone like themselves represented on charts like this.”
Written by Rana, 22nd Of June 2025.